World Cup fans shocked in the US: tipping culture made the trip much more expensive than expected

Fans of the 2026 FIFA World Cup from Europe, Japan, and Australia have discovered that US tipping culture made their trip significantly more expensive. BBC journalists spoke with fans surprised by the obligation to pay 13-20% for service, which is already included in bills elsewhere in the world. Many visitors found that even without tips, prices are high, with a meal at the cheapest restaurant costing around $30.

During the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the US, international fans have made an unexpected discovery: American tipping culture makes the trip much more expensive than anyone could have anticipated.

Tipping? What tipping?

BBC journalists interviewed fans from Australia, Europe, and Japan who are bewildered by the US service sector's practice of 13-20% tipping, which is essentially mandatory but not included on the bill. "It confuses me a bit. In Australia, everything is included on the bill, you pay it off. But here people ask for or expect a tip, and often it's not even clear how much to give," one Australian fan told the BBC.

Australians have a clear view on the issue: business owners should pay employees fairly, not customers. "Most Australians think, pay your employees more. That's the owners' job, not the customers'," noted the same fan.

Every drink adds $5

The situation is particularly painful at bars. "They expect a tip on every drink, and it quickly becomes very expensive. We get a drink, and we have to add $5 on top. It's hard to understand," acknowledged one European fan.

A meal at the cheapest restaurant costs around $30. If you add 13-20% tipping to that, you start thinking that with that money you could have bought another portion. Even without tips, visitors find the prices too high; with them, it simply becomes excessive.

From the US perspective, it's a matter of survival

Americans themselves explain the situation simply: there's no other way to get by in the service sector. "Everything is different in the world... in the US, 20% tipping is normal. Without it, you can't survive in the service sector," said one local server.

The cultural gap is clearly visible: in Europe, service is usually included on the bill; in America, the system is built so that employees' base salary is low and tips cover a large part of their income. For World Cup visitors, this has been one of the biggest surprises at the tournament, which is taking place in the US, Canada, and Mexico for the first time.