Millions of soccer fans descending on the U.S. for this summer's FIFA World Cup are about to get an immersive lesson in one of America's most cherished traditions: being hit with an automatic gratuity. Some restaurants, particularly in Kansas City, are planning to slap a mandatory 20 percent tip on every check during the 40-day tournament, ensuring that international visitors who might otherwise skip the gratuity learn the local customs the expensive way.
The Missouri Restaurant Association has advised its roughly 800 Kansas City metro area members to add the automatic charge, with the city expecting about 650,000 visitors for its six games. "We just want to make sure that the servers and bartenders - anyone who collects a tip - actually collects a tip," explained Trey Meyers, the association's marketing and communications director. Most restaurateurs, he said, are planning to set the gratuity between 18 percent and 22 percent, leaving a little room for negotiation if you're feeling feisty.
This preemptive move addresses a persistent cultural friction point: tipping is standard in the U.S., but in many countries, it's either not expected or already baked into the bill. Since tipped workers in Missouri and elsewhere earn a lower base minimum wage, restaurants are erring on the side of making sure staff don't accidentally subsidize the World Cup for frugal tourists. Boston-area restaurants, which will host seven games, are reportedly weighing similar measures, and Scotland fans have been warned to expect a mandatory 20 percent charge.
The tournament, running from June 11 to July 19, is expected to draw up to 7 million international visitors across 11 U.S. cities. Naturally, the automatic gratuity plan has become the latest flashpoint for a World Cup already criticized for sky-high ticket prices and transportation costs. Social media users have weighed in, with one Facebook commenter declaring, "Tipping has gotten out of hand. You should tip what you feel they deserve, not mandatory or suggested tipping." Others suggested restaurants just pay employees higher wages instead, as if that were a novel idea.
Not every state is jumping on the mandatory-tip bandwagon. The New Jersey Restaurant and Hospitality Association has opted to educate its members about cultural differences rather than impose automatic gratuities, so international visitors aren't startled when servers walk off with their credit cards. According to Toast, tips at full-service restaurants averaged about 19 percent nationally in 2025, so the World Cup surcharge is basically just rounding up.