New England restaurants adding gratuity to bills during World Cup

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.