There are a lot of similarities when it comes to customs in USA and Germany, yet it's also interesting how many small differences we notice in these normal situations. We aren't sure exactly when we'll be in a sit down restaurant again, but here are some interesting differences to know and discuss! Let us know some of the things you notice when eating at a sit down restaurant!
Busy restaurants usually place you..even on already occupied tables if there is a free place left... In Vienna where I´m coming from you usually get a glas of free (plain) water when you order a coffee or a glas of wine at good restaurants or Cafés respectively sometimes you have to ask for while ordering but those glases of plain water are not reckoned up in combination with coffee or wine because it is part of our drinking culture of drinking wine or coffee for 2 reasons a glas of wine with a glas of water is more digestable and you are able to drink more wine which is besides that "wine + water" is part of wine culture obviously also in the interest of the restaurant to make you able to order more glases of wine... and "coffee with water" is part of our coffee culture because just drinking coffee dehydrates you. BUT when you just order water then you get charged.
The reason why in the US you have to wait for the waiter to come and find you a place to sit even though there are plenty of free, empty tables for you to choose is that in the US and also Canada, this is called social engineering. The waiter comes and asks you to follow him/her to a table where there are people of your type next to your table, culturally speaking and skin colour wise. Ever since the abolition of the Segregation law in the USA, in social gathering, be it a end of year party or a graduation party, you will be seated next to people of your own skin colour unless you tell the organizer of the party that you want to be seated to your best white friend. When you look for a home to buy it is also the same. The real estate agent will social engineer you to a home where there are people of your own type first if possible.
just seeing this now, thumbs up, of course, i defo prefer still water! in Thailand, there would usually be free drinking water, self service... here in Germany, often i exchange 1 side or ingredient for another, or ask to omit one altogether... at a Vietnamese restaurant in St Pauli (Hamburg), the pho was horrible, inauthetntic, and with no basil, mung bean sprouts or hoisin on the side; i complained, although the owner offered the dish for free, i insisted on paying (but never returned)... i don't waste food, it's a sin, oftentimes here in Hamburg, a nice German meal will be pretty large, w/healthy portion of leftovers which i always take home with me
The biggest difference for me is the cultural difference in spending time at a restaurant. In Europe in general when you go to a restaurant it is an event that can take up to several hours, whereas in the US it's getting seated, served and get the death stare of "why haven't you left yet?"
Yes, I noticed that too at one place in Hamburg, they weren't in a hurry to kick us out or even bring the check. Maybe they thought we would order more?
@@erickoehler4798 It's not that, they just value their customers not feeling rushed out rather than making a few extra tables in revenue a day. Dining out is just as much a social event as it is a functional one.
In the US after you had desert (or declined having one) the server will just automatically bring the final bill. In Switzerland you have to like desperately beg the waiter to bring you the check. Also standard european etiquette is to wait until the last person at a table finished their meal before taking away the plates etc. In the US i many times witnessed server staff picking up empty plates while some of us at the table were still eating. It stresses the slow eaters and is considered rude towards still eating customers.
I sometimes feel like in jail, from my wish "I want to pay" up to having actually done it, it's very common it takes 15-20 minutes, and the waiter has to come about 3 times. First, you tell them you want the check; second they bring it, run away immediatly to serve somebody else, next time they take the money .. or the card. That's oughful.
I was an assistant cook and dish washer in a very small german resturant during high school. it was so small that the head chef was also the only waitor. Since was the only one who was able to get a tip, he shared 50:50 with me. I came before him on the weekends for the breakfast and preperation and so he saw it as fit. ^^
I’m totally in agreement with Phil about the tipping culture in the USA. Most restaurants don’t even have a profit margin in the single digit percentages, and with 20% tipping (and the percentage keeps going up year after year!) the imbalance is still getting worse. Restaurants should just increase their menu prices by 20% and actually pay a decent salary. People can always still give a little bit more if the service was great. Also, on the sparkling water question, I don’t know if this is true or not, but my German host said that this was a habit that started after the end of World War II. As the infrastructure was being rebuilt, water supplies were not safe to drink. So ordering a bottle of sparkling water was your assurance that the water was fresh, sealed, and untampered with, whereas someone pouring a glass of still water didn’t have that same confidence. I haven’t been able to verify that separately but it made sense at the time.
