Is US Tipping Culture Spreading Overseas?
Sunday, 2026/05/31157 words2 minutes1441 reads
The debate about tipping in America has grown stronger in recent years. Many Americans now feel the pressure to tip is "out of control." In major cities like New York and Los Angeles, restaurant customers are expected to tip 20% or more.
This culture is now spreading internationally. In Iceland, tipping was historically unknown, but American tourist numbers jumped from 50,810 in 2010 to 660,114 last year. Many restaurants now ask for tips through digital payment systems, which irritates local Icelanders who believe employers should pay decent wages.
In the US, tips are essential because federal law allows restaurants to pay tipped workers just $2.13 per hour, far below the standard minimum wage of $7.25. Kate Santos, a New York waitress earning $11 hourly, says "I make my salary off tips." Digital payment machines that prompt customers for gratuities are making tipping more common globally, with UK establishments using such systems increasing 78% from 2022 to 2024.
