World Cup fans 'haven't been leaving tips' say New York City servers

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Cameron Smith | Digital Content Producer

Accredited sports journalist covering football since 2020

World Cup 2026 tourists in New York City are yet to adopt the usual tipping culture in the United States of America, according to staff who work in The Big Apple.

It’s estimated that 1.2 million football fans have descended upon New York to watch the biggest sporting event in the world, with a number of high-profile matches being staged at the MetLife Stadium in nearby New Jersey.

As a result of this influx of tourists, bars and restaurants in the city are heaving on a daily basis, although the New York Post have confirmed that many visitors have not yet conformed to America’s tipping culture.

In the USA, servers rely heavily on gratuities for their wages as their base salary is usually very low. As a result, customers are required to essentially subsidise staff members’ wages.

This isn’t the same culture as in Europe, where a tip is often included in the final bill, and it’s led to large groups of tourists opting against paying a tip to waiters.

World Cup tourists yet to adopt tipping culture

Louise Daggett, a waitress at McCarthy’s Pub on West 46th Street told the New York Post: “Everyone has been really sweet . . . they’re loud and happy, very nice. It’s very different. And a lot of people haven’t been leaving tips.

“There’s been a lot of tables that have come in and had a tab of almost $700. They do ask,” she continued. “They say, ‘Oh, how do I do this?’ and I explain to them that tipping is big here in the city, and it’s a nice habit to do.

“All in all, I haven’t had a bad experience because they’re so happy and excited. And they try.”

Anne Calimano, co-owner of Hurley’s Saloon, added: “It’s busy, morning, noon and night… I mean, obviously they don’t tip like normal.

“The bartender might say, ‘was everything alright with the service?’ And they say ‘yeah,’ because in Europe . . . [the tip] was already included in the price, and they think that.”

Meanwhile, Cathal Reynolds, a bartender at Garvey’s Irish Pub, said: “Just all day, through the day, even our mornings are busier than our night time now. Scotland has just taken over this city.

“They’ve already spent a lot of money to be here in the first place,” he said. “The tipping, I’m not too fussed about it. I think if you do come here, you should just engage in the culture because I think you’ll have a better time.”