Eleven host cities across the US are gearing up for the FIFA World Cup 2026™ this June. Bars and restaurants in these host cities and beyond are already refining their strategy to make the most of this world celebration. They’re bringing the energy, the gear, and world-class hospitality to properly welcome our friends from across many ponds.
With so much to consider, we’ve compiled our top hospitality tips to help operators provide a warm welcome and smooth service while navigating the cultural nuances required for international guests.
Manage the Global Clock
What time should guests arrive for a 7:00 PM reservation? It depends on who you ask. For some cultures, being five minutes late can be interpreted as an intentional personal slight. For others, beginnings and ends of events are more fluid and flexible, based more on vibes than hard numbers. Here’s how to navigate your crowd and make them feel more at home.
Guests from Japan, Germany, and Switzerland typically view a reservation time as a hard deadline. Conversely, guests from many Latin American, Middle Eastern, and African nations may view a 7:00 PM reservation as the start of their journey towards the restaurant. Do not cancel tables for these groups until at least 30–60 minutes have passed.
The Late-Night Shift
Guests from countries like Spain, Argentina, and Saudi Arabia rarely start dinner before 9:00 PM or 10:00 PM. If your city is hosting these teams and their fans, consider staying open later. Consider keeping a limited late-night menu specifically for these regions. Kitchens that close at 10:00 PM will miss a massive revenue window.
Adapt Your Service Speed for Global Fans
As you know, a table turn is usually 60–90 minutes in the US, with 45 minutes being the ideal. But for European and South American guests, dinner can be an evening-long event. If you try to clear plates while one person is still eating, or if you bring the check without being asked, they will feel pressured and unwelcome, which is, of course, the antithesis of our goals. Guests may want to stick around for the next game or celebrate their team’s win.
Perfect the Fan Experience with Officially Licensed FIFA™ Shatterproof Drinkware
Purchasing Officially Licensed FIFA™ Shatterproof Drinkware is a smart investment for bars and restaurants that want to get in on the action. Fun, branded merch aligns establishments with the massive scale of the 2026 tournament.
In cities like New York, Dallas, and Atlanta, fans seek out environments that reflect the prestige of the matches they are attending or watching. Serving drinks in official pilsners or pint glasses featuring the trophy and FIFA World Cup 2026™ branding elevates the fan experience and signals that your venue is a prime destination for the festivities.
For your restaurant or bar, branded beverageware brings about higher customer retention during long match windows and increased per-capita spending, as tournament-specific merchandise drives emotionally based, impulse-driven purchases.
Another reason to jump on this beverageware is that Officially Licensed FIFA™ Shatterproof Drinkware makes fantastic souvenirs that establishments can easily upsell. Additionally, guests share their fan keepsakes on social media, providing free organic marketing that distinguishes your establishment from competitors who use generic beverageware during game time.
Bridge the Language Gap
Make ordering easy by offering translated menus to your foreign guests. Make sure to translate the warnings for common allergens like nuts, gluten, or shellfish. Also, clearly mark if a dish is halal, vegetarian, gluten-free, vegan, and all the other designations that apply to your establishment.
Adding pricing in your guests’ home currency or providing an optional digital conversion service can improve price transparency and provide peace of mind for visitors.
Some guests will require more translation assistance than others. We’ve marked whether translation needs are high, medium, or low based on the English proficiency levels in their general populations.
Low English Proficiency
- Uzbekistan – Uzbek
- Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt – Arabic
- Morocco, Algeria – Arabic/French
- Côte d’Ivoire, Senegal – French
- Cabo Verde – Portuguese
- Haiti – French/Creole
Low/Moderate English Proficiency
- Japan – Japanese
- Korea – Korean
- Tunisia – Arabic/French
- Brazil – Portuguese
- Ecuador, Panama – Spanish
Moderate English Proficiency
- France – French
- Curaçao – Dutch
- Spain, Mexico, Colombia, Paraguay – Spanish
High English Proficiency
- Croatia – Croatian
- Portugal – Portuguese
- Austria, Germany, Switzerland – German
- Argentina, Uruguay – Spanish
Refresh Your Approach to Beverage Service
The US is an outlier in many ways. Typically, Americans love ice in their drinks and servers often bring a glass of ice water immediately. However, in much of the world, ice is viewed with suspicion. Guests may note that ice reduces flavor or feel their drink has been intentionally watered down. They are also aware that ice in beverages can be a source of bacteria if hygiene standards are not met.
So, always ask your international guests if they prefer beverages with or without ice.
For some good faith measures, clarify that tap water is safe and free. Many international guests are used to paying for bottled water and will be pleasantly surprised by the transparency.
End on a High Note
Make the final moments of a guest’s visit as positive as the meal itself by providing clear communication to bridge the gap between international customs and US hospitality standards.
Transparent Tipping Standards
The American tipping system is often a source of stress for international travelers. For instance, in Japan and South Korea, tipping can be seen as an insult or more accurately, a sign that the business is failing to pay its staff.
Many of the countries participating in FIFA™ do not tip in their cultures. Include a polite, printed card or a note on the check that explains the 15–25% gratuity standard in the US and that service staff rely on it as a primary part of their income.
If your restaurant automatically includes a service charge for large parties, clearly communicate this in the guest’s native language to avoid “double tipping,” which can lead to frustration and accusations.
Trust in Transactions
Most visitors from Europe, Australia, and East Asia are accustomed to “tap-to-pay” or mobile wallets. Ensure your POS terminals are mobile friendly and that servers bring the terminal to the table, if possible. Our standard “walking away with the credit card” practice is considered a security risk in many other countries.
To avoid currency issues at the end of the night, consider having a sign that communicates payment is accepted in local currency only.
A Warm Welcome for Every Fan
Success during this world celebration comes down to whether our international guests feel seen or merely processed. Getting these details right will help your restaurant meet the expectations of fans who have traveled thousands of miles to be part of the fun.
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