World Cup

Packed bars and empty kegs have become common during the tournament, raising questions about how the influx of fans is affecting tipped workers.

Before World Cup fans arrived in Massachusetts, some restaurant owners worried international visitors might not be familiar with the American tradition of tipping. A few establishments even added automatic gratuities to bills to make sure servers wouldn’t be left shortchanged.

So far, those fears appear to have been overblown.

As soccer fans pack bars and restaurants across Greater Boston — in some cases drinking establishments out of beer — servers and bartenders appear to be benefiting from the tourism boom as well.

“Most Scots who have visited the taproom seem to be aware of the tip culture here, and our servers are doing fine,” a spokesperson for the Samuel Adams Downtown Boston Taproom said.

The Scottish supporters, however, may have made their mark elsewhere.

The taproom temporarily ran out of Samuel Adams Boston Lager after what the spokesperson described as the Tartan Army having “drank us dry.”

For many European countries, such as Scotland, Norway, England, and France, whose teams are playing in Foxborough, tipping is not usually expected, and many restaurants already include a 10% to 15% service charge. 

For those who feel compelled to tip, rounding up to the nearest dollar or adding a 10% to 15% charge is the most expected, unlike the 15% to 20% expected in the U.S. 

Similar practices are true for Morocco and Ghana.

But it seems like the travelers have brushed up on what is expected in the States. 

On Saturday night, every restaurant and bar at Patriot Place in Foxborough was packed, surpassing the crowds typically seen during Patriots home games, according to Stephen Clark, president and CEO of the Massachusetts Restaurant Association.

The boost has also carried into non-match days, Clark said, with restaurants throughout the region reporting strong business from visiting fans.

“I know many places implemented a mandatory gratuity, and from what I have heard, it hasn’t been an issue,” Clark said. “In those instances, it would seem that the servers and bartenders have been doing well.”

While the association has not yet gathered enough information to assess restaurants that did not add automatic gratuities, Clark said he has heard few complaints and suspects many workers are also seeing the benefits of the World Cup crowds.

How about you? If you’re a server or bartender who’s waited on World Cup crowds, answer the survey below (or email [email protected]) and we may print your response in a future article.