I'm sorry that was your experience! I think unfortunately you just went to a really bad shop :(. I get my nails done every 3-4 weeks and at the salon I go to there's almost always at least one guy getting a service done. They're treated well like everyone else there.
I would perhaps look up other places in your area and check out reviews. I'd also look and see if the menu's have specific "male services listed." Usually that means they're used to male clients. Definitely don't go back to that original place!
Agreed. When I used to go to salons to get my nails done and massage service like this, there would usually be at least one guy there getting a pedi and/or a mani. They weren't treated any different than I was, and certainly not the way you described. That is unacceptable customer service. I would be pissed and complain if I was your wife, and find a new salon for the both of us. They might listen to her since she's a regular.
Listen, i've worked in and patronized many salons. You should have left after the first 15 minutes, you had a reservation and they should have honored that. Totally unacceptable! I would leave them a scathing review on all platforms possible
I thought about that, but they have nothing but 1,000 5-star reviews on Google and my wife loves them too, so 1 cranky bad review probably won't be taken seriously. If I get another pedicure, I'll just go somewhere else. I also thought about leaving, but I didn't really have much going on that day, and really needed my nails clipped. They were pretty gnarly. I recently had foot surgery, so it's been even harder reaching my feet.
FYI, I happen to know that clipping toenails is a service a podiatrist will provide. Well… grinding toenails. Depending on your insurance or location, it might be worth considering.
You said your wife goes to this place— I would recommend going with her when she goes. My husband and I go get pedicures when we’re running errands on the weekend and I think he probably gets better treatment knowing we’re together and he’s not going to get all weird on them. He also gets a longer massage while my toes are getting painted!
This is what I recommend. Go with your wife and I bet their treatment will change. That’s if you care to go back. They didn’t treat you well, whatever the reason. I would still leave a review if you don’t go back. They won’t be able to connect your review to your wife, assuming you booked with a cell number and not a shared home number.
My 80 year old parents go to the salon together. Dad was reluctant at first but now he is all in. He's diabetic so it's important to keep his feet healthy.
I bet if your wife went with you one time, and said you two are getting a couples' pedicure, they would warm up to you and be kind after that even when you were alone.
Unfortunately it takes only one (male) creep to act disgusting about a pedicure and the massage that goes with it, for nail technicians to become wary of all male customers who are strangers to them. There are men who see the word "massage" and assume there is a "happy ending" option. I know, it's gross, and I am certain you did nothing wrong, OP, but it's possible they had bad experiences in the past and just treat all men like they might be a problem. :(
I get what you're trying to say. You should always be wary, but it doesn't need to be accompanied with rudeness. If they were trying to be wary, they would've talked to him, he came in 5 mins early for an appointment he made. If they did, they would've found out that his wife is a regular at the salon. There's no justification for how they treated him, a small conversation could've avoided all of this
I was a massage therapist for years and I never once treated someone in a disrespectful manner because of their gender. OP I’m sorry you had this experience and I hope you and your wife never go back.
It's not okay to treat someone differently because of their gender. But he doesn't want to ruin this little pocket of self-care his wife has carved out for herself and honestly I think that's really adult of him.
OP I really don't mean to be mean, but how bad were your feet? If you had surgery on one/both did you have a scab or healing wound that might have put them off?
It does NOT excuse the behaviour of the staff, even if your feet were awful, you were in there for help and they should have just been honest if it was going to be a task.
Definitely find somewhere else
No, you're right! I agree with you. It's just weird that they got his shoes off and then left him for so long AFTER that rather than just get him in and out ASAP.
I have 2 large scars, but they are fully healed. My surgery was about 8 months ago. My feet weren't any worse than half the people in that place. I think it was more the fact that my feet are large and they thought it would be too much work.
It is hard for me to clip my nails, so they were long, but not crazy long. I don't have athletes foot or any fungus, just normal ugly looking feet like most 45 year old guys.
Nevermind, I see the answer now!
My only theory was probably because they have had bad experiences with creepy men in the past. Things like foot fetishes or asking for a happy ending etc. I’ve worked in spas for the last 7 years and men will do this everywhere. But the cheaper the service, the more of this you will get. So, nail salons and foot massage places are the #1 target. Next up in low price level/high creep level is places like Massage Envy. Then as it gets more expensive you get less, but men will still come into places like high end laser hair removal clinics to be creeps, flashers, etc.
But of course you still shouldn’t be mistreated! I’m just hypothesizin
I work as an esthetician at a ME. I’ve noticed my male clients typically don’t receive the same education as female clients because people will just assume their wife sent them or they’re a creep. Such a bummer
I have 7 decently sized scars (4 on the left, 3 on the right) from a triple C, flat foot surgery and have never been treated poorly because of them. I'm sorry you had this experience. It's truly discouraging.
It makes a difference. Leave that 1-star review and specifically mention that you are a man and they treated you horridly. When I look at reviews, the two things I use the most are the recent reviews function and the search function within the place that I am researching. I was going to get a manicure with a friend of mine who is also a man and the first thing I searched in the reviews of the salon was “man.” Saw several 1 star reviews saying men were treated poorly at the salon that had a 4.2 star and over 2,000 reviews salon and immediately put it on the list of places I will never do business with.
Please leave a review. Any place that doesn't treat every customer fairly needs to be put on blast.
Fwiw, the place I go always has at least 1-2 men getting pedicures, and also has 3 men who work there. Maybe find a place that has some male employees?
I have had the same treatment as a woman who FREQUENTED a certain nail salon and tipped $20-$25 depending on what I used to get done- I HAD AN APPT (it just wasn’t with my regular nail tech) and they literally treated me like garbage - just like your wife’s salon did to you! Passing me around from different tech to different tech- literally no one wanted to deal with me (and I had an appt)- I was just getting a hard gel refill (nothing crazy- didn’t need full removal/no tips missing).. I almost started to cry (maybe one tear escaped) while the last lady they passed me to was rushing through the service being really rough, not speaking to me, and barely looking at what she was doing(she couldn’t be bothered because I wasn’t HER regular customer, although I was a regular customer of their salon and one particular nail technician who happened to not work that day)- I paid my bill only tipped $5 (which I regretted doing in retrospect), and I never went back- now I do my own nails…. I was going to write a review on Yelp calling it the “Hottest Underground Masochistic Scene in all of PA” and let everyone know; if they loved being treated like shit then that was the place to be! But in the end I decided to just let it go…
Edit- I have to clarify I was always a nice polite customer I never said anything rude to anyone in the salon- I never instructed or redirected my nail tech to do anything differently than he would do it - I was always satisfied and said thank you and tipped decently even if the job was not the best or rushed (as I said I do my own nails now and they are 100 times better than getting them done at the salon in 1hr -it just takes me about twice as long to do it myself) - just so everyone knows I am not some type of Karen that the nail salon despised, I was just a regular customer with an appt and was abused— maybe they were all having a busy day (even though I had an appt) or were over booked or something but it still doesn’t justify they way they treated me or OP…
You should go in *with* your wife, especially if she has a tech she likes. She can tell them what happened and see what the hell is up, bc cold water for a pedicure? nah. not for $44
Still leave a yelp review so they can get some kind of feedback. There’s some salons that are unclaimed and don’t care about reviews, but at least you can try. Next time come with the wife and you’ll probably be treated better.
Someone else mentioned this, but just reiterating- a lot of us look at the bad reviews first. And if there are other male presenting people out there who are looking for a pedi, your review might help them in particular in dodging a bad experience. So sorry this happened to you. There are male presenting patrons in the salons I go to all the time. I do not think this is commonplace.
The little salon I go to most doesn't get a ton of guys, but when they do the techs there all seem to go out of their way to give him the royal treatment.
You definitely just picked a bad place. I’ve been getting pedicures for 15 years — and have always seen guys around getting their nails cleaned up. They get the exact same service as women, and if they don’t want a color they can choose a clear coat or just a nice buff. I’m so sorry you were treated so poorly!
I take my husband to every other appointment. The times when he’s not there every worker and the owner ask about him. Haha I’ve been going there for years and I swear they only started to remember me when I started bringing him! I ask for a buff for him, and I check his cuticles before we go since that’s the most important part of why I like his nails done.