paying a decent salary in a restaurant would require way more that increasing prices by 20%. As someone who works in this industry, I can guarantee that no one, and I mean no one would do this for less that $70-$80/hr for an average 4-5 hour shift. The stress and demanding nature of serving Americans would never work with a $25/hr wage rate; keeping in mind most restaurant shifts usually last 5 hrs and leave you physically and emotionally exhausted. The rates of alcoholism and smoking combined with poor diets due to the crazy hours, and not being able to go for a bathroom break because it's too busy takes its toll on the body. It's not a great system, and could definitely use some gov't protections for workers, but the tipping culture evolved because Americans will not tolerate European levels of service.
Coming from southern Germany i look at the "return" point from another side. When there is a real Problem with the Food i believe in telling them (still very friendly) what´s wrong, because if they don´t know about how can they fix it. I don´t feel bad about telling them when i think there was a real mistake happening (not just little things that maybe are only personal preference related. I mean serious things for example when there is Pork or Chicken-Meat that isn´t cooked enough). And i´m sure there is a very polite way to tell that. In the few cases i needed to return something they where really thankful. And for me a good Service includes good problem solving. They get a bigger tip from me when they act professional in these situations.
In Australia restaurants supply free refillable bottles of chilled still water. I totally agree with you Phil regarding tax and tipping. In Australia taxes are included in the menu price, as for tipping this not the custom in Australia as staff are paid a full wage, tipping is voluntary for exceptional service.
I totally understand what you mean by ‘the waiter is my new friend’ thing. The first time I went to the US, I was like omg he/she is so nice to me and really cares about me. But after paying the bill, they are totally ingnoring you. Everytime that happened it felt like a tiny breakup 💔😂.
To me that sounds very stupid because as a waiter you would asure the customer is visiting again. And ignoring them after check would mean i never visit that restaurant again for sure. So not much intelligent forward thinking there i would asume.
Americans understand that it is a short and functional relationship that you have with the waiter and not meant to go beyond one meal, so don't expect them to really care about you. You guys seem to think it signifies a REAL friendship.
@@virginiav.1172 no not by any means is there a friendship asumption. This has to do with general kindness and not fake enthusiasm for as long as money is involved. In Germany the waiters know their responsibility for creating a good corporate image for their workplace and not every customer is a tourist. And even when they are tourists and maybe never visit again, they talk to other people. And this will effect other peoples choices where to go and where to avoid. So ignoring someone is never acceptable for someone working in service asuming that they like to keep their job. There are miles between a frinedship and simply beeing friendly.
The thing about the taxes is that different areas of the country and provinces (I'm Canadian) have different tax rates. Sometimes that also depends on the items bought. They will have different or no taxes than other items. That is why tax isn't included in the price.
You mean that's the excuse. They obviously _know_ how much tax to charge for each item, because they tell you at the cash register (in a supermarket) or when they bring you the check (in a restaurant). So if they wanted, they _could_ display the prices including all taxes.
That does not make any sense, since a restaurant is not moving. IT's one place in one province and the tax-rates do not change that often. Yes, in case of tax change they had to re-print, but who hadn't got a printer in he back-office ? Everybody. It might be a habit from ancient times. It's bad service to leave the duty to know the tax rates and to compute the prices, to the customer.
