As soon as the ball rolls on the World Cup field, the atmosphere of celebration is now in the stadiums and bars of the United States. But a large part of the international football fans who come to watch the game are suffering more than the excitement on the field. That is the famous tipping culture or the rule of giving tips in the United States. Whether you buy a bottle of water, a coffee or just a beer.
When paying the bill, you will tip twenty percent, twenty-five percent or thirty percent. For many, it is like a new game. The rules of which they do not even know. Many international fans who came to the United States for the World Cup find the American tipping culture confusing, expensive and tiring for them. They have no objection to tipping for good service. But why do they need to tip for buying a bottle of water?
It is really strange. On the other hand, Australian fans say that a large part of their budget has been spent on World Cup tickets, airfare and hotels. On top of that, they have to tip again every time they buy a drink or food. They believe that businesses should be responsible for ensuring good wages for their employees. Everyone should respect local culture. But if you add another five dollars to each drink, the cost increases very quickly. Japanese people say that tipping is not customary in Japan. According to them, food prices in the United States are already very high. Adding a tip of thirteen to twenty percent on top of that increases the cost abnormally. Many even feel that the extra money they have to pay for tips. That money could have bought another meal.
In the hospitality sector in the United States, tips are not just a courtesy, but the main source of income for many workers. Behind this is the country's strange wage structure. In many states, tip-dependent restaurant and bar workers are paid a base salary of only two.13 dollars per hour. As a result, a large part of their income comes from tips given by customers. The minimum cash wage for tipped workers in Atlanta, Georgia is two.13 dollars per hour. According to the law, if tips and basic salary combined do not reach the minimum wage of seven.25 dollars per hour, the employer has to make up the shortfall.
Therefore, many believe that it is difficult for workers in this sector to live without tips. However, not all states have the same rules. In California, tipped workers also receive a minimum wage of sixteen.20 dollars per hour. Which is the highest in the United States. Even then, many restaurants recommend tipping ten, fifteen or twenty percent. Although some establishments ask for twenty, twenty-five or even thirty percent tips. Which seems excessive to many. Not only customers, but also employees in the US hospitality sector are concerned about tips. They complain that many foreign tourists do not tip because they do not know the local rules.
Many bars and restaurants in New York have seen an increase in the number of European tourists on the occasion of the World Cup. But businessmen claim that a large part of them are not interested in tipping. Therefore, some establishments have already introduced a system of paying bills with a service charge, so that employees are not completely deprived of tips. Again, in many restaurants, it is seen that some tourists leave without leaving tips even after paying a large bill. In such a situation, employees politely ask if there was a problem with the service. When customers express their satisfaction, they are told that, unlike in many European countries, service charges are not automatically added to the bill in the United States.
So tipping is the norm. In the eyes of the US government, tips are a key and expected component of employee income. So while thousands of foreign fans who have come to watch the World Cup enjoy ninety minutes of excitement on the field, they have to fight another invisible battle off the field: the battle to settle tips.
