Philly restaurants may add World Cup service charge. Here's why – Delawareonline.com

The World Cup is coming to Philadelphia, along with a multitude of soccer fans.
Those soccer fans will be venturing throughout the City of Brotherly Love to shop and, of course, eat.
The projected influx of tourists from the World Cup has restaurant owners talking about a 20% service charge on bills during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
According to Billy Penn at WHYY, the Pennsylvania Restaurant & Lodging Association (PRLA) held a World Cup hospitality briefing to discuss the number of people coming to the city. The discussions touched on tipping and the fact that people from other countries do not tip as much as people in the United States, if they tip at all.
To combat that issue, since most servers rely on tips as part of their income, they are considering a 20% service charge.
Here’s what to know about service charges and tipping.
When you go out to eat with a large group, some restaurants add an automatic gratuity to the bill. According to WebstaurantStore, automatic gratuities are typically for parties of six or more. Businesses must clearly disclose the automatic gratuity before an order is placed.
Yes. An automatic gratuity is not a tip; it is a service charge, according to the IRS. Tips are freely given by customers, but service charges are mandatory fees.
If the service charge is 18% to 22% and covers service, you don’t have to tip. You can if you feel like the service was extraordinary, but it isn’t expected.
If it’s a small operational fee, like 3% to 10%, and covers benefits or kitchen appreciation, then it doesn’t go to your server, and you should tip.
While it depends on the server, there is a typical baseline for tips at a sit-down restaurant.
According to Bankrate.com, the baseline tip is 18% of the pretax bill. If the server does a good job, the tip can increase to 20% to 25%.
According to UCLA’s Dashew Center for International Students & Scholars. tips can range from 10% for poor service to 20% for great service. The baseline for satisfactory service is 15%.
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For bartenders, it depends on the order. A beer or glass of wine typically warrants $1 per drink. For cocktails – especially specialty drinks that take more time – a tip of 18% to 20% is suggested.
For baristas, tipping around 10% to 15% for a coffee, or $1 for a cup of drip coffee, is common.
At takeout restaurants or places where you order at a counter, tipping is not expected. There may be a tip jar, and customers can leave something, but it is not required.
No. Tips are voluntary, and customers should not feel pressured to give a specific amount. You can choose a custom amount, no amount, or one of the suggested options. Cash tips are also acceptable.
Here’s a quick guide from bankrate.com:

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