Yeah, I'm from south Germany, and taking leftovers home is very common here. You just ask the waiter if they got some boxes or something, and they'll either bring something, or package it for you. And I haven't been to any restaurant, that wouldn't offer that, if you ask. The only exception to this would be All you can Eat stuff. Which is understandable. But yeah, my family would have otherwise never let food go to the bin, that we have payed for in a restaurant. Not really a thing. Here. I was even working in a Restaurant for a year and if I would have to guess, I'd say like 80+% of people would take their leftovers. On the other hand, Bavaria (me) and Austria are pretty similar in culture (we are honestly way closer to Austria, then to the entire rest of Germany). So that may be different in middle or North Germany.
hi :) I’m a polish waitress and in my coutry: * most of the people pay by card or phone * you can tip the waiter for good service but you don’t have to * sometimes there are lines to good restaurants so customers have to wait and they do it * waiters are usually students and the are paid minimum wage and the tips are mostly for them * signs „please wait to be seated” are getting more and more popular
One difference I experienced in German restaurants was that food was brought to the table when the dish was ready and not when all the food for the whole table was ready. In the USA we expect that all the food for the people at the table will come at the same time. In Germany, the food came when the kitchen got it ready and you ate your food while it was hot, even if not everybody at the table had been served. The only exception I saw was you didn't takr a drink from your beer or mixed drink until everybody at the table had theirs (non-alcoholic drinks did not matter). Another thing that was different in German restaurants was the length of time you could spend at a table. In the USA restaurants expect to turn over a table at least once an hour during dinner service but in Germany you can relax and enjoy conversation and not feel like you need to get out quickly. I got to live in Germany for three years and it was a wonderful experience!
Really enjoy your videos. I spent 28 years in military service. Several tours in Norway, and one in Bad Tolz. This December(2022) I am taking my wife to Europe. I have been showing her your videos. We will spend Christmas in Trier, the New Years in Berlin; with time in Munchen, and Koln, and Aachen. Thank for such engaging fun videos.
I'm from Germany and I only drink still water.. I don't like the sparkling one 😄 I try to drink 2 Liter a day.. I couldn't do this with sparkling water 🙄
I am also a German i liked in my childhood the sparkling water. Later i was not able to drink it whole day and switched to still water - now i drink medium sparkled ... e.g. Vio Medium - the green coloured thats perfect
I had my practical training as a waitress in a 4 Stars Hotel in Austria...no joke on my first i had a guest who complained because the suger for tea was to coase...
Hi, Deana and Phil. I just found your channel yesterday. I already saw some of the videos. Very interesting this one, analyzing the differences between US and German restaurants. Regarding the taxes and tips: I'm a bit Socialist here, and I'm completely on Phil's side. The taxes should be included and (more important!) restaurants should pay good wages, good salaries to their employees!
We have the buzzer things in some places in Australia too, and we normally seat ourselves as well unless there is a big party or something and you have to make a reservation.
Some bigger chain restaurants in the us have the kiosk that is on the table that has games and things on it so you can pay and order more things to your table.
When I was in US Florida the still water smelled and tasted like there is a lot of chlorate inside. I didn‘t liked it. I always was drinking orange juice 😂🍊🍊 it was the best orange juice ever.
I am not sure why tax isn’t included in the price in the U.S. My guess is that it is because each state has different types of taxes, we like transparency, and it can be deducted if it’s a business expense or a non profit entity expense.
Regarding water, I also prefer sparkling water but I live in Austria and you usually get still water for free if you order "Leitung". This is tap water, which has better quality than any sparkling water. Even at home we only drink tap water because it's so good quality!
I agree with Phil, I'm an Aussie and I freaking hate tipping, it causes me so much stress in the US. I don't want to give someone a dollar or 2 just because they pick up my bag. Our wait staff in restaurants make reasonable money (our minimum wage is over $19/hour for an adult, my 16 year old niece makes $16/hour in a supermarket), our food may look expensive but you don't tip and tax is included. If you leave money on your bed in a motel for the cleaning staff, you will come back to your room to find it on the bedside table. Tipping culture is the worst.
I agree and it is very expensive in the long run. If a haircut in a salon costs $100 you are expected to tip another 15-20% on top of that as well as tipping cab drivers, waiters, hotel maids, spa attendants, personal shoppers, airport attendants, the list goes on and on...
Keep in mind that most waiters only work 4-5 hrs shifts, and if they come in and it's slow, they will be told to leave and make nothing that day. If you want someone to fawn all over you, cater to your whims and be taken care of, pay up. There is no free lunch!
