06/25/2026
During the World Cup, cities in the United States have been filled with international tourists from Europe, Asia, and many other regions. Restaurants and bars have become very busy, with workers serving thousands of customers every day.
However, many workers noticed something unusual. A large number of tourists were not leaving tips after eating or drinking. In some cases, tables with bills close to $700 were leaving no extra money at all for service staff. At first, this surprised many employees who depend on tips as part of their income.
The reason was not disrespect or bad behavior. It was mainly due to cultural differences. In many European and Asian countries, service workers are paid full wages by their employers, and tipping is either very small or completely optional. Because of this, many visitors believed the service charge was already included in the bill.
Some restaurant workers explained that when tourists were told about tipping customs in the US, most of them showed understanding and asked how it worked. It was mostly confusion rather than refusal.
To help protect workers, some restaurants in cities like Kansas City, Atlanta, and Philadelphia began adding an automatic 20% gratuity to bills during the tournament. This ensured staff still received fair pay during the busy period.
With around 1.2 million international fans visiting the country, the situation highlighted a clear cultural difference in how tipping is understood around the world. It became a learning experience for both visitors and workers during the global event.