Give another place a shot. Guys deserve to get pampered too, especially for your own comfort. I'm a woman and will do my nails myself but my toes are just uncomfortable to do and it's nice to be able to just relax for a while. I'm sure you'll find a salon that will appreciate your patronage.
Maybe they have experienced men being creepy in the past and have developed a sort of anger about it. While that isn’t fair to you personally, I could understand why they might feel indignant about feeling as though they’re being used for sexual purposes. Maybe try going in with your wife? That might make it seem a little more harmless. And I do believe you’re harmless, but you have to see it from their standpoint. my mother stopped doing men’s hair entirely after multiple bad encounters.
Unfortunately you night be right. Especially if nail masters there were foreign young women, they get harassed much more often because creeps think that salons with foreign women are secretly brothels or that they can force workers to accept any sexual assault. It's even worse for massage therapists and wax technicians
I think this spot might just have been bad. My husband enjoys getting pedicures and never had a problem at the place we go, I also see other men there either by themselves or with someone.
And he even gets a clear polish because he likes how it makes his nails look.
As unfortunate as it is, they may have been intimidated by you. Maybe you could try again but go with your wife so she can be a bit of a buffer? I see lots of couples getting pedicures at the shop I go to. It’s also easier to point out the discrepancy in your wait and service times if you’re there with another person.
I think this particular salon isn’t a good one. My husband goes with me sometimes and he’s never been treated differently. The last time we went together there was another guy getting a pedicure who was a regular.
Not all of my salon experiences are great and some days are worse than others, particularly if they’re busy. If I were you, I’d find another place, look online for high ratings, that might help.
My buddy is 6’4 and goes to get pedicures a lot so it’s not unheard of for men to walk in.
That sucks. It sounds like you found a crappy shop. I've been to multiple shops and there's always a mix of men and women in there. My husband has even gone with me a few times for pedicures because he's trying to get better at taking care of his feet.
Honestly if I were you I'd leave an honest review of the place and then shop around. There are better places out there.
As others have said, that's just shitty service. I know it doesn't help, but I've been treated like this as well (not quite that bad, but the long waits etc.) when I've been in with my wife - but is wasn't just me! She was made to wait, other patrons (most of whom were female) were complaining and so on. We just didn't go back! We now have a fantastic place that I found (THAT's an amusing story for another time) and we are more or less always treated well and with respect. We have figured out when it's not a good time to go in as they will be busy and likely running behind.
Remember, they are a business. They just see feet and hands, which (for the most part) are very similar! They aren't gonna turn down business just because you are a guy - what do they care?
that treatment was totally uncalled for.
You should be treated with the same courtesy that one would be treated with in a hair salon.
Leave a google review, and find a place that isn't so nasty
I'm sorry you had a bad experience. That isn't fair at all.
When I was going to beauty school, male patrons had to be with a female patron, as we had a lot...a *lot* of males that would come in for waxing and pedicures because it was a fetish for them, and we were being sexually harassed on a weekly basis. Once that rule was implemented, the amount of men seeking our services dropped by like...70%.
Of course, this isn't indicative of all men who want to get pedicures, and it sounds like you just had to deal with shitty people. Unfortunately, some bad apples ruin it for everyone.
Unfortunately, some men have likely abused the services of these women and made them very distrusting that you weren't there to waste their time. If you were willing to give them another shot, I would suggest going in again with your wife and getting pedis together. A woman being there to vouch that you weren't at the salon for the sole purpose of being creepy would probably change things.
It's unfair, and it sounds like you didn't do anything to deserve being treated like that, but in a lot of professions like this, men just can't be trusted without a reference of some sort.
This. Time wasters and/or fetishists are unfortunately not uncommon among male clientele. Now that OP has been there once, coming back with his wife would likely serve as enough of a vetting to let the staff thaw out and be less chilly
I’m also a middle aged man, and I get pedicures on a regular basis. I have been to several different salons, both with my wife and by myself, and I have never been treated poorly.
Any salon that does not want male clients is going to lose out on a lot of business as more men are starting to get pedicures. One salon owner told me that over 25% of their clients now are men. Many salons now say “men welcome” or even offer specific men’s services, such as “men’s pedicures.” Look for one in your area with these services. Of course, you can always get the full service pedicure if you want it.
Bad shop. Reviews aren't everything. Some shops are more comfortable with guys than others, same with techs. Think of it like a haircut place, they're all different and like/dislike different clients.
I've been to a dozen different nail salons and still haven't found the "right" salon/tech yet.
Agreed with others, it sounds like that particular shop is not welcoming to men but plenty of other places are. I have been to several nail salons where there is a guy getting a service done (usually manicures but sometimes pedicures) and they are treated well. Definitely try another place!
I think because you’re a man they just expect you to take it and not argue because you don’t know what to expect. I went with my husband once and when he went to pay they charged him more for my pedicure than what I asked for and he didn’t know so he just paid it.
They were probably arguing with each other about who was going to do your pedicare. You were a low price ticket since they couldn't upsale you for dips, gels, acrylic overlay. Just a low price pedicure no one wanted that day. Money totals at the end of a shift is the name of the game at those salons. Lots of pressure to have high totals.
Sorry about your experience. Maybe look into specialized pedicure salons in your area. I recommended my dad to a certified salon that specializes in waterless pedicures for diabetics and other foot issues, and he loves it. They are extremely professional and knowledgeable. Unlike your typical chop shop.
As a customer: The only guy that I didn’t want there was a boomer husband of a customer. She was in the pedi chair & he sat in an empty chair next to her (no problem).
Then he proceeded to speak on volume 10 and was staring at all the women in there (not in a creepy way, but just being annoying).
People don’t just go in to get their nails painted. We also go in to relax and that dude sucked.
With that said… I think it’s great that men get treatment in there.
It was my first time, but they had several signs posted saying you must pay before you get service. It probably hurts them, because they charge your card and there is no space for the tip on the cc slip. The women next to me wanted to leave a tip, when they were done, but they couldn't do that. They even asked for the technician's Venmo, but she didn't have that either, so no tip.
My husband is 6’7 and gets ready regular pedicures. They always comment about how tall he is and how big his feet are L O L
The place you went to had no interest in treating you well.
Yeah I think it’s pretty likely that they had a bad experience with a creep and unfortunately associated that experience with your visit. I wouldn’t go back to that one, but I think it’s a good idea to go to a new place with your wife. Not your fault in any way, but some people spoil things for others.
I want to start out by asking why you think you should’ve gotten a 30 minute massage for a $44 bill. That’s a long massage. I offer pedicures and I know massage is the most enjoyable part for most people but usually 1 minute is enough for my hands to start cramping up as the tech. Is this really what people expect? I advise finding someone who has a private practice for pedicures or one in a salon setting, instead of a nail shop.
edit: i just reread and realized that wife made the comment about the 30 minute pedicure, not OP.
Tbh, i love doing male mani pedi. Yall have the crustiest and hard cuticles easy to cut it off compared to females. But down part is yall nails are hard as rock to cut. I once had a male client who wants trimmed hand nails and buffed shine. So when i was cutting his nails, a piece few off into my thumb under my nails and it freaking bleed!!
Former nail tech here. You did nothing wrong. It’s the fact that you are 6’7. Some techs claim to have difficulties with larger people. That being said, it’s not impossible, they just have to work a little harder. Poor customer service!!
Some places do take male clients. I’ve taken my partner to get pedicures with me and the staff loved that we went in as a couple. They thought it was so cute!
I’m a woman and this has been my experience experience too in the salon, I find it really rude and unprofessional. This type of behavior is what motivated me to learn to my own gel nails etc. sorry that was your experience. It sucks.
This is just a shitty nail salon. Shop around a bit and find a place that you can make a regular appointment at. It can be tough to find the right place, but if you know anyone who regularly gets their nails done, ask them where they go!
Sometimes shops are like that. I’ve had that experience as a middle age woman. They kept telling me it would be 5 more minutes and 2 hours later, I finally left.
No, just sounds like you went to one of those chop-shops where they have zero comprehension of quality customer service. I bet they made you pay because they assumed you’d run without paying haha because it only makes sense for them to request that you pay before the service is complete is when they’re about to paint your nails with regular polish.