Good day! I enjoy your videos so much. My husband was born in Eschwege and I in Arizona (US). So, we can relate in the reverse. 😀. It is interesting to see the differences from then and now because we were married in 1985. My mother was German, so I speak German and that makes things easier. Love from Texas!
Canadian and all these things - Canada is somewhere in the middle between Germany and USA. Most ppl pay with cards, restaurants use wireless pin pads for card payments, we have lots of chain restaurants, and ppl don’t usually seat themselves, tap water is always free.
In New Zealand the culture is no tipping and by law tax is included in menu price. To pay you go up to the service desk and pay there...not to your waiter at all.
If you ask the waiters for tap water l am sure that they will serve it to you. If not leave the restaurant Ice cold is another question because only in the US they drink everything ice cold because beer or other beverage's under normal temperature in the US task very bad.
I agree with you on the credit card details because this waiter I knew bragged one day that he had a magnet he would use on credit cards that if he had rude customers he would run the credit card through and after the bill was payed (minus the tip) then he would purposely erase the card. Good video 👍👍
I do feel the same way. I do not tip badd servers. And sometimes they include the tip and to the price of your meal so you're forced to paid anyway. So what I do is I go to the manager until among this pleased with the service to remove the tip
Í don't mind paying with cards ("Würden Sie mir bitte zum Gerät folgen") but I pay the correct amount there and do the tipping in cash to the server directly because I had to learn that German (and other) restaurant owners sometimes keep the tips instead of giving them to their employees. In Germany paying (at leas) minimum wages is mandatory and keeping the tip as a restaurant is illigal, on the other hand taking all tips and dividing them (by some key) by all employees is ok (also for me, because I can't tip the cook)
When my exes brother invited the family (7peps) out to dinner, we had a bill of 180€, he gave a tip of 2€ everyone he invited was embarrassed of how cheap he was, even though Germans aren't big tippers. If you got a table of 180€ though you should at least tip like 10€ I think, especially when food/drinks came fast and the waiter was nice.
The „free things“ thing definitely depends on the restaurant in germany. I know many restaurants that serve free bread or appetizers in the beginning, especially italian, spanish ones. An you get a free grappa in every good greek restaurant after eating.
I am from America and glad I speak German too. I love visiting those small city/small restaurants in Germany where you get the good local cuisine and the staff speaks only German. They are awesome!
you would have to go to real rural ares. In cities you had to search for long. Cause Germans like to eat in Restaurant something different from home. What you are able to cook youself you don't need a restaurant for.
I worked in horeca just on the border between the Netherlands and Germany (Vaals). When we were supposed to get a German-party we always stocked up on 'sprudelwasser'(Spa rood) while Dutch people drink more stilles wasser (Spa blauw).
I used to be a waitress and I made like 2. dollars and hour. Also what i hated was having to put all my tips in with everyone else's tips and then divide them at the end of our shift. that was not fair at all. I do agree that a tip should not be expected or included. The wage should be a living wage. I love the idea that taxes be included in the price that is on whatever is advertised. It would make life so much easier!!!!!!
We've seen also many restaurants where people pay with credit cards and the restaurant takes a big chunk of the tips from waiters. That's why I always have cash to pay for tips even if I pay the meal with a card. I do this also for delivery
Modifying orders: any reasonable German restaurant will allow you to modify the proposed side order according to your taste, and normally free of charge (those who charge you extra for "Umbestellung" fall into my category "unreasonable" :-) - something like rice instead of potatoes.
I'm an American and I agree that sometimes servers check in too often. I think an important distinction is if you're having a conversation or if you're dining alone. Sometimes, especially if you've eaten at a certain restaurant before, it is nice to chat with the server a bit (if you're by yourself). The tax thing doesn't bother me because I've always experienced it.
There is a big difference in water quality between Germany and US. In Germany I used to get bottled water, and even the tap water is better than in the US. The soda is not from syrup and tap water either. And if I go daily for lunch in Germany (to the same restaurant) the tip I gave is even smaller, just around 2 to 3 EUR, mostly rounding and adding one or two for good service.
