Thousands of football fans attending the World Cup in the US have hit out at what they see as a confusing and expensive tipping culture. Many visitors from the UK, Australia and other countries are struggling to understand when to tip, how much to leave and why it's becoming a significant financial burden.
The low hourly wage of many US hospitality staff - often just over $2 (£1.50) per hour in restaurants and bars - means they rely heavily on tips to earn a living wage. This contrasts sharply with other countries where service charges are included or staff are paid higher minimum wages.
England supporter Geoff Pryor explained that while he understood tipping for good service, it was 'weird' to be asked for a tip when buying just a bottle of water. Australian fans Chris O'Flynn and Robert McNamara echoed these sentiments, saying the high cost of match tickets had stretched their budgets and tips were exacerbating their expenses.
US hospitality venue owners are also feeling the strain. Chris Keller, owner of Banter in Brooklyn, described British and European tourists as 'notoriously bad tippers', often showing a 'lack of tipping or playing ignorant'. To combat this, he has introduced pre-paid drinks for customers with reservations, including a service charge.
Ann Calimano, co-owner of Hurley's Restaurant & Bar in New York City, observed that while the World Cup has brought increased custom, not all new customers understand the US tipping model. She explained that when customers incur substantial bills, staff often have to gently point out that service is not included - a common misconception for visitors from regions where it typically is.
The cultural disparity is creating an unexpected financial burden for many travelling fans, who are finding that cumulative costs of tips significantly inflate their overall expenditure on the trip.