Martina Diel

* Juliana L Holm <[email protected]>:

    > Ken Blake <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Can anyone advise me regarding restaurant tipping in Germany?
    >> Does one do it at all? If so, approximately how much?

[..]

    > For example, if my dinner is 23.15 Euro, I might give them a 50 Euro bill and
    > ask them to give me 25 back, or ask them to charge me 25.

    > That would be a big tip.

2.65 EUR is about 10% - that's not a big tip, but an appropriate tip if
you're happy with the service.

Greetings from Germany

Martina
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Keith Anderson

On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:42:09 -0700, "Ken Blake"
<[email protected]> wrote:


    >Thanks very much. Is this statement I found there really true?
    >"When entering a restaurant in a German-speaking country, it is
    >customary for the diner to find their own seat rather than
    >waiting to be designated one."

In the former DDR (East Germany) it tended to be a lot more formal, at
least in larger restaurants You'd go into a place and checking in your
coat at the "Garderobe" was pretty much compulsory. You'd then join a
queue and the Head Waiter would ask how many were in your party. When
places were available, tthey'd show you to your seat, but again you'd
often be taken to a table where others were already sat.

But that was a long time ago and the HO-Restaurants are no more.

(HO - Handelsorganisation der DDR).



Keith, Bristol, UK

DE-MUNG for email replies

Juliana L Holm

karl mentner <[email protected]> wrote:
    >>I've been in all kinds of restaurants in Germany, and this is almost
    >>always how they did it, especially in the lower end restaurants. Anywhere
    >>you sit down (some fancy ones, two that I remember) left a check American
    >>style, but the usual is the way I've mentioned it.

    > Sometimes I shouldn't think my english is perfect and look for some
    > words in the dictionary, sorry. It happens like you wrote it.

Machts Nichts. Ich glaube dass meine Deutsch nicht so gut als seine English ist.

;-)


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Julie
**********
I could be wrong. My experience is limited to my experience.

Check out my Travel Pages (non-commercial) at
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Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
karl mentner <[email protected]> typed:

    > On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:39:57 -0700, "Ken Blake"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Thanks, but I prefer to use credit cards rather than cash
    >> whenever possible.
    > Credit Cards are still not that usual as in the USA. If you ask
    > for a
    > good, polite way to do the tipping, I see it important to
    > mention,
    > that cash is also a more polite way. People using only credit
    > cards
    > are more often called "großkupfert" = I have enough money and
    > am a big
    > fish that I need this - not really polite.


I'm not sure why using a credit card should signify that you have
more money than paying with cash (if anything, I'd think the
opposite), but if it's more polite to tip with cash, I'll do as
you suggest.

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Ken Blake
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Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
karl mentner <[email protected]> typed:

    > On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:42:09 -0700, "Ken Blake"
    > <[email protected]> wrote:
    >> Thanks very much. Is this statement I found there really true?
    >> "When entering a restaurant in a German-speaking country, it
    >> is
    >> customary for the diner to find their own seat rather than
    >> waiting to be designated one."
    > The easiest way - step inside and begin slowly to find a place,
    > when
    > it's a restaurant where they show you your place, someone will
    > come
    > immediatly.


Thanks very much. That seems like a sensible thing to do.

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Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Dr. Klaus Eimert <[email protected]> typed:

    > Anyway, in my experience, if you ask friendly, you may do
    > almost
    > anything without people feeling annoyed. Germans are usually
    > not as
    > unfriendly and narrow-minded as pictured in the yellow press
    > :-)


Of course not. If I felt that way, I wouldn't be going there.

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Ken Blake

In news:[email protected],
Frank Hucklenbroich <[email protected]> typed:

    > Am Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:39:57 -0700 schrieb Ken Blake:
    >> In news:[email protected],
    >> Bogey0 <[email protected]> typed:
    >>> I find it much easier using Euros rather than Credit cards, I
    >> Thanks, but I prefer to use credit cards rather than cash
    >> whenever possible.
    > It's not too common in Germany though. Many Restaurants (even
    > good
    > ones) don't accept credit-cards. And if you go to a pub or
    > Gasthaus,
    > they won't accept credit cards either. Only places like hotels
    > or
    > restaurant-chains (like steak houses) do.
    > Same goes for shops by the way, unless you go to the really big
    > department stores, many smaller shops dont accept CC.


Yes, thanks. I use credit cards when I can, but also carry some
cash for when I can't.

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Ken Blake
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Nitram

On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 08:11:06 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >karl mentner wrote:
    >> da gehst du aber zu weit :-)
    >Hä?
    >>>In the South, it's also no problem to join some other people on their
    >>>table (people that you have never met before).
    >>
    >> Coming from the North I have to mention that it's not so unusual in
    >> the North either.
    >I rember the shocked expression in the eyes of some girls in a pub in
    >Hamburg when we approached them: "Good evening, we're from the south,
    >may we join you at your table?" After being very reserved at first, it
    >became a pretty funny evening anyway.
    >I think the western Hanseatic cities are more like the US in this
    >respect: If oen person is sitting at each table in a restaurant, the
    >restaurant is full :-)

Like wise when some North Germans visit the Netherlands. I visited a
Dutch restaurant that was full except for a table for 8 that was
occupied by one German. When we asked if the seats were free he said
no. We still sat on them :-)

Nitram

On Thu, 7 Apr 2005 09:21:13 +0200, Jens Arne Maennig
<[email protected]> wrote:

    >karl mentner wrote:
    >> We (Saupreissen) have the same joke about bavarian bars. :-)
    >What the f*** are "Bavarian bars"? :-)

Something to do with Dutch water marketed as Bavaria Bier?