I´m from germany and I have seen these buzzer-things. Usually in a cantine or `Imbiss`. They ring as soon as your orders done and you can get it. Returning food is definitely not the norm in germany. Still, if something is not edible, e.g. way to much salt or sour milk, I was taught to give it back and order a new one. If it is just not my taste, then I still eat it or leave it, but would never complain. And always stay polite!
Maybe it depends on where in Germany you live. I am from Saarbrücken (a city with a big French influence) and here it is common you get seated. Also when I am in an other part of Germany I always ask a waiter for a table. I never take a seat in restaurants of my own :D
1. When I have gone to restaurants in Germany, where it is a full night (when there are many reservations, and maybe just a few tables that do not have reservations), if there is someone at the entrance, they just say "no". No tables, not 'it will be a 30 minute / 1 hour wait', just no. 2. Still water only for me. 3. One time, we went into a restaurant in Cologne that we frequent. My coworker wanted schnitzel, but wanted the sauce that was usually served with the Schweinehaxe. The waiter refused - 'you can't do this'. (They CAN do this, he HAS gotten the schweinehaxe sauce with his schnitzel before, but that time... it was just a no. This can't be done. You can only have the sauces that are allowed for schnitzel.) 4. You haven't commented on this yet, but in Germany, I have ALWAYS (unless staying until the establishment closes), had to ask for the check. The waiters NEVER ask if you want the check [implying "please leave"].
i think the tipping system is really strange in the us ( also very unfair ) but i actually really like being treated that nicely and been taken care of cuz in german restaurants the waiters are often bored and unfriendly i feel like. i remember my first time in the us in a mexican restaurant: super nice waiter whenever my cup was empty its been refilled immediaetly sometimes i didnt even notice :D also the waiter must have heard how much i loved the drink ( it was homemade watermelon lemaonde which i never had before ) that he even got me a cup of it to go when we left and it really made my day :)
I’m happy I found your guys channel! Are you in the US right now? Only asking because I saw your video about wedding rings and now your ring is on your left hand 🤷🏻♀️ also, any videos about how you guys met or about how you two decided on which country to live? I find it so interesting when one partner has to leave their home behind to make a life in the others home country. Thanks for posting videos during all this lockdown!!!
We are in Germany at the moment! We did have plans to go to the US later this year, but we have since postponed our plans given the current situation. For some reason we both found wearing our rings on the left hand more comfortable. Phil is right-handed and I (Deana) am left-handed, so not sure why both of us like it on our left side more. 😅 Thanks for watching and stay safe during this time!!
i’m gonna make a confession here because she’s probably never gonna see it haha i went on an erasmus trip in italy and there were german and spanish students there as well (i’m greek) so the first day we met all together and i saw the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen (she was from germany) i’ve had a huge crush on her since day one but was shy so didn’t really talk to her (i have never liked anyone that much 😬) i asked for her instagram and have been talking since then and even though we’re not talking romantically she’s a sweetheart and i’m just glad to be keeping in contact with her, she’s literally amazing :D and yeah, i’ve been binge watching your videos bc watching germany-related stuff reminds me of her hahaha i just hope we meet again at the future or at least keep contact bc she’s literally the nicest person and i miss talking to her in person :((
Hi, I m from Belgium. Here you can get still water too in restaurants but it is paying (but most of the time you can get 1 liter bottles. But when travelling to southern countries I always order sparkling (mineral) water because is naturally germ free because of the added carbon gas
In essence, they shop, cook, and clean for me. I appreciate the effort enough to conduct myself in the following manner. If a new server, I'll greet them and explain how I'm the easiest type of customer and if I need help, I'll get their attention. After dining, I'll offer thanks for their great service and slip a twenty dollar bill. Then I'll pay with plastic and fill in a 20% tip. At places I frequent, I'm treated like family, and am honored to enjoy their delicious foods and service. Plus, it is my pleasure to share that fact with the owner/manager. Be real with people, be good to them and they will happily be the same with you. And yes, that does include money. It's my desire to be generous and brighten up a many times hectic and thankless job. To answer your fair question, water is life, and bubbles or not, I'll take it any way offered.
