For the next few weeks, you might notice an additional service charge at some restaurants in Massachusetts in anticipation of international visitors who may not be accustomed to U.S. expectations around tipping.
At Union Straw in Foxboro, Massachusetts, customers will see a 20% service charge during the World Cup.
“Time is going to be very, very far, few and beyond for people when they’re trying to get to the stadium, with traffic and all that stuff. So we are going to implement a 20% service charge on all checks and hope to streamline those operations and save people 10 to 15 minutes,” said Craig Carreira, director of operations for Union Straw.
Right outside of Gillette stadium, at Patriot Place, Bar Louie and Davio’s are also planning to add a service charge during the World Cup.
The World Cup is underway, and the Haitian team made its way to Boston Thursday.
“That’s primarily how we do get paid, is through our tips,” said Christine Peterson, a bartender at Davio’s.
In Massachusetts, tipped workers earn $6.75 an hour. If they don’t earn enough in tips to reach $15 an hour, employers must make up the difference.
A 2024 ballot measure that aimed to raise the minimum wage gradually for tipped workers failed, in part, because many servers argued it would lower their overall compensation. So while tipping is largely expected in the U.S., it continues to be a topic of great debate.
“I don’t really like it. I like to tip somebody for their service, but there’s no incentive for the server to do well,” said Joan, a Rhode Island resident.
New signs and new grass are up at Gillette Stadium as the home of the Patriots hosts World Cup matches.
“All these restaurants are getting all this money with all these people coming here, and plus, they’re going to add another 20%,” said Susan, who was at Patriot Place Thursday. “That’s not right, not in my book.”
“I think it’s a good thing. They’re serving us, they should be able to get paid for their service. So I don’t mind,” said Mishi, a woman visiting from Haiti.
Under Massachusetts’ Consumer Protection Act, any mandatory charges or fees must be made known to the customer wherever prices are displayed on menus and bills.
Gillette Stadium, temporarily branded as Boston Stadium, is hosting seven 2026 FIFA World Cup matches from June 13 through July 9.
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Boston is among 16 U.S. cities hosting 2026 FIFA World Cup matches.
Courtesy of Meet Boston
Boston is among the 16 host cities across North America for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and Beantown is full of activities catering to visiting ticket holders. While seven matches will happen at Boston Stadium—the temporary name change for Gillette Stadium being used during the tournament—the city itself will offer much to see and do.
A press conference announcing that Boston City Hall Plaza will host a fan event during the 2026 FIFA World Cup happened this past February.
Boston Globe via Getty Images As an alternative to trekking out to this stadium in Foxborough, Boston City Hall Plaza will become the location for Boston’s FIFA World Cup Fan Festival. This plaza will be equipped with large outdoor viewing screens, interactive games, live performances and many global food and beverage vendors. From June 12 through June 27, festival attendees can experience these happenings at this plaza located at 1 City Hall Square. A complete schedule can be found here.
Raffles Boston, which is offering a 2026 FIFA World Cup package, is the first North American property from the Raffles Hotels & Resorts brand.
Courtesy of Meet Boston Hotels in Boston are offering unique packages in timing with the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
In the Back Bay neighborhood, Raffles Boston is offering The Sky to Stadium Presidential Experience that helps overnight guests skip area traffic and arrive in style. At the cost of $75,000, this luxe package presents a three-night stay in the hotel’s Presidential Suite, with chef-curated welcome bites, and a 90-minute Equilibrium Ritual at Guerlain Spa.
This package also offers VIP access to game day via private helicopter transfer, a dedicated Match Day Butler, premium stadium seating and all-inclusive hospitality. While at Raffles Boston, get a reservation for their swank speakeasy, Blind Duck. The XV Beacon Hotel is among hotels in Boston offering FIFA World Cup related packages.
Courtesy of Meet Boston XV Beacon Hotel in Beacon Hill has launched the World Cup Hotel Package at XV Beacon. It includes an elevated multi-night stay for two guests, featuring curated experiences and starting at $12,000.
The Dagny in downtown Boston has a World Football Fan 2026 Savings offer. Enjoy on-property match screenings at Fin Point and Tradesman with elevated game-day food and drinks, and turn to the concierge expertise of the Les Clefs d’Or team for transportation timing, dining reservations and curated itineraries.
A designated Boston Stadium Express pickup location, The Dagny will offer direct scheduled service to and from Boston Stadium on match days.
The lobby of The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston will become a major FIFA World Cup watching spot. Courtesy of Meet Boston On Boston match days, the lobby of The Liberty, a Luxury Collection Hotel, Boston will turn into a social viewing hub with large-scale projections, complimentary entry, and rotating country-inspired cocktails and bites.
Trillium Garden at Boston Harbor Hotel will be home to outdoor viewing parties, as well as feature live music Tuesdays through Fridays in June, July and August from 6 to 10 p.m.
