First time at Barbery Coast? Barbershop etiquette, from booking to the tip
Most barbershop etiquette guides are written for a shop that doesn't exist. They tell you to "arrive on time" and "tip well" without saying how late is too late, or what "well" means. This one is about one shop: ours, at 1562 Grant Avenue in North Beach. Here are the actual rules, in the order you'll run into them.
Want a guaranteed chair?
Walk-ins are welcome when a chair is free, but booking is the only way to lock in a time. Pick your service and a slot online. Same-day openings show up whenever the book has room.
Book or walk in?
Both work, but booking is the safer bet. You can book any service on our appointments page. Pick the service, the day and the time, and you're set. We take same-day appointments whenever the book has room, so it's worth checking even if you decide at lunch that you need a cut by evening.
We do take walk-ins. We're a busy shop, though, so availability for walk-ins is limited and the wait can vary. If you walk in and the chairs are full, ask how long it'll be. We'll give you a straight answer.
One rule that catches people out: we don't take appointments for children under 12.
We're open Tuesday through Thursday 10am to 8pm, Friday 10am to 7pm, and Saturday 9am to 5pm. Sunday and Monday we're closed.
Before you come in
Come with clean hair and skip the product. Pomade and clay leave the hair sticky and the clippers sticky with it. The barbers Art of Manliness interviewed make the same point.
Know what you're asking for. A photo on your phone does more than five minutes of describing. If you're not sure of the words, our guide to telling your barber what you want covers the vocabulary: guard numbers, fade heights, how much off the top.
And know which service you're booking. A plain men's haircut is 30 minutes. A cut with a straight razor shave is 45, and the Yerba Buena Special runs close to two hours. If you're torn, our menu post lays out every service, with what it costs and how long it takes.
Arriving
Give yourself a few minutes. Parking near the shop is street parking, and in North Beach it can be limited. If you can, walk, take Muni, or get a taxi or ride-share to drop you on Grant.
We hold a 10-minute grace period. After that, depending on the barber's day, we may not be able to fit you in. If you're running behind, call the shop at (415) 696-6818. A quick heads-up gives us the chance to shuffle the schedule for you.
In the chair
Here's where we part ways with most etiquette lists. They tell you to "trust your barber's opinion" and let them decide. We'd rather you didn't. We're barbers, not stylists. Our job is to execute the cut you ask for, cleanly and precisely, and we do that best when you tell us exactly what you want at the start.
So say it up front. If something looks off partway through, say so then, not after the last pass of the clippers. Speaking up early is never rude. It's how you get the cut you came for.
A few smaller things help. Keep your phone down, because looking down at a screen moves your head, and a moving head makes for an uneven line. Keep still when the razor is out. Chat or don't. Some people talk the whole time and some want 30 quiet minutes, and both are fine.
You may be offered a drink. One customer described being "greeted with a warm handshake and offered a drink," and another started his visit with "a glass of whisky." Say yes or no thanks, whichever you prefer. Nobody keeps score.
Paying and tipping
We take all major credit and debit cards, and cash is always welcome.
Here's the tipping answer, plainly: yes, tip your barber, and 15 to 20 percent is the normal range. That's the Emily Post Institute's guidance for hair services. Thad Forrester, co-owner of Hudson/Hawk Barber & Shop, told Art of Manliness his rule of thumb is 20 percent.
On a $75 haircut, that's roughly $11 to $15. On the $105 haircut with beard trim and razor line-up, it's about $16 to $21.
Canceling and no-shows
Plans change, and we get that. Cancel at least one hour before your appointment online, or call the shop if you can't cancel online. No-shows are charged the full price of the booked service. That isn't about being strict. A no-show is a slot another customer could have had.
Booking the next one
The easiest way to keep a cut sharp is to book the next one before it grows out. When that is depends on the cut, so ask your barber how many weeks yours will hold. A tight skin fade needs more frequent visits than a longer scissor cut. Our post on how often you should get a haircut breaks it down by style.
Questions first-timers ask
Do you take walk-ins?
Yes, when there's a free chair. Booking online is the only way to guarantee a time.
Should I wash my hair before a haircut?
Come in with clean, product-free hair. You don't need to wash it right before, but skip the pomade that day.
How much should I tip my barber?
15 to 20 percent of the service is the standard range. On a $75 haircut, that's about $11 to $15.
Can I bring my son for a cut?
We don't take appointments for children under 12.
What if I'm running late?
We hold a 10-minute grace period. Past that, call (415) 696-6818 and we'll tell you whether we can still fit you in.
Ready for your first visit?
Clean hair, a photo of the cut you want, and a few minutes of buffer for parking. That's all you need to bring. Pick a time and we'll see you on Grant Avenue.
Ready for the first one? Book your appointment, and tell us what you want when you sit down.
This guide was written by Caleb Sperry, one of our barbers. If you'd like him in the chair for your first visit, book with Caleb directly.
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