The main reasons restaurants have assigned seating is 1. The restaurant closes off sections of the restaurant when they aren’t busy and 2. The hostess is supposed to evenly divide people between the servers sections so each server gets the same amount of customers
I totally agree that water should be free in a restaurant. I live in Switzerland and there you can order a big jug if "tafelwasser" ( tab water) and you only pay a fee which can be different depending on the restaurant.. but it's supposed to pay for the service of the waiter getting you this water and it is usually quite cheap
stpaley some people are very entitled. I worked as a bartender and waiter for years and will never complain unless my food is actually cold/undercooked. If my order is different than what I expected I usually just eat it and say thank you 😋
Being rude is bad, but what is wrong with pointing out if the food is really bad? For example if it is burned, or if the chicken is not cooked through (which is dangerous for health)? I once hat Spaghetti Bolognese, where most of the Spaghetti was still hard. So I just point it out, in a matter of fact ton. So when something is objectivly bad (not talking about taste here, but real obvious quality issues) then, yes you ARE entitled to complain because you are paying for it.
@@usulsk there is a difference in legitimate criticizing and miserably complaining to get something, there are many people who lives a miserable life and tries to spread that all around
I forgot about Germany with the sparkling water. If I go back now, I have to still have my stomach sleeve. I do remember if the place was crowded or complete, you could have people seated at your table, say if you are a couple at a table that seats 4. Another couple would sit at your table. I kind of Liked it you meet people that way.
Hi guys love from Kanada(Canada). In my early 20s I worked in nightclubs as a bartender and waiter. My wage as 8.00 per hour. I worked 6 days a week on 12 hours a day. I was known as the dancing bartender like Tom cruises in cocktail the movie. I made between 200.00 to 400.00 a night in tips. I made great money as a bartender.
But, correct me if I´m wrong, you can order "Leitugswasser" for free in germany too!? Don´t know what kind of restaurants you prefer, there are quite big differences. Some of them are just for getting full, but when I personally go to a restaurant it´s less the "intake of food", So we differ "Nahrungsaufnahme" from "Essen gehen".
Another big difference is how long you stay (or should I say allowed to?). In the US they "throw you out" it's so uncommen in the US to have a nice evening in a Restaurant. It's more like sit, eat, pay, go! ;) In NYC I discoverd the biggest impudency about tiping. We got the receip and they added a 20% service Chargee. But we were still asked to tip on top of that (that 2 lines at the end of the bill 😉). I mean you go to a Restaurant and not a take away because you want to sit down and get served. That's why you pay more for the food. The Service is not additional it's part of the Business. That's what make a Restaurant a Restaurant. Greetings from Berlin. Whish you all the best!
When looking up the explanation of tipping, this is somethimg extra to show of your apreciation for the food or the service. So expecting a standard payment to overcome the superlow standard hour rate is a big sign on the value you rate your personel.
when its too much yet even good i always ask for a box or tinfoil so i can take it home...sometimes its weird when you go to another place after eating and have it with the rest of the evening.
Hallo, 8.22 naja ich bin der Meinung, das man schon was sagen sollte, wenn das Essen nicht ok ist. Natürlich auf angemessene Art und Weise. Gute Gastronomen sind dankbar für konstruktive Kritik 😉 Bleibt gesund ihr Lieben und weiter so 👍 ihr seid klasse 😍
Australian here: Still vs Sparkling, depends. If I'm just having water, then sparkling. If i'm having something else to drink, then the water is there just for added hydration. I think you missed talking about one other difference with drinks - Ice. It seems to be way less common in Europe than I'm used to here in Australia (and I believe the US is similar to us on this). Complaining about food or something - I only do it if it's completely inedible, or dangerous. For example: served a chicken schnitzel which was completely raw in the middle, or the meat in a sandwich was so completely tough and inedible. But in all of those cases, I don't want a replacement or refund, I just want them to get the message that it was wrong and to fix their processes.
