The pedicure is the most underpriced service in most nail menus, and it's the easiest one to fix.
Why "just a ped" is not "just"
- Soak time — 10–15 minutes of active management, not idle.
- Cuticle work on the feet — this is a separate, detailed step with its own time cost.
- Callus / dry-skin work — the bulk of what the client came for. This is a labor service, not a product service.
- Polish or gel on the toes — 5–8 minutes of precision placement per foot, 8–10 nails total with high visibility of unevenness.
- The "foot" part — if you're also doing structural work (acrylic/gel overlay), that's a second set, priced per toe with its own time and materials.
The pricing trap
A lot of techs set a ped price and then quietly under-invest: rushed soaking, skipping the callus work, or doing a "quick" polish because the clock is ticking. The client notices. The repeat rate drops. The price was "cheap" because the time was cheap, and the time is where the money is.
What a 2025 ped should cost for
Standard spa ped + gel polish (8–10 toes): this should be at least half the price of a full set. It's not "less work" — it's "fewer nails," but the time and detail are nearly the same. If you're pricing a ped at 1/3 of a full set, you're telling the client the feet don't matter. They do.
The fix
Audit your menu. If the ped doesn't have its own line item for polish, its own line for structural work, and its own line for "callus / dry-skin work," the menu is hiding your time. Rebuild it so the work is visible, and the price follows. The Lacqr Lens prices hands and feet with the same level of detail, so the ped gets the respect the work deserves.
The pedicure is not a side-gig add-on. It's a full service. Price it like one.