Restaurants Introduce Automatic Gratuities for World Cup Visitors

As international visitors flood several World Cup host cities this weekend, some restaurants are adding automatic gratuities to checks. This move aims to address concerns that guests from countries unfamiliar with strong tipping cultures might inadvertently under-tip workers.

Last month, the Missouri Restaurant Association recommended that Kansas City establishments introduce automatic gratuities of 20% during the tournament. Now, according to Food & Wine, cities like Atlanta and Philadelphia are adopting similar measures.

Supporters argue that this step safeguards employees reliant on tips and clarifies expectations for visitors unfamiliar with U.S. tipping norms.

Some operators informed TheTravel that notices will alert customers about the surcharge. Bob Riekhof, general manager of La Bodega in Kansas City, explained, “We’ll have that posted on the menus themselves. We’ll have it posted in the restaurant.” He emphasized the need for servers to communicate the inclusion of the gratuity to guests.

Ben Fileccia from the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association noted that business owners want to avoid putting the onus on servers to explain tipping customs. He said that the notices help ensure smoother transactions without awkward dialogues.

Some express concern about mandatory gratuities exacerbating consumer frustrations over fees. David Henkes of Technomic warned about potential backlash if these charges are not well-publicized or if consumers feel compelled to tip beyond the automatic gratuity.

Michele Bermuvez, co-owner of Atlanta’s Brewhouse Café, emphasized their commitment to staff welfare. “I definitely think there’ll be some pushback, but it’ll really streamline things for us,” she mentioned.

Nonetheless, not all restaurants plan to change their gratuity policies. Robert Mahon of Mahon Hospitality commented that tips should reflect the service quality, not the occasion. His establishment, London & Martin Co. in New York City, will continue offering competitive pricing, such as $6 pints of Guinness, during the World Cup.

This debate touches on a larger issue for restaurants: should they impose automatic charges to shield workers from tipping culture disparities, or rely on exceptional service and pricing transparency to inspire voluntary tips?