A good nail salon service menu lists a short set of core services, clear add-ons and a few packages, each with a plain name, a short description of what is included and a price built from your real costs. Start with the services your techs do best, time each one, add up the supplies it uses, and then set prices. Keep it simple enough that a client can choose in under a minute.
Key takeaways
- Build your menu around a few core manicure and pedicure services, then layer on add-ons.
- Time every service so your booking blocks match what your techs really need.
- Use clear, honest names and list what each service includes.
- Price each service from labor, single-use supplies, products and overhead.
- Know which disposables each service uses so you can stock and cost them correctly.
What goes on a nail salon service menu
Most menus have three layers. Core services are what most clients book. Add-ons let clients upgrade a visit. Packages bundle services at a set price. Here is a common structure:
- Manicures: basic manicure, gel manicure, polish change.
- Pedicures: basic pedicure, spa or deluxe pedicure, gel pedicure, polish change.
- Enhancements: acrylic, dip powder or gel extensions, fills and removal, if your techs are trained in them.
- Add-ons: gel removal, paraffin, extra callus work, nail art, French tips, longer massage.
- Packages: manicure and pedicure combos, or a deluxe “treat yourself” visit.
Only list what your team can do well and consistently. A shorter menu is easier to book, easier to stock and easier to train for. You can always add a service later.
Step by step: how to build your nail salon service menu
- List what you can offer. Write down every service your techs are licensed and trained to do.
- Pick your core services. Choose the handful most clients will book. These carry your business.
- Time each service. Have each tech do the service and note how long it really takes, including setup and cleanup.
- List the supplies each service uses. Single-use tools, liners, slippers, polish, gel and lotion.
- Work out your cost per service. Labor, supplies, products and a share of rent and overhead.
- Set your prices. Start from your costs, then check where you want to sit in your local market.
- Name and describe each service. Plain names, short descriptions, clear add-ons.
- Test and review. Watch what clients book and what they skip, and update the menu.
Time every service before you book it
Timing drives your whole schedule. If you book a spa pedicure for less time than it really takes, every appointment after it runs late. If you book too much time, chairs sit empty.
Time each service with each tech, then use a block that fits most of your team. Include setup, such as putting a fresh liner in the tub and opening a new kit, and cleanup, such as cleaning the tub and logging it. Add-ons need their own time too. Gel, gel removal, paraffin and heavy callus work all add minutes.
For typical pedicure time blocks, see our guide on how long a pedicure takes. Use it as a starting point, then adjust to your own team.
Name services clearly and sell add-ons
Clever names can be fun, but clients need to know what they are buying. A good rule: a fun name is fine as long as a plain description sits right under it.
- Use a simple tier system. For example, “Basic,” “Spa” and “Deluxe,” with each tier adding clear steps.
- List what is included. Soak, nail shaping, cuticle care, callus work, scrub, mask, massage length and polish type.
- Keep add-ons in one place. A short add-on list near the bottom of each section makes upgrading easy.
- Use the same names everywhere. Your printed menu, website, booking app and Google profile should match.
- Avoid promises you cannot back up. Describe the steps, not results such as “heals” or “lasts for weeks.”
Add-ons are an easy upgrade at checkout or during the visit. Popular ones include paraffin, extra callus work, nail art and a longer massage. If you offer paraffin, single-use paraffin hand and foot masks keep the add-on quick to set up.
Example nail salon service menu layout
Here is an example structure you can adapt. It is only a layout. Prices are left out on purpose, because yours should come from your own costs and market.
| Section | Service | What’s included | Common add-ons |
|---|---|---|---|
| Manicures | Basic manicure | Shape, cuticle care, hand lotion, regular polish | French tips, nail art, paraffin |
| Manicures | Gel manicure | Shape, cuticle care, gel base, color and top coat cured under a lamp | Gel removal, nail art |
| Pedicures | Basic pedicure | Soak, trim and shape, cuticle care, light callus work, short massage, regular polish | Gel polish, extra callus work |
| Pedicures | Spa pedicure | Everything in basic, plus scrub, mask and a longer massage | Paraffin, gel polish |
| Quick services | Polish change, hands or feet | Remove old polish, quick shape, new polish | Gel upgrade |
| Packages | Manicure and pedicure combo | One manicure and one pedicure at the same visit | Any add-on |
Gel products are for professional use; follow the label.
Work out the cost per service
Price every service from what it costs you, not just from the salon down the street. For each service, add up:
- Labor: tech pay for the time the service takes.
- Single-use supplies: files, buffers, pumice, toe separators, liners and slippers.
- Products: polish, gel, remover, scrub, lotion and paraffin.
- Overhead share: rent, utilities, insurance, disinfectant and laundry, spread across your services.
Then add your profit. Our guide on how much to charge for a pedicure has a cost-per-service worksheet that also works for manicures and add-ons. Check your numbers when supply costs change.
Plan the disposables for each service
Single-use items are easy to cost because each one is used once. In California, 16 CCR § 981 says tools and supplies that touch a client and cannot be disinfected, such as buffers, pumice stones, toe separators and emery boards, must be thrown away right after use on one client. New single-use items must be stored in a clean, covered place labeled “New.”
| Service | Single-use items to plan per client |
|---|---|
| Basic or gel manicure | Nail file, buffer, wooden pusher, cotton pads |
| Basic or gel pedicure | Nail file, buffer, pumice, toe separator, spa liner, slippers |
| Spa pedicure | Everything in a basic pedicure, plus any single-use mask or scrub packs you use |
| Paraffin add-on | Single-use paraffin hand or foot mask |
| Gel removal add-on | File, buffer and cotton pads |
A disposable pedicure kit groups the tools into one pack per client, so costing and stocking get simpler. For example, the Pedicure Kit 4 PE includes a pumice, a 5 inch zebra file, an orange buffer and a 4-toe PE separator, 200 sets per case. Add a spa liner and slippers for each pedicure. A liner does not replace cleaning the tub after every client.
Packages and when to update your menu
Packages raise the value of each visit and make choosing easy. A manicure and pedicure combo is the classic. Price packages from the combined cost of the services, and make sure the package still earns a profit.
Review your menu every few months. Drop services nobody books, raise prices when costs go up, and add services your clients keep asking for. A clear menu also helps with marketing. See our sibling guide on how to get more nail salon clients.
FAQ
What services should a nail salon offer?
Most salons start with basic and gel manicures, basic and spa pedicures, and polish changes. Enhancements such as acrylic or dip can follow if your techs are trained in them. Add-ons like paraffin and nail art round out the menu.
How many services should be on a nail salon menu?
There is no set number. Keep it short enough that clients can choose quickly and your team can do every service well. A few core services, a short add-on list and one or two packages is a common starting point.
How do I price my nail salon service menu?
Add up labor, single-use supplies, products and a share of overhead for each service. Then add profit and compare with your local market. Recheck your prices whenever supply costs change.
Should I list prices on my nail salon menu?
Most clients expect to see prices before they book, and clear prices build trust. If a service varies, such as nail art, you can list a starting price and explain what changes it.
A strong nail salon service menu is short, clear and built on real numbers: timed services, honest names, smart add-ons and prices that cover your costs. When you are ready to stock single-use supplies for every service, browse our pedicure kits and other disposables by the case. Questions? Call +1 (669) 696-7724 or reach us through our contact page.