Omni Boston Hotel at the Seaport’s All Access Pass makes any local sporting event, concert, or activation to be booked for overnight guests by hotel staff possible.
The recently-opened Atlas Hotel Boston in Allston made news for having 311 Omakase, the only restaurant in Boston with a Michelin star.
Boston’s Chinatown is one of many neighborhoods offering dining options amid the FIFA World Cup. Courtesy of Meet Boston The MICHELIN Guide was introduced to Greater Boston in 2025 but Boston’s culinary landscape is quite stellar. Its richness is reflected in Boston’s minority- and immigrant-owned culinary institutions across its diverse neighborhoods.
Roxbury boasts African-influenced culinary roots and Cape Verdean specialties, anchored by local favorites such as Restaurante Cesaria. One of the city’s first Cape Verdean restaurants, this restaurant reflects Cape Verdean diet along with contemporary and American-influenced alternatives.
Jamaica Plain is the go-to neighborhood for authentic Caribbean and Latin American eateries. Among others, Santia’s Bakery is a beloved for their Dominican baked goods.
In Chinatown, find many restaurants, bakeries, and cafes. For dim sum, Hei La Moon is home to a bi-level, hall-style emporium while Winsor Dim Sum Café presents an expansive menu and outstanding congee. Taiwan Café offers delicious fish hot pots and soup dumplings, while Shabu-Zen is great for shabu-shabu (Japanese-style hot pot).
Boston’s North End neighborhood is also referred to as “Little Italy.” Boston Globe via Getty Images Boston’s North End is the city’s “Little Italy,” with Italian bakeries, restaurants and eateries. Modern Pastry Shop is for buying sfogliatella (lobster tails). Mike’s Pastry has customers lining up to buy their jumbo-sized cannoli and Bova’s Bakery is a city institution. Be sure to get Italian breads from Parziale’s Bakery, a longtime hole-in-the-wall.
With restaurants, Carmelina’s offers strong Sicilian flavors amid an open-kitchen format. For a romantic mood, the upscale Mamma Mia is set within a historic townhouse with popular choices such as osso buco. Galleria Umberto is a cash-only favorite for Sicilian-style pizza and arancini.
Irish heritage is also entwined with Boston’s history through pubs ranging from The Druid and Banshee, to Mr. Dooley’s, The Druid and Sly Fox.
In honoring America’s 250th, Boston will host Sail Boston 2026.
Courtesy of Meet Boaton Along with partly hosting the FIFA World Cup, Boston is among the U.S. cities linked historically to America’s 250th. As the birthplace of the American Revolution, Boston will become a centerpiece of this year’s semiquincentennial. Families can walk the Freedom Trail to 16 iconic sites, from the Paul Revere House to Bunker Hill Monument; the trail turns 75 this year. Follow along the Boston Irish Heritage Trail, which pays tribute to Bostonians of Irish ancestry, as well.
The city will also host Sail Boston 2026, a global maritime spectacular filling Boston Harbor with historic and modern vessels. Dates are July 11-16.
The Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum is one of Boston’s must-visit attractions.
Courtesy of Meet Boson Cultural institutions are joining in the festivities, too. The Museum of Fine Arts reopens its 18th-century Art of the Americas galleries on June 19, spotlighting how artists shaped the Revolutionary era.
Year-round, the USS Constitution Museum and Boston Tea Party Ships & Museum, Boston show many sides of the American Revolution. The JFK Library & Museum celebrates our 35th U.S. President and Boston native. Other Boston favorites include the New England Aquarium, Faneuil Hall Marketplace, Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum and Boston Common.
View Boston provides overhead city views from this 360-degree observation deck.
While Boston is a walkable city, visitors can get around via the “T” subway system, bus, ferry, or bike rental.
Courtesy of Meet Boaton Boston has many options for getting around town.
As an alternative to driving, take Amtrak via their Northeast Regional route, stopping at South Station and Back Bay Station. Their Downeaster route also services North Station. Riding the “T” subway system involves using its tap-and-pay method or purchasing a reloadable Charlie Card at fare gates and bus validators.
Four color-coded lines (Red, Orange, Blue and Green) connect downtown Boston to surrounding neighborhoods. The Green Line operates more so as a streetcar with four branching routes (B, C, D and E).
The Silver Line (SL) is a bus rapid transit system operating in dedicated tunnels. It’s free for passengers traveling from Logan Airport into Boston.
Bluebikes, Boston’s regional bike-share system, has docking stations across the city, along with in Cambridge, Somerville and Brookline.
Cruise around Boston Harbor via the MBTA ferry or flag down private water taxis, such as Rowes Wharf Water Transport, to travel between the Seaport District, Charlestown and Logan Airport.Where In Boston To Watch FIFA World Cup
Where In Boston To Stay During FIFA World Cup
Where To Eat In Boston During FIFA World Cup
What to Do In Boston During FIFA World Cup
How To Get Around Boston During FIFA World Cup
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