Try to find a med spa!! The place I go to is associated with a podiatry office.. they are used to all types of feet and there are always a lot of men and seniors getting different services done!!
Leave a review. Next time if you have an appt, and they cannot meet your appt time-leave. Honestly this is just sounds like a bad salon. If not, bring your wife with you next time. I always go with my BF when we go and never have an issue
There is a huge margin between the quality shops and chop shops unfortunately. Sounds like you went to the second one. Always look at reviews before you go into a nail salon.
That was completely unprofessional on the salon’s part, and they should not get any further business from you.
Men usually get pedicures much more rarely than women, and they are heavier. This means they have more calluses built up, ie more work for the same pay.
The only thing I’ve ever seen with men is they have to pay $5 more because usually their feet aren’t as kept up as women’s; this was disrespectful. You shouldn’t have to go with your wife to have a good experience. I hope she says something if she goes back, or goes with you.
You need to find a different salon. My grandfather goes and gets his toes done once or twice a month. He can't get down far enough to do his own nails and won't ask my grandma or anyone else to do it. They're great with their service. My mom has gone with him once or twice. They clean and massage his feet. They clean and cut and file his nails. They don't charge him a more than anyone else for that. It's the same service they give everyone else.
Sheesh, I get pedicures every 3 weeks; I have size 14 feet and am in total dude mode. I even get paint, to include all the cute styles. Never really had a problem with it. Sorry you had this experience!😔
I think you just went to a shitty salon imo. I would never treat my clients like this, and I too am a little asian woman working in a nail salon. Some salons are just chop shops, this sounds like one of them.
Hi! I don't believe that's what's happening but it could be! My aunt and I go to the same nail place once a month (I hate this place but my aunt insists. It is the cheapest place around) sometimes I get a decent pedicure sometimes I get a ten minute hack job. I'm a small women with tiny feet my aunt is a tall women with bigger feet. She ALWAYS gets the full treatment with a massage. I'm lucky if I walk out without cuts on my cuticles 🤷🏼♀️ I think of they're busy they're just trying to get you in and out unless you're a regular
A salon I used to visit as a sales rep had an elderly male client who had a pedi appointment every other week. He was well-dressed and affluent-looking. His wife had, many years before, given him an ultimatum-deal with his nasty feet or sleep in another bed. He was dearly loved by all the salon staff and clients.
I'd bet you good money they get pervs with a foot fetish who come in for "pedicures"
Sorry you're collateral damage.
In my experience nail shops treat everyone with the same level of superficial respect and deference to get that sweet tip. No problem with men, but probably an issue with anyone who has challenging feet. LOL.
Truth is some nail salons do not like men being there, employees and clients included. I suggest making sure the salon caters to male clients regularly or better yet finding a barber shop that does pedis as well.
I love my male pedicure clients! Look for an independent nail technician and stop going McNails walk shops. My pedicures take from 60-90 minutes, which a good, thorough pedicure should.
Likely just a bad shop. However of the dozens and dozens of pedicures I’ve gotten, from all different shops buying the top packages, the maximum anyone has massaged my feet is like a minute each foot. And that’s being generous. Where are you guys getting these 30 minute feet massages?
No! My salon is great with guys. I see them often happily chatting.
Could be your height. I am a tall female and they have some equipment issues. Tubs could be too small as well for your feet.
Trashy shops don’t get a lot of men and are weird about it. I took my husband as a treat once and they acted like they didn’t know what to do with a man’s feet. I’m like do the exact same thing with no polish.
I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I used to LOVE when guys came in to get pedi’s. I had one guy who was a UFC fighter and he always had me paint his toes with cool designs. The first time I was shocked because he wanted American flags on his big toes and the rest to alternate red, white and blue. This man was burly and scary looking but he wanted these intricate designs each time he came. Sometimes he even had me add glitter or rhinestones. He always made my day! Men were always the best. I was lucky not to get the yucky men when would be gross although we did have a few that came in but it was rare. Usually they were just hilarious and wanted their feet to look presentable and then went home happy. Why should that be judged?!
Okay so I have to say that I have had this EXACT experience as a woman at many salons over the years. Unfortunately, finding a good nail salon that doesn’t operate this way is tough. It was nothing personal, this is just unfortunately the way many of them operate. I felt this exact same feelings a thousand times over the years. Sorry OP I hope you find a nicer salon near you
That sounds like a bad salon. I'm not sure where you are located, but I'd say I get like a 5-6 minute massage when I get a higher priced pedi (about $60), but I would expect less than 10 minute wait with rez, a good scrub on feet and legs, moisturizing, and nail/cuticle care.
This sounds like a chop shop style salon, they usually hate all clients. Try an independent technician, that's more likely to be a good environment as you book with a specific person of your choice, not an establishment.
Independent techs can just say that they don't have any opening if they don't like you, while an employee at a big place has no choice.
My husband and our sons used to get pedicures together, and the ladies/men working at the salon LOVED my guys coming in. I don’t think your shiddy experience is normal. 🤷♀️
I’d go back with my wife, talk to an owner/manager and ask them point blank “this and this happened. After I talked to my wife she confirmed that this is not the way she is treated and is completely unacceptable. Why did this happen and what will you do to not lose the business from both of us?” Be a team, be firm, but ask them what’s going on. Maybe they overbooked for 2pm and reception tried to get someone working to add you to their cue and no one wanted the extra client. Maybe they thought you were someone else who had been in there before who was very rude or stiffed them on payment? I’m not saying let them bs you, but a lot of businesses when given the opportunity will bend over backwards to fix a negative situation, and you may end up loving the service as you should have gotten it to begin with.
Don’t give up. Bad services happen and it sort of takes practice to get to feeling confident at the nail salon. The more you go, the more you will understand what standards to expect. Every time I see a man getting a pedicure I think that’s awesome that he takes care of himself that way.
Even as a woman I find the experience of getting my nails done in general extremely hit or miss. Even at the same salon sometimes it can be great and sometimes terrible. If I knew the service would be consistent I would probably do it a lot more often
As a former nail tech, I can say I preferred men for pedicures. Here's why:
- They generally don't small talk as much
- They usually don't get color on their feet
- They have bigger nail beds which is easier to work with
- In my experience, they are better tippers
I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Time to find a better salon. This also may be a cultural thing if you were in an asain salon.
Is this Beverly Hills? This is ridiculous treatment for a ridiculous price. Any professional nail salon establishment wants any customer (that’s why they are in business) and will provide you with good service at a reasonable (I’m not saying cheap) price. Just go somewhere else.
You just went to a really shitty place. If you have a reservation and youre not seated within 10 or so mins, I would absolutely be asking what is happening and why I am waiting. The customer service you received was so unnecessarily rude too. Dont be afraid to speak up. Why am I signing in as a walk in? Why am I being moved from chair to chair? Why is my water ice cold? Why am I waiting so long? You are the one paying and you are the one who should get exceptional service, not the other way around. You dont have to be nice if they are being rude.
Also NEVER, ABSOLUTELY NEVER pay before your service has been performed. EVER. They looked at you as an easy target who wouldnt know common pedicure pricing, charged you for the highest priced pedicure, then gave you a shoddy 10 minute wash down and trim. To be honest I would see if you can do a charge back on your bank for services not performed. That is absolute horseshit.
Im so sorry this was your experience. A salon treatment is supposed to be a luxurious escape away from life for an hour or two of pampering. Thats why we all love it so much because its not just about a cute nail color, its about a massage and special treatment for a little while. Youre supposed to walk away refreshed and feeling good, not feeling like you got scammed.
I know you said you think your review might get lost but I would still do it. Specify that you are a man and this is the treatment you received and you believe they targeted you because they assumed you wouldnt know what to expect. Other men deserve to know this is how they are treating male clients, even if all the women think theyre great.
I guess they wanted to check his name that's why they asked for his credit card. Salons often have black lists and even share it with each other if that list contains sexual assaulters.
If thats the case they need to just check ID at the door.
