Automatic 20% World Cup restaurant tips take decision out of Kansas City’s hands | Porter
Recently, while dining at one of my favorite restaurants in the South Plaza area of Kansas City, my party and I were told that an automatic gratuity of 20% would be added to our bill because of the FIFA World Cup 2026 being hosted here. To be honest, I’d forgotten all about the so-called World Cup tax local eateries were implementing to offset what restaurant owners believed was a bad tipping culture associated with international travelers visiting the region.
While I had no problem with the reminder, I did take issue with the practice itself. To me, tipping should be based on great customer service, a friendly and welcoming environment and a quality product being served, not because tipping isn’t the norm in other countries. Locals shouldn’t have to pay the price for the frugality of our international visitors.
Because the amount of the gratuity was already added, I felt like our decision on how much to give the server was taken from us — and I did not like that feeling at all.
To that end, I promised myself that until the World Cup ends next month, I will not dine at this particular restaurant — I will not name the business because the food and the people there have always been great to me. On this day, the service and our meal were exceptional, yet I did not tip more than the automatic amount added to the bill. To be completely honest, I felt like a cheapskate for not tipping more. Normally, I tend to tip fairly based on the level of service — 20% is my norm, but if the service is exceptional as it was during this visit, I’d go as high as 25%. On the flip side, even if the service is bad, I’ll still give a 15% tip.
This week, when I ran across a Facebook post noting that Manny’s Mexican Restaurant on Southwest Boulevard is eliminating its World Cup tax, I rejoiced. My immediate thought: Every business that has implemented automatic gratuity for the international soccer tournament should follow the lead of Manny’s director of operations David Lopez and do the same.
Attempts to reach Lopez for comment on Tuesday were unsuccessful. In a Facebook post, he wrote: “The international community is not a tipping culture. It’s not a bad thing, good thing, it simply is what it is.”
In the post, Lopez explained that the restaurant community in the United States is based on a tipping culture.
“This is how many wonderful folks have cared for their families, themselves and have made a good living in a wonderful industry based off gratuity,” he wrote.
Lopez and other business leaders who have scrapped automatic gratuity should be commended for doing what is right for not only their customers but for their employees as well. High-level service should be rewarded. Expecting regulars to foot the bill for world travelers was simply a premature decision that must be corrected throughout the entire business community here.
“Restaurants in Kansas and Missouri were hopeful and excited for extra business and we simply wanted to protect our servers, bartenders and tipped employees from potentially losing everyday income needed to provide for themselves and the people they love,” Lopez wrote. “We made the choice to ensure the income of our staff to allow a(n) optional gratuity charge for that very reason. All funds gathered (minimal) through the 18% gratuity went directly to our tipped employees.
With that being said adjustments can and should be made based on information on customer traffic, type of traffic and what’s best for staff and community. We have chosen to discontinue the 18% World cup gratuity and go back to business as usual.”
Lopez wrote that the World Cup offered a new experience where preparation, plans and focus can and should be adapted to care for everyone.
“We can’t thank you all enough for your understanding and look forward to seeing you all for business as usual here at Manny’s,” he wrote.
On that note, Manny’s sounds like a great spot to grab some grub and enjoy a margarita after I file this column. If the service and food are good, the tip I give will reflect that.
