9 times out of 10 times I can get an appointment day of. I literally just called the guy I prefer at 10:50 and asked if he had anything from 11:30 - 1:00. He said how about 11:45. (Funny I saw this post shortly after that call.)

My preferred place is not open on Saturday or Sundays. If I've been traveling and forget to call the preferred guy, I go to one of the franchise places that has weekend and evening hours. Generally can get a 'day of' appointment there also.

But the preferred guy is like $22 - so more than the amount mentioned in the OP.

Like several others I have not voluntarily paid for a haircut in decades. I bought my first pair of clippers in high school and have cut my own hair ever since with the exception of when I was in boot camp and MCS.

I do get my beard trimmed from time to time and the place I go to accepts walk ins and usually gets through them pretty quick but I like to make an appointment anyway. I don't need to waste time sitting in a barber shop when I could be doing anything else. The beard trim is only 10 bucks but I give 20 because she does a great job and it takes her a lot of time and she even shaves the back of my neck with a straight razor after rubbing warm shaving cream in by hand. I'd pay 10 bucks just for the short neck massage.

There are barbershops that require appointments? Who knew? Barbers to me are the best examples of the relationship between stress and life expectancy. How stressful can cutting hair be? Despite the fact that they are on their feet all day, I have known several in their eighties, who are still cutting hair. One was cutting my hair, when I was sixteen years old and that was sixty years ago.

I really like the sign in app that SuperCuts and GreatClips has. I have rarely waited 5 mins past my appt time and with SuperCuts I get my choice of stylist there during that time.

+1 for the FloBee, though it won't deliver a military grade haircut (sadly).

I don't pay for haircuts, and the biggest wait is figuring out where the vacuum cleaner was last seen...

I have been a traditional Barber for 23 years. When I get a call at the shop asking for an appointment, I always reply "doctors and dentists have appointments. Barbers just cut hair. Come on in."