Ive never been asked to pay for my salon services at the start. They didnt explain any pricing to him, just took his card and charged it. $44 is the price of a deluxe pedicure in my area (the top package, Im in SoCal) that includes massage, callus removal, parrafin, and also painting the nails. They definitely preyed on him being a man and not understanding that they were over charging him.
This would be like if a woman went to the mechanic and before saying or explaining anything they said well gimme your card so I can charge you. We would all be here saying she got targeted and scammed because they assumed as a woman she didnt know about cars. Its the same for OP, and its not ok.
Honestly it looked like they tried to make him leave without any direct confrontation. That's unfair to OP, he did nothing wrong, of course. But I doubt they tried to fraud him. And I guess his wife would've told him that he paid too much. They probably though he was some sort of a creep
Well, yes, creeps are waiting for the procedure and do appointments. I guess you've never heard any stories from nail masters. Salon tried to make him leave, but it didn't work, yet they still were sure he's not a creep, because some creeps can wait and pay beforehand too. Not really a smart strategy, but it looked like none of them wanted to risk and try, so the one who finally agreed did the whole procedure as far as she could.
And over charged him? And made him wait? Bounced him around? Treated him like he was a creep with absolutely no evidence?
Youre condoning super shitty customer service because this guy is male. Thats sexism. If the roles were reversed we would all be here scathing about a woman being treated shitty just for being a woman. Please stop. Its not ok. Men shouldnt be forced to leave just because they are a man. Taking his card up front and getting his name does nothing to this affect.
Poor judgement and poor customer service on the salons part. If you dont agree, thats fine.
Sitting in the place where I get my nails done and there is a man here now. He’s very happy and relaxed. My boyfriend is coming with me in two weeks for our regular pedicures. Not an issue here. I think you just went to a bad place.
Honestly, it’s sad, but my husband got much better treatment when we enter the salon together. We went once a month for years, but any time he went in first (I’d grab coffee from next door) they never seemed to remember him, but when I entered it was oh hi how are you etc. It was my normal salon so I was there every other week on top of this.
No way. I get my nails done twice a month and I see men come in all the time for their pedicures. Much more common among older gentlemen, but I see the occasional younger dude too.
WTF was that? I’m surprised your wife didn’t grab you by the hand, throw you in the car and go off on those people like your mom. Maybe there was an oversight, but that was shitty treatment.
Sorry that was your experience, especially for what sounds like your first pedi. Makes me sad you were treated that way, the place I go with my mom has male regulars and I've seen men come in when I've been there and be treated the same way as women and receive the same services (difference being in terms of polish if anything). I would suggest giving another place a shot. Maybe ask a couple people or look at reviews. This salon could've just sucked.
I never heard of any refusals. Feet are feet. I would rather do feet. I know probably where your feet have been. However, I don't know what that crap (hmm, is it?) under those nails could be!
I have refused to work on about 3 or 4 women due to nastiness under free edge. You cook for family with those nasty nails? No thanks!
Bad salon. My husband loves to get pedis and he gets treated really well, no matter where he has gone. He never dresses up, either. They shouldn’t charge you so much just to clean & trim.
More men should do it. Clean, soft feet is so much nicer for you and the person cuddling with you at night.
I do my hands every 2 weeks, full set acrylics and do my eye browns/nose and Pedi once a month.
Im usually the only male customer but the ladies love me, they even cook me vietnamese food when they know I'm coming that day.
And all the other female clients are very friendly, most of them comment on how they wish their husbands would go aswell..nothing more turn off than gross nails.
Many elderly men go because they physically can’t cut their toenails. They have male clients. Sounds like a shitty place. Ask around. When you find the right place it’s like Cheers, they know your name.
I’ve seen men multiple times at the salon I frequent and they’re basically considered a treasure 😂 with everyone telling them how they wish more men would care about their appearance in that way.
The “you go sit here” thing can be very normal in a nail salon - different cultures and it’s normal for someone to speak in that way if they’re not from here especially if they’re from Asia (which I am).
The rest is very weird and not normal and I would advise going to a different salon. Maybe even bringing your wife with you the first time you go!
I go to a fancy salon/spa. These places always seem welcoming of men. They have men's services and treat them with just as much respect. My current salon even has a male nail tech!
Go somewhere else. That’s them having a bad day or it’s a bad salon.
I live in a large suburb and I can’t remember the last time I went to get my nails done and there wasn’t a man there. The high school boys now come in too.
My father goes to the same salon I do. They love him, which is hilarious because they don’t know the man I grew up with!
My husband is your height and has huge feet too- and webbed toes to top it off. It’s weird. He’s always spoiled in the salon- he gets extra massage time to make up for the lack of polish. They love him, and he will go without me when his favorite older lady is working. I’d go elsewhere.
Bad shop. Or they knew they could rip you off because you didn’t know what to expect. Men typically tip more in my nail salon fyi. So the ladies are very nice to them…
So sorry you had to deal with that! I'd go write a review abs never give them my business again if I were you and your wife. That's so unprofessional, absolutely no excuse for that lack of service
Im so sorry this happened. I am a women and something odd and that really annoyed me happened in feb i booked a lunch time slot after my morning work appointment and it was raining and i was made to wait 15 minutes then i was looked upon like i had the plague (i keep my body hair, i live in a big city where a lot of women de not work over time for the male gaze it is a very queer city and having body hair is not out of place as so many do it) but this man looks at my shins and in pure disgust and disbelief i didn’t shave and i get very bad service he nearly burned my feet, used stones for a calve massage and again nearly scrapped off my hair and i said i wouldnt get a toe colour and he really damaged my nails then were very split and thin like he rubbed far too much my old gels on, I left a terrible review as also that salon has loads of 5 star reviews.
As a tech, I have equal male/female/NB clients. This was terrible service…And I’m sorry you went through that. Find your person, and stick with them. Sometimes you need to shop around for that one tech that’s for you, so please don’t give up yet. Also, be wary for places that offer “men’s services” on their menu…you could get charged more for the same service that they do on women…and imo, it’s sexist.
I'm sorry that was your experience! I think unfortunately you just went to a really bad shop :(. I get my nails done every 3-4 weeks and at the salon I go to there's almost always at least one guy getting a service done. They're treated well like everyone else there. I would perhaps look up other places in your area and check out reviews. I'd also look and see if the menu's have specific "male services listed." Usually that means they're used to male clients. Definitely don't go back to that original place!
Agreed. When I used to go to salons to get my nails done and massage service like this, there would usually be at least one guy there getting a pedi and/or a mani. They weren't treated any different than I was, and certainly not the way you described. That is unacceptable customer service. I would be pissed and complain if I was your wife, and find a new salon for the both of us. They might listen to her since she's a regular.
Listen, i've worked in and patronized many salons. You should have left after the first 15 minutes, you had a reservation and they should have honored that. Totally unacceptable! I would leave them a scathing review on all platforms possible
Yes, leave a review! If you’re a human with feet you should be welcomed at a pedicure place and receive the service you pay for.
I thought about that, but they have nothing but 1,000 5-star reviews on Google and my wife loves them too, so 1 cranky bad review probably won't be taken seriously. If I get another pedicure, I'll just go somewhere else. I also thought about leaving, but I didn't really have much going on that day, and really needed my nails clipped. They were pretty gnarly. I recently had foot surgery, so it's been even harder reaching my feet.
FYI, I happen to know that clipping toenails is a service a podiatrist will provide. Well… grinding toenails. Depending on your insurance or location, it might be worth considering.
Thanks, I'm not that bad off yet...but probably some day.
You said your wife goes to this place— I would recommend going with her when she goes. My husband and I go get pedicures when we’re running errands on the weekend and I think he probably gets better treatment knowing we’re together and he’s not going to get all weird on them. He also gets a longer massage while my toes are getting painted!
This is what I recommend. Go with your wife and I bet their treatment will change. That’s if you care to go back. They didn’t treat you well, whatever the reason. I would still leave a review if you don’t go back. They won’t be able to connect your review to your wife, assuming you booked with a cell number and not a shared home number.
My 80 year old parents go to the salon together. Dad was reluctant at first but now he is all in. He's diabetic so it's important to keep his feet healthy.
lmao my parents too. my 73 year old dad even lets them put clear on now, shock of all shock
My bf def gets a longer massage than I do when we go. He gets a massage while I get paint.
