International football fans arriving in America for the World Cup say they are growing frustrated with US tipping culture, as requests for tips appear on even the most basic purchases. Travellers from the United Kingdom, Australia and Japan told the BBC that the expectation that tips help make up for lower base pay is adding to travel costs and causing deep tipping fatigue across host cities.
The clash reflects a wider gap in how different countries pay service workers. In many European and Asian nations, hospitality staff typically receive a flat living wage, while some American restaurants and bars pay a base tipped rate of just over $2, or roughly £1.50, an hour in certain states, with workers relying on tips of around 20 per cent to earn a living.
