Customers hit with automatic 20% gratuities as restaurants combat tipping confusion

As in several FIFA World Cup host cities welcome an influx of international visitors this weekend, some operators are adding automatic gratuities to customers’ checks — citing concerns that guests from countries without a strong tipping culture may unknowingly undercompensate workers. 

Fox News Digital reported last month that the Missouri Restaurant Association advised Kansas City establishments to temporarily implement automatic gratuities of 20% during the soccer tournament.

Now, some restaurants in other World Cup cities like Atlanta and Philadelphia are among those doing the same, according to Food & Wine.

Supporters say the move is intended to protect on gratuities and avoid confusion for visitors unfamiliar with American tipping norms.

Some restaurant operators told TheTravel that they’ll display notices informing customers of the surcharge.

“We’ll have that posted on the menus themselves. We’ll have it posted in the restaurant,” Bob Riekhof, general manager of La Bodega in Kansas City, said in a statement. 

“Probably the biggest part is just making sure our servers are communicating to the guests that the gratuity has been included on the check.”

Ben Fileccia, senior vice president of operations and public affairs for the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association, told the publication that business owners “don’t want the servers or bartenders or the tipped employees to have to explain what the tipping custom is.”

He said the notices will make “for a much smoother transaction and no awkward conversations.”

Others, however, worry that to growing consumer frustration over fees and surcharges.

“Restaurant traffic has been declining, and anything that is perceived to some consumer backlash, particularly if it’s not well-publicized or if consumers feel there’s an expectation to tip on top of the automatic tip,” David Henkes, senior principal at Technomic, a food industry research firm in Chicago, told Fox News Digital.

Michele Bermuvez, co-owner of Atlanta’s Brewhouse Café, told Food & Wine that it’s “really important for us to take care of our staff.”

Said Bermuvez, “I definitely think there’ll be some pushback, but, you know, it’ll really streamline things for us.”

Not every restaurant operator believes automatic gratuities are necessary.

“At Mahon Hospitality, we will not be changing our gratuity policies during the World Cup,” Robert Mahon told Fox News Digital.

“We believe guests should they receive, not because of a major event.”

Mahon said his company is also taking a different approach to pricing as many businesses prepare for increased demand. At London & Martin Co., the hospitality group’s English pub in New York City, customers will be able to purchase $6 pints of Guinness throughout the World Cup.

“Our goal is simple: Create a great atmosphere, offer fair value and give fans a reason to come back throughout the tournament,” he said.

The debate highlights a broader question facing restaurants: whether protecting workers from cultural differences in tipping expectations requires automatic charges, or whether strong service and transparent pricing are enough to encourage customers to tip voluntarily.

Fox News Digital reached out to the National Restaurant Association for comment.

Fox News Digital’s Andrea Margolis contributed reporting.