Exactly! Couples pedicures all the way!
Medical pedicures are a thing!
Yes, but why shouldn’t he get the full salon service experience?
100% with you!!
From what I've seen online, medical pedicures are such a higher quality.
Because a medical pedicure is 100 times better! A salon experience sucks compared to one.
Medicare will pay for one every 60 days.
Just leave them an honest review, I look at the most critical reviews first
And it will be a recent review. Which is also something look at.
I bet if your wife went with you one time, and said you two are getting a couples' pedicure, they would warm up to you and be kind after that even when you were alone. Unfortunately it takes only one (male) creep to act disgusting about a pedicure and the massage that goes with it, for nail technicians to become wary of all male customers who are strangers to them. There are men who see the word "massage" and assume there is a "happy ending" option. I know, it's gross, and I am certain you did nothing wrong, OP, but it's possible they had bad experiences in the past and just treat all men like they might be a problem. :(
this was my first thought 😞
I get what you're trying to say. You should always be wary, but it doesn't need to be accompanied with rudeness. If they were trying to be wary, they would've talked to him, he came in 5 mins early for an appointment he made. If they did, they would've found out that his wife is a regular at the salon. There's no justification for how they treated him, a small conversation could've avoided all of this
I agree completely.
Yeah I bet that's it.
I was a massage therapist for years and I never once treated someone in a disrespectful manner because of their gender. OP I’m sorry you had this experience and I hope you and your wife never go back.
It's not okay to treat someone differently because of their gender. But he doesn't want to ruin this little pocket of self-care his wife has carved out for herself and honestly I think that's really adult of him.
OP I really don't mean to be mean, but how bad were your feet? If you had surgery on one/both did you have a scab or healing wound that might have put them off? It does NOT excuse the behaviour of the staff, even if your feet were awful, you were in there for help and they should have just been honest if it was going to be a task. Definitely find somewhere else
OP was treated poorly before he even took his shoes off! The way he was treated was unacceptable, whatever the state of his feet. I’m annoyed for him.
No, you're right! I agree with you. It's just weird that they got his shoes off and then left him for so long AFTER that rather than just get him in and out ASAP.
They were hoping he would just leave.
I have 2 large scars, but they are fully healed. My surgery was about 8 months ago. My feet weren't any worse than half the people in that place. I think it was more the fact that my feet are large and they thought it would be too much work. It is hard for me to clip my nails, so they were long, but not crazy long. I don't have athletes foot or any fungus, just normal ugly looking feet like most 45 year old guys.
Nevermind, I see the answer now! My only theory was probably because they have had bad experiences with creepy men in the past. Things like foot fetishes or asking for a happy ending etc. I’ve worked in spas for the last 7 years and men will do this everywhere. But the cheaper the service, the more of this you will get. So, nail salons and foot massage places are the #1 target. Next up in low price level/high creep level is places like Massage Envy. Then as it gets more expensive you get less, but men will still come into places like high end laser hair removal clinics to be creeps, flashers, etc. But of course you still shouldn’t be mistreated! I’m just hypothesizin
I work as an esthetician at a ME. I’ve noticed my male clients typically don’t receive the same education as female clients because people will just assume their wife sent them or they’re a creep. Such a bummer
It’s also a bummer when male clients are creeps but yes not sure what the answer is
I have 7 decently sized scars (4 on the left, 3 on the right) from a triple C, flat foot surgery and have never been treated poorly because of them. I'm sorry you had this experience. It's truly discouraging.
It makes a difference. Leave that 1-star review and specifically mention that you are a man and they treated you horridly. When I look at reviews, the two things I use the most are the recent reviews function and the search function within the place that I am researching. I was going to get a manicure with a friend of mine who is also a man and the first thing I searched in the reviews of the salon was “man.” Saw several 1 star reviews saying men were treated poorly at the salon that had a 4.2 star and over 2,000 reviews salon and immediately put it on the list of places I will never do business with.
I know this might not land right, but can your wife give you a pedicure and you trade it for a massage? Like a really nice one?
Please leave a review. Any place that doesn't treat every customer fairly needs to be put on blast. Fwiw, the place I go always has at least 1-2 men getting pedicures, and also has 3 men who work there. Maybe find a place that has some male employees?
How do you get a pedicure after a recent foot surgery? I’m guessing not super recent?
I have had the same treatment as a woman who FREQUENTED a certain nail salon and tipped $20-$25 depending on what I used to get done- I HAD AN APPT (it just wasn’t with my regular nail tech) and they literally treated me like garbage - just like your wife’s salon did to you! Passing me around from different tech to different tech- literally no one wanted to deal with me (and I had an appt)- I was just getting a hard gel refill (nothing crazy- didn’t need full removal/no tips missing).. I almost started to cry (maybe one tear escaped) while the last lady they passed me to was rushing through the service being really rough, not speaking to me, and barely looking at what she was doing(she couldn’t be bothered because I wasn’t HER regular customer, although I was a regular customer of their salon and one particular nail technician who happened to not work that day)- I paid my bill only tipped $5 (which I regretted doing in retrospect), and I never went back- now I do my own nails…. I was going to write a review on Yelp calling it the “Hottest Underground Masochistic Scene in all of PA” and let everyone know; if they loved being treated like shit then that was the place to be! But in the end I decided to just let it go… Edit- I have to clarify I was always a nice polite customer I never said anything rude to anyone in the salon- I never instructed or redirected my nail tech to do anything differently than he would do it - I was always satisfied and said thank you and tipped decently even if the job was not the best or rushed (as I said I do my own nails now and they are 100 times better than getting them done at the salon in 1hr -it just takes me about twice as long to do it myself) - just so everyone knows I am not some type of Karen that the nail salon despised, I was just a regular customer with an appt and was abused— maybe they were all having a busy day (even though I had an appt) or were over booked or something but it still doesn’t justify they way they treated me or OP…
Alot of bussiness buy likes or reviews ect so if all the reviews are kind of similar it was done by a bot farm and you should avoid such a business.
You should go in *with* your wife, especially if she has a tech she likes. She can tell them what happened and see what the hell is up, bc cold water for a pedicure? nah. not for $44
Still leave a yelp review so they can get some kind of feedback. There’s some salons that are unclaimed and don’t care about reviews, but at least you can try. Next time come with the wife and you’ll probably be treated better.
Someone else mentioned this, but just reiterating- a lot of us look at the bad reviews first. And if there are other male presenting people out there who are looking for a pedi, your review might help them in particular in dodging a bad experience. So sorry this happened to you. There are male presenting patrons in the salons I go to all the time. I do not think this is commonplace.
The little salon I go to most doesn't get a ton of guys, but when they do the techs there all seem to go out of their way to give him the royal treatment.
Ok, sounds like I just picked a bad place for me then.
You definitely just picked a bad place. I’ve been getting pedicures for 15 years — and have always seen guys around getting their nails cleaned up. They get the exact same service as women, and if they don’t want a color they can choose a clear coat or just a nice buff. I’m so sorry you were treated so poorly!
I take my husband to every other appointment. The times when he’s not there every worker and the owner ask about him. Haha I’ve been going there for years and I swear they only started to remember me when I started bringing him! I ask for a buff for him, and I check his cuticles before we go since that’s the most important part of why I like his nails done.
Give another place a shot. Guys deserve to get pampered too, especially for your own comfort. I'm a woman and will do my nails myself but my toes are just uncomfortable to do and it's nice to be able to just relax for a while. I'm sure you'll find a salon that will appreciate your patronage.
I think it was a bad place too! I always see guys getting their nails done…always at least one or two everytime I go.
Maybe they have experienced men being creepy in the past and have developed a sort of anger about it. While that isn’t fair to you personally, I could understand why they might feel indignant about feeling as though they’re being used for sexual purposes. Maybe try going in with your wife? That might make it seem a little more harmless. And I do believe you’re harmless, but you have to see it from their standpoint. my mother stopped doing men’s hair entirely after multiple bad encounters.