Frank F. Matthews

Ken Blake wrote:

    > In news:[email protected],
    > karl mentner <[email protected]> typed:
    >
    >
    >>On Wed, 6 Apr 2005 13:39:57 -0700, "Ken Blake"
    >><[email protected]> wrote:
    >>>Thanks, but I prefer to use credit cards rather than cash
    >>>whenever possible.
    >>Credit Cards are still not that usual as in the USA. If you ask
    >>for a
    >>good, polite way to do the tipping, I see it important to
    >>mention,
    >>that cash is also a more polite way. People using only credit
    >>cards
    >>are more often called "großkupfert" = I have enough money and
    >>am a big
    >>fish that I need this - not really polite.
    >
    >
    >
    > I'm not sure why using a credit card should signify that you have
    > more money than paying with cash (if anything, I'd think the
    > opposite), but if it's more polite to tip with cash, I'll do as
    > you suggest.
    >


I'm nor sure if it is more polite but it will assist the tax evasion.

George

Frank Hucklenbroich wrote:
<It's not too common in Germany though. Many Restaurants (even good
ones)
<don't accept credit-cards. And if you go to a pub or Gasthaus, they
won't
<accept credit cards either. Only places like hotels or
restaurant-chains
<(like steak houses) do.

<Same goes for shops by the way, unless you go to the really big
department
<stores, many smaller shops dont accept CC.

Whether a restaurant accepts credit cards should be posted at the
entrance or on the menu. Many smaller businesses will, however, prefer
EC (debit) cards. I think that now the picture you pose of credit card
use is overly bleak, this was probably more true fifteen years ago.
This is according to my German wife, who also suggests that you may be
able to negotiate the bill down by instead paying cash.

George

Martina Diel

* Ken Blake <[email protected]>:

    > I'm not sure why using a credit card should signify that you have
    > more money than paying with cash (if anything, I'd think the
    > opposite),

At least in Germany, credit card companies would require a minimum
regular income before giving someone a credit card.

That has changed quite a bit in the past few decades, but the idea of
someone being quite well-of when using a credit card is still widespread
AFAICS.

greetings,

Martina

--
Alte Kollegen wiederfinden und
neue Geschäftskontakte knüpfen
mit dem Open Business Club
http://www.openbc.com/go/invuid/Martina_Diel

Wierd Travelers

A couple of things, from experience. This mainly comes from smaller
towns and smaller restaurants larger cities, Berlin, Munich may be
somewhat different.

1) Don't expect to use a credit card to pay for a meal unless in a
fancy restaurant, part of a hotel or a place that caters to tourist.
2) As mentioned take an empty table. If full it is common practice to
find an empty seat at a table with someone else, sometimes you will be
treated(after seated) as if you are not there sometimes people will
talk to you. it is curtisy for the person who is leaving or when the
others are serverd to wish them good appetite (Gutten Appetit). If in
a smaller place the host/hostess may help you find a seat if full, but
unless familiar with tourist you will may get an "why are you not doing
what you are suppose to" look.
3) Tipping is generally included check your bill it will show it, round
up and with a larger party throw in a few extra. With the change to
Euro the rate was like 2 Marks = 1 Euro, so the price of tipping kind
of went up, with much grumbling. If you round up most places will be
very happy. In some tourist only type places there is a scam where
the server will not bring around enough change because the tourist will
generally just indicate to round up even higher.
4) Do not leave a tip on the table. It is considered rude, if the
person earned it give to them in person.

Ken Blake

In news:[email protected] oete.de,
Martina Diel <[email protected]> typed:

    > * Ken Blake <[email protected]>:
    >> I'm not sure why using a credit card should signify that you
    >> have
    >> more money than paying with cash (if anything, I'd think the
    >> opposite),
    > At least in Germany, credit card companies would require a
    > minimum
    > regular income before giving someone a credit card.
    > That has changed quite a bit in the past few decades, but the
    > idea of
    > someone being quite well-of when using a credit card is still
    > widespread AFAICS.


OK, thanks for the clarification. In the US, it's often the other
way around. Many people will use a credit card because they
don't have the money to pay now.

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Ken Blake

In news:[email protected] oups.com,
Wierd Travelers <[email protected]> typed:

    > A couple of things, from experience. This mainly comes from
    > smaller
    > towns and smaller restaurants larger cities, Berlin, Munich may
    > be
    > somewhat different.
    > 1) Don't expect to use a credit card to pay for a meal unless
    > in a
    > fancy restaurant, part of a hotel or a place that caters to
    > tourist.
    > 2) As mentioned take an empty table. If full it is common
    > practice
    > to find an empty seat at a table with someone else, sometimes
    > you
    > will be treated(after seated) as if you are not there sometimes
    > people will talk to you. it is curtisy for the person who is
    > leaving
    > or when the others are serverd to wish them good appetite
    > (Gutten
    > Appetit). If in a smaller place the host/hostess may help you
    > find a
    > seat if full, but unless familiar with tourist you will may get
    > an
    > "why are you not doing what you are suppose to" look.
    > 3) Tipping is generally included check your bill it will show
    > it,
    > round up and with a larger party throw in a few extra. With
    > the
    > change to Euro the rate was like 2 Marks = 1 Euro, so the price
    > of
    > tipping kind of went up, with much grumbling. If you round up
    > most
    > places will be very happy. In some tourist only type places
    > there
    > is a scam where the server will not bring around enough change
    > because the tourist will generally just indicate to round up
    > even
    > higher. 4) Do not leave a tip on the table. It is considered
    > rude,
    > if the person earned it give to them in person.


Thanks very much. That's helpful, especially point 4, which I had
no idea about.

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Ken Blake
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