Is US Tipping Culture Spreading Overseas?

The debate about tipping in the United States has grown louder in recent years. Stories about restaurant staff becoming angry over small tips often spread quickly online, and in some major cities a 20% tip is now widely expected. For customers from countries where tipping is less common, this can feel surprising or uncomfortable.

Lillian Price, who lives in Philadelphia, believes tipping has become “out of control”. She usually leaves 15% in table-service restaurants, but she questions why customers are asked to tip when they are simply buying something to take away. For her, the problem is not rewarding good service, but the feeling that tipping is expected almost everywhere.

For many waiting staff, however, tips are not a small bonus. Kate Santos, a waitress in Queens, New York, says tips are a central part of her income because servers in New York can earn a low hourly wage before tips. She says that if people do not tip, it can make the whole working day financially difficult. In New York, she explains, anything below 20% may be seen as unacceptable.

The article suggests that US-style tipping expectations are beginning to appear in other countries. In Iceland, tipping was historically unusual because there was a strong social belief that employers should pay decent wages. However, as the number of American visitors has grown, some restaurants now ask customers whether they want to add a gratuity when they pay. Local people may find this irritating, especially when prices are already high.

Mexico City is described as another place where some residents blame American tourists for changing local tipping habits. In the UK, the issue appears in a different form: some restaurants are moving from a 12.5% service charge to 15%, especially in higher-end venues.

Food and drink consultant Lisa Harris argues that restaurants may use service charges to increase staff income without raising basic wages directly. She connects this to wider financial pressure in hospitality, including higher food prices, energy bills and labour costs. In her view, tips can become a way for restaurants to balance the books.

Another reason for the global rise in tipping is technology. Michael Lynn, a professor who studies consumer behaviour, says digital payment machines encourage tipping because customers are directly prompted to add money before completing a card payment. According to SumUp, the number of UK cafes and restaurants using digital prompts for tips rose sharply between 2022 and 2024.

The article also explains why tips are especially important in the US. Federal rules allow tipped workers to be paid a lower minimum wage than other workers, so tips are treated as an expected part of income rather than just a reward for excellent service. This helps explain why some American servers defend the system, even though many customers feel uncomfortable with growing pressure to tip.