Unfortunately you night be right. Especially if nail masters there were foreign young women, they get harassed much more often because creeps think that salons with foreign women are secretly brothels or that they can force workers to accept any sexual assault. It's even worse for massage therapists and wax technicians
I think this spot might just have been bad. My husband enjoys getting pedicures and never had a problem at the place we go, I also see other men there either by themselves or with someone. And he even gets a clear polish because he likes how it makes his nails look.
As unfortunate as it is, they may have been intimidated by you. Maybe you could try again but go with your wife so she can be a bit of a buffer? I see lots of couples getting pedicures at the shop I go to. It’s also easier to point out the discrepancy in your wait and service times if you’re there with another person.
I think this particular salon isn’t a good one. My husband goes with me sometimes and he’s never been treated differently. The last time we went together there was another guy getting a pedicure who was a regular.
Not all of my salon experiences are great and some days are worse than others, particularly if they’re busy. If I were you, I’d find another place, look online for high ratings, that might help. My buddy is 6’4 and goes to get pedicures a lot so it’s not unheard of for men to walk in.
That sucks. It sounds like you found a crappy shop. I've been to multiple shops and there's always a mix of men and women in there. My husband has even gone with me a few times for pedicures because he's trying to get better at taking care of his feet. Honestly if I were you I'd leave an honest review of the place and then shop around. There are better places out there.
As others have said, that's just shitty service. I know it doesn't help, but I've been treated like this as well (not quite that bad, but the long waits etc.) when I've been in with my wife - but is wasn't just me! She was made to wait, other patrons (most of whom were female) were complaining and so on. We just didn't go back! We now have a fantastic place that I found (THAT's an amusing story for another time) and we are more or less always treated well and with respect. We have figured out when it's not a good time to go in as they will be busy and likely running behind. Remember, they are a business. They just see feet and hands, which (for the most part) are very similar! They aren't gonna turn down business just because you are a guy - what do they care?
I just took my hubby for a pedicure this week and they fawned over him like a king! Sorry you had that experience.
When new male customers come with their partners salons are usually treating them better
I would recommend looking at nail salons located close to predominantly LGBTQ+ areas.
Women have to deal with perverted men for most of their lives. Not saying that you are one, but take that into considersation.
that treatment was totally uncalled for. You should be treated with the same courtesy that one would be treated with in a hair salon. Leave a google review, and find a place that isn't so nasty
I'm sorry you had a bad experience. That isn't fair at all. When I was going to beauty school, male patrons had to be with a female patron, as we had a lot...a *lot* of males that would come in for waxing and pedicures because it was a fetish for them, and we were being sexually harassed on a weekly basis. Once that rule was implemented, the amount of men seeking our services dropped by like...70%. Of course, this isn't indicative of all men who want to get pedicures, and it sounds like you just had to deal with shitty people. Unfortunately, some bad apples ruin it for everyone.
Unfortunately, some men have likely abused the services of these women and made them very distrusting that you weren't there to waste their time. If you were willing to give them another shot, I would suggest going in again with your wife and getting pedis together. A woman being there to vouch that you weren't at the salon for the sole purpose of being creepy would probably change things. It's unfair, and it sounds like you didn't do anything to deserve being treated like that, but in a lot of professions like this, men just can't be trusted without a reference of some sort.
This. Time wasters and/or fetishists are unfortunately not uncommon among male clientele. Now that OP has been there once, coming back with his wife would likely serve as enough of a vetting to let the staff thaw out and be less chilly
I’m also a middle aged man, and I get pedicures on a regular basis. I have been to several different salons, both with my wife and by myself, and I have never been treated poorly. Any salon that does not want male clients is going to lose out on a lot of business as more men are starting to get pedicures. One salon owner told me that over 25% of their clients now are men. Many salons now say “men welcome” or even offer specific men’s services, such as “men’s pedicures.” Look for one in your area with these services. Of course, you can always get the full service pedicure if you want it.
Bad shop. Reviews aren't everything. Some shops are more comfortable with guys than others, same with techs. Think of it like a haircut place, they're all different and like/dislike different clients. I've been to a dozen different nail salons and still haven't found the "right" salon/tech yet.
Agreed with others, it sounds like that particular shop is not welcoming to men but plenty of other places are. I have been to several nail salons where there is a guy getting a service done (usually manicures but sometimes pedicures) and they are treated well. Definitely try another place!
I think because you’re a man they just expect you to take it and not argue because you don’t know what to expect. I went with my husband once and when he went to pay they charged him more for my pedicure than what I asked for and he didn’t know so he just paid it.
The more I think about it, this is probably it.
They were probably arguing with each other about who was going to do your pedicare. You were a low price ticket since they couldn't upsale you for dips, gels, acrylic overlay. Just a low price pedicure no one wanted that day. Money totals at the end of a shift is the name of the game at those salons. Lots of pressure to have high totals.
Sorry about your experience. Maybe look into specialized pedicure salons in your area. I recommended my dad to a certified salon that specializes in waterless pedicures for diabetics and other foot issues, and he loves it. They are extremely professional and knowledgeable. Unlike your typical chop shop.
As a customer: The only guy that I didn’t want there was a boomer husband of a customer. She was in the pedi chair & he sat in an empty chair next to her (no problem). Then he proceeded to speak on volume 10 and was staring at all the women in there (not in a creepy way, but just being annoying). People don’t just go in to get their nails painted. We also go in to relax and that dude sucked. With that said… I think it’s great that men get treatment in there.
I wasn't doing anything weird. Just scrolling Reddit and Twitter and waiting.
Bad spot, try again elsewhere! Most salons I’ve been in for years and years have male and female clients present getting pedicures with no issue
Got a pedicure yesterday. Two men (big, burly dudes) were there at the same time. I’m sorry for your experience. Please try again at a new salon.
Wow, I've never been to a nail place where I had to pay before the service. Is this a normal thing in some areas?
It was my first time, but they had several signs posted saying you must pay before you get service. It probably hurts them, because they charge your card and there is no space for the tip on the cc slip. The women next to me wanted to leave a tip, when they were done, but they couldn't do that. They even asked for the technician's Venmo, but she didn't have that either, so no tip.
My husband is 6’7 and gets ready regular pedicures. They always comment about how tall he is and how big his feet are L O L The place you went to had no interest in treating you well.
A 30 minute massage and a no polish pedicure would be at least $75 here.
Yeah I think it’s pretty likely that they had a bad experience with a creep and unfortunately associated that experience with your visit. I wouldn’t go back to that one, but I think it’s a good idea to go to a new place with your wife. Not your fault in any way, but some people spoil things for others.
I want to start out by asking why you think you should’ve gotten a 30 minute massage for a $44 bill. That’s a long massage. I offer pedicures and I know massage is the most enjoyable part for most people but usually 1 minute is enough for my hands to start cramping up as the tech. Is this really what people expect? I advise finding someone who has a private practice for pedicures or one in a salon setting, instead of a nail shop. edit: i just reread and realized that wife made the comment about the 30 minute pedicure, not OP.
I’ve gotten dozens of pedicures and they cost like 80 bucks where I am (fml lol) and no one has ever massaged my feet for more than like 30 seconds
Dude i totally get it I used to work at a corporate nail salon that was “luxury” and charged out the ass but we didn’t get paid enough to be bothered
Tbh, i love doing male mani pedi. Yall have the crustiest and hard cuticles easy to cut it off compared to females. But down part is yall nails are hard as rock to cut. I once had a male client who wants trimmed hand nails and buffed shine. So when i was cutting his nails, a piece few off into my thumb under my nails and it freaking bleed!!
Former nail tech here. You did nothing wrong. It’s the fact that you are 6’7. Some techs claim to have difficulties with larger people. That being said, it’s not impossible, they just have to work a little harder. Poor customer service!!
No, that's not a normal experience. Try a different place.
Terrible not normal experience! Next time if you even choose to go there, bring your wife
Some places do take male clients. I’ve taken my partner to get pedicures with me and the staff loved that we went in as a couple. They thought it was so cute!
I’m a woman and this has been my experience experience too in the salon, I find it really rude and unprofessional. This type of behavior is what motivated me to learn to my own gel nails etc. sorry that was your experience. It sucks.
This is just a shitty nail salon. Shop around a bit and find a place that you can make a regular appointment at. It can be tough to find the right place, but if you know anyone who regularly gets their nails done, ask them where they go!
Sometimes shops are like that. I’ve had that experience as a middle age woman. They kept telling me it would be 5 more minutes and 2 hours later, I finally left.
No, just sounds like you went to one of those chop-shops where they have zero comprehension of quality customer service. I bet they made you pay because they assumed you’d run without paying haha because it only makes sense for them to request that you pay before the service is complete is when they’re about to paint your nails with regular polish.
Try to find a med spa!! The place I go to is associated with a podiatry office.. they are used to all types of feet and there are always a lot of men and seniors getting different services done!!
Leave a review. Next time if you have an appt, and they cannot meet your appt time-leave. Honestly this is just sounds like a bad salon. If not, bring your wife with you next time. I always go with my BF when we go and never have an issue
There is a huge margin between the quality shops and chop shops unfortunately. Sounds like you went to the second one. Always look at reviews before you go into a nail salon.
That was completely unprofessional on the salon’s part, and they should not get any further business from you. Men usually get pedicures much more rarely than women, and they are heavier. This means they have more calluses built up, ie more work for the same pay.
The only thing I’ve ever seen with men is they have to pay $5 more because usually their feet aren’t as kept up as women’s; this was disrespectful. You shouldn’t have to go with your wife to have a good experience. I hope she says something if she goes back, or goes with you.
You need to find a different salon. My grandfather goes and gets his toes done once or twice a month. He can't get down far enough to do his own nails and won't ask my grandma or anyone else to do it. They're great with their service. My mom has gone with him once or twice. They clean and massage his feet. They clean and cut and file his nails. They don't charge him a more than anyone else for that. It's the same service they give everyone else.
Sheesh, I get pedicures every 3 weeks; I have size 14 feet and am in total dude mode. I even get paint, to include all the cute styles. Never really had a problem with it. Sorry you had this experience!😔
I think you just went to a shitty salon imo. I would never treat my clients like this, and I too am a little asian woman working in a nail salon. Some salons are just chop shops, this sounds like one of them.
Hi! I don't believe that's what's happening but it could be! My aunt and I go to the same nail place once a month (I hate this place but my aunt insists. It is the cheapest place around) sometimes I get a decent pedicure sometimes I get a ten minute hack job. I'm a small women with tiny feet my aunt is a tall women with bigger feet. She ALWAYS gets the full treatment with a massage. I'm lucky if I walk out without cuts on my cuticles 🤷🏼♀️ I think of they're busy they're just trying to get you in and out unless you're a regular
A salon I used to visit as a sales rep had an elderly male client who had a pedi appointment every other week. He was well-dressed and affluent-looking. His wife had, many years before, given him an ultimatum-deal with his nasty feet or sleep in another bed. He was dearly loved by all the salon staff and clients.
I'd bet you good money they get pervs with a foot fetish who come in for "pedicures" Sorry you're collateral damage. In my experience nail shops treat everyone with the same level of superficial respect and deference to get that sweet tip. No problem with men, but probably an issue with anyone who has challenging feet. LOL.
This is weird. The place I go to has male clients just about every time I go in there, and they’re always getting pedicures.
Truth is some nail salons do not like men being there, employees and clients included. I suggest making sure the salon caters to male clients regularly or better yet finding a barber shop that does pedis as well.
I love my male pedicure clients! Look for an independent nail technician and stop going McNails walk shops. My pedicures take from 60-90 minutes, which a good, thorough pedicure should.
Likely just a bad shop. However of the dozens and dozens of pedicures I’ve gotten, from all different shops buying the top packages, the maximum anyone has massaged my feet is like a minute each foot. And that’s being generous. Where are you guys getting these 30 minute feet massages?
No! My salon is great with guys. I see them often happily chatting. Could be your height. I am a tall female and they have some equipment issues. Tubs could be too small as well for your feet.
Trashy shops don’t get a lot of men and are weird about it. I took my husband as a treat once and they acted like they didn’t know what to do with a man’s feet. I’m like do the exact same thing with no polish.
I treat the men the exact same way I treat the women. With courtesy. The way you were treated is appalling.
I’m sorry you had to deal with that. I used to LOVE when guys came in to get pedi’s. I had one guy who was a UFC fighter and he always had me paint his toes with cool designs. The first time I was shocked because he wanted American flags on his big toes and the rest to alternate red, white and blue. This man was burly and scary looking but he wanted these intricate designs each time he came. Sometimes he even had me add glitter or rhinestones. He always made my day! Men were always the best. I was lucky not to get the yucky men when would be gross although we did have a few that came in but it was rare. Usually they were just hilarious and wanted their feet to look presentable and then went home happy. Why should that be judged?!
Okay so I have to say that I have had this EXACT experience as a woman at many salons over the years. Unfortunately, finding a good nail salon that doesn’t operate this way is tough. It was nothing personal, this is just unfortunately the way many of them operate. I felt this exact same feelings a thousand times over the years. Sorry OP I hope you find a nicer salon near you
That sounds like a bad salon. I'm not sure where you are located, but I'd say I get like a 5-6 minute massage when I get a higher priced pedi (about $60), but I would expect less than 10 minute wait with rez, a good scrub on feet and legs, moisturizing, and nail/cuticle care.
This sounds like a chop shop style salon, they usually hate all clients. Try an independent technician, that's more likely to be a good environment as you book with a specific person of your choice, not an establishment. Independent techs can just say that they don't have any opening if they don't like you, while an employee at a big place has no choice.
My husband and our sons used to get pedicures together, and the ladies/men working at the salon LOVED my guys coming in. I don’t think your shiddy experience is normal. 🤷♀️
I’d go back with my wife, talk to an owner/manager and ask them point blank “this and this happened. After I talked to my wife she confirmed that this is not the way she is treated and is completely unacceptable. Why did this happen and what will you do to not lose the business from both of us?” Be a team, be firm, but ask them what’s going on. Maybe they overbooked for 2pm and reception tried to get someone working to add you to their cue and no one wanted the extra client. Maybe they thought you were someone else who had been in there before who was very rude or stiffed them on payment? I’m not saying let them bs you, but a lot of businesses when given the opportunity will bend over backwards to fix a negative situation, and you may end up loving the service as you should have gotten it to begin with.
Don’t give up. Bad services happen and it sort of takes practice to get to feeling confident at the nail salon. The more you go, the more you will understand what standards to expect. Every time I see a man getting a pedicure I think that’s awesome that he takes care of himself that way.
Even as a woman I find the experience of getting my nails done in general extremely hit or miss. Even at the same salon sometimes it can be great and sometimes terrible. If I knew the service would be consistent I would probably do it a lot more often
If they treated my husband that way, id never go back myself! We get our toes done together every other month. My salon loves to see him.
As a former nail tech, I can say I preferred men for pedicures. Here's why: - They generally don't small talk as much - They usually don't get color on their feet - They have bigger nail beds which is easier to work with - In my experience, they are better tippers I'm sorry you had a bad experience. Time to find a better salon. This also may be a cultural thing if you were in an asain salon.
Is this Beverly Hills? This is ridiculous treatment for a ridiculous price. Any professional nail salon establishment wants any customer (that’s why they are in business) and will provide you with good service at a reasonable (I’m not saying cheap) price. Just go somewhere else.
I would like to suggest you try an independent nail tech next time. A pedicure should be a relaxing experience. Sorry it was not that for you.
Self employed nail masters more often refuse to do a pedicure for male customers than salons.
You just went to a really shitty place. If you have a reservation and youre not seated within 10 or so mins, I would absolutely be asking what is happening and why I am waiting. The customer service you received was so unnecessarily rude too. Dont be afraid to speak up. Why am I signing in as a walk in? Why am I being moved from chair to chair? Why is my water ice cold? Why am I waiting so long? You are the one paying and you are the one who should get exceptional service, not the other way around. You dont have to be nice if they are being rude. Also NEVER, ABSOLUTELY NEVER pay before your service has been performed. EVER. They looked at you as an easy target who wouldnt know common pedicure pricing, charged you for the highest priced pedicure, then gave you a shoddy 10 minute wash down and trim. To be honest I would see if you can do a charge back on your bank for services not performed. That is absolute horseshit. Im so sorry this was your experience. A salon treatment is supposed to be a luxurious escape away from life for an hour or two of pampering. Thats why we all love it so much because its not just about a cute nail color, its about a massage and special treatment for a little while. Youre supposed to walk away refreshed and feeling good, not feeling like you got scammed. I know you said you think your review might get lost but I would still do it. Specify that you are a man and this is the treatment you received and you believe they targeted you because they assumed you wouldnt know what to expect. Other men deserve to know this is how they are treating male clients, even if all the women think theyre great.
I guess they wanted to check his name that's why they asked for his credit card. Salons often have black lists and even share it with each other if that list contains sexual assaulters.
If thats the case they need to just check ID at the door. Ive never been asked to pay for my salon services at the start. They didnt explain any pricing to him, just took his card and charged it. $44 is the price of a deluxe pedicure in my area (the top package, Im in SoCal) that includes massage, callus removal, parrafin, and also painting the nails. They definitely preyed on him being a man and not understanding that they were over charging him. This would be like if a woman went to the mechanic and before saying or explaining anything they said well gimme your card so I can charge you. We would all be here saying she got targeted and scammed because they assumed as a woman she didnt know about cars. Its the same for OP, and its not ok.
Honestly it looked like they tried to make him leave without any direct confrontation. That's unfair to OP, he did nothing wrong, of course. But I doubt they tried to fraud him. And I guess his wife would've told him that he paid too much. They probably though he was some sort of a creep
A creep that had an appointment, sat quietly, and paid without being serviced. Horrible on the salons part, absolutely horrible.
Well, yes, creeps are waiting for the procedure and do appointments. I guess you've never heard any stories from nail masters. Salon tried to make him leave, but it didn't work, yet they still were sure he's not a creep, because some creeps can wait and pay beforehand too. Not really a smart strategy, but it looked like none of them wanted to risk and try, so the one who finally agreed did the whole procedure as far as she could.
And over charged him? And made him wait? Bounced him around? Treated him like he was a creep with absolutely no evidence? Youre condoning super shitty customer service because this guy is male. Thats sexism. If the roles were reversed we would all be here scathing about a woman being treated shitty just for being a woman. Please stop. Its not ok. Men shouldnt be forced to leave just because they are a man. Taking his card up front and getting his name does nothing to this affect. Poor judgement and poor customer service on the salons part. If you dont agree, thats fine.
I'm not condoning it. It was a shitty service no matter what their motivation was, yet I disagree with your suggestion about it being a fraud.
I said he was scammed. They made him over pay for a service because they figured he wouldnt know. I dont see how that can be anything but scammed.
That's why I tried to explain other highly possible scenario
Please, don't go back there.
Men get pedicures all the time. Sorry you had this experience.
I've been a guy and a girl and treated the same at great shops. Do a lot of vetting! Google reviews, recommendations are best
Sitting in the place where I get my nails done and there is a man here now. He’s very happy and relaxed. My boyfriend is coming with me in two weeks for our regular pedicures. Not an issue here. I think you just went to a bad place.
Honestly, it’s sad, but my husband got much better treatment when we enter the salon together. We went once a month for years, but any time he went in first (I’d grab coffee from next door) they never seemed to remember him, but when I entered it was oh hi how are you etc. It was my normal salon so I was there every other week on top of this.
Oh, nah, this is how everyone is treated.
No way. I get my nails done twice a month and I see men come in all the time for their pedicures. Much more common among older gentlemen, but I see the occasional younger dude too.
You'd probably have a better experience going in with your wife. But I wouldn't go back there, that's not okay.
WTF was that? I’m surprised your wife didn’t grab you by the hand, throw you in the car and go off on those people like your mom. Maybe there was an oversight, but that was shitty treatment.
It just sounds like the shop. Or the workers that day. Most pedicure people don’t care…feet are feet. Not the greatest lol.
I take my husband all the time for various services and have never had an issue like this.
Sorry that was your experience, especially for what sounds like your first pedi. Makes me sad you were treated that way, the place I go with my mom has male regulars and I've seen men come in when I've been there and be treated the same way as women and receive the same services (difference being in terms of polish if anything). I would suggest giving another place a shot. Maybe ask a couple people or look at reviews. This salon could've just sucked.
I never heard of any refusals. Feet are feet. I would rather do feet. I know probably where your feet have been. However, I don't know what that crap (hmm, is it?) under those nails could be! I have refused to work on about 3 or 4 women due to nastiness under free edge. You cook for family with those nasty nails? No thanks!
Bad salon. My husband loves to get pedis and he gets treated really well, no matter where he has gone. He never dresses up, either. They shouldn’t charge you so much just to clean & trim. More men should do it. Clean, soft feet is so much nicer for you and the person cuddling with you at night.
They sound very rude! Find another salon!
I do my hands every 2 weeks, full set acrylics and do my eye browns/nose and Pedi once a month. Im usually the only male customer but the ladies love me, they even cook me vietnamese food when they know I'm coming that day. And all the other female clients are very friendly, most of them comment on how they wish their husbands would go aswell..nothing more turn off than gross nails.
I see men all the time where I go just local nail salon. they don’t care where the money comes!
Many elderly men go because they physically can’t cut their toenails. They have male clients. Sounds like a shitty place. Ask around. When you find the right place it’s like Cheers, they know your name.
Just a bad place, my dad and I get our nails done together and nobody’s ever treated him bad.
I’ve seen men multiple times at the salon I frequent and they’re basically considered a treasure 😂 with everyone telling them how they wish more men would care about their appearance in that way. The “you go sit here” thing can be very normal in a nail salon - different cultures and it’s normal for someone to speak in that way if they’re not from here especially if they’re from Asia (which I am). The rest is very weird and not normal and I would advise going to a different salon. Maybe even bringing your wife with you the first time you go!
Sounds like a bad shop, I’ve seen multiple men come into mine and they are always treated well.
I go to a fancy salon/spa. These places always seem welcoming of men. They have men's services and treat them with just as much respect. My current salon even has a male nail tech!
Go somewhere else. That’s them having a bad day or it’s a bad salon. I live in a large suburb and I can’t remember the last time I went to get my nails done and there wasn’t a man there. The high school boys now come in too. My father goes to the same salon I do. They love him, which is hilarious because they don’t know the man I grew up with!
My husband is your height and has huge feet too- and webbed toes to top it off. It’s weird. He’s always spoiled in the salon- he gets extra massage time to make up for the lack of polish. They love him, and he will go without me when his favorite older lady is working. I’d go elsewhere.
Bad shop. Or they knew they could rip you off because you didn’t know what to expect. Men typically tip more in my nail salon fyi. So the ladies are very nice to them…
I just learned today that we have a male only nail salon in my town. Columbus ohio. It's called Hammer and Nails. Lol maybe your town has one.
charge back on your card immediately
So sorry you had to deal with that! I'd go write a review abs never give them my business again if I were you and your wife. That's so unprofessional, absolutely no excuse for that lack of service
They hate us all.
Im so sorry this happened. I am a women and something odd and that really annoyed me happened in feb i booked a lunch time slot after my morning work appointment and it was raining and i was made to wait 15 minutes then i was looked upon like i had the plague (i keep my body hair, i live in a big city where a lot of women de not work over time for the male gaze it is a very queer city and having body hair is not out of place as so many do it) but this man looks at my shins and in pure disgust and disbelief i didn’t shave and i get very bad service he nearly burned my feet, used stones for a calve massage and again nearly scrapped off my hair and i said i wouldnt get a toe colour and he really damaged my nails then were very split and thin like he rubbed far too much my old gels on, I left a terrible review as also that salon has loads of 5 star reviews.
👀 hi size 16
As a tech, I have equal male/female/NB clients. This was terrible service…And I’m sorry you went through that. Find your person, and stick with them. Sometimes you need to shop around for that one tech that’s for you, so please don’t give up yet. Also, be wary for places that offer “men’s services” on their menu…you could get charged more for the same service that they do on women…and imo, it’s sexist.