In the beforetimes in my small city of the US, if you wanted to go to brunch on a weekend you would just have to wait because every brunch place has that long of a line.
The reason behind sparkling water in German and most of Europe is due to the WW2 it was the only way you knew that the water was clean. There are many articles and the newer generations are just not aware of all the was destroyed during both wars. That is also why you find still water in bottles as well. Truly enjoy your VLOG you due such a wonderful job. We are moving back to the states this summer and I will truly miss the German people and culture!
In Aussie same as Germany seat yourself read menu and then go to counter and place order but meal will be served but more fancy wait to be seated because people have booked a table. Aussie can be the same don't want waiter constantly there. In Aussie you can go up and pay or like US you put your card in folder and its taken and charged. In Aussie you check the receipt and sometimes you will see a service charge so you have already paid for being serviced if you tip on top of that up to you.
I prefer still water, but I also prefer "still Coke". I'm not very fond of carbonated drinks. I also prefer Pils because of it having less CO2 than other beers -- unless I can pour it myself. Btw, I'm from Bavaria.
1) We live in Schwabenland. If a bill is 47€, my husband will give 48€. 2) I feel that in the U.S. the servers will constantly be scanning the patrons to see if anyone needs them. In Germany, I feel like most of the time, the servers purposely look down and avoid eye contact in order to not get sidetracked. 3) I haven‘t had it happen in awhile, but being seated at a table with complete strangers is something that I had to get used to when I moved to Germany.
It is really interesting to hear about these differences. I live in Germany and I must say, that I'm guilty of some things xD: Modify orders: I'm a vegetarian, so I sometimes went out with friends and they had no salad as an option or such and I had to order something like a steak without steak, just to get the Fries with sauce xD Had to give back my order (luckily only once so far) & chatting with the waitress As a kid I was allergic to chocolate. By now I can manage to drink a hot cocoa occasional, but a few things I still can't really eat. One of them is chocolate ice cream. just a bite can be quite painful afterwards. (It's no issue when there was some left on the scoop or such as it is a really tiny amount, but 1 or 2 spoons are enough to make me feel bad) So I once was at an ice café with my family and ordered a banana split without the chocolate ice cream (As it came originally with 1 scoop of chocolate ice). When the order was brought it was ONLY Chocolate ice. The woman had written it down, but her brother had misread it. She even brought her note to show us, that she wrote it down correctly and it was her brothers fault. That time we were the only customers and it was more like a kind of joking around over it, than really be a bad situation. We all had fun and they ate the one they made and made me a new one without chocolate this time xD (It is a family owned café and when they have very few customers, they sometimes chat with you, or even sit with you to have a chat, if you like it. I always thought that it was a nice touch that they try to make you feel welcome or even included. Especially when you are alone and the only customer in the whole café at that time. leftovers: On some days, especially in summer, when it is hot, I can't eat big meals. I always feel uncomfortable to have to ask to take it home. Guess it is just so uncommon and I don't want them to have extra-work... So most of the time I only order something little. I hate having food wasted. Yet, if it just a little. (for example 4-5 more spoons of rice or such) then I leave it. But when it is like... half my food or such, I ask my friends if they want it, or I ask awkwardly if I can take it home with me. (I can't tell why I feel so uncomfortable to ask for it ...) Btw: I often was asked if I am completely allergic to something, or if they still can use the same appliances. So I know, that they cook some food separately here in Germany as well, if you are allergic.
I am from Australia and things are most like the German ways here. On the water, we are generally served still water from the tap, often with no ice (Dude, it’s Australia, it’s hot, we need ice!) I personally prefer sparkling water and I was so stunned when we travelled to Switzerland and Austria that “water” was generally sparkling and not still. Taxes must be included in the price on the menu, they are not allowed to be added as an additional cost here (although on the docket, it will state how much of the overall cost went to taxes). Tipping is not as much of a thing here. You can tip if you like, but it’s not expected. This is something that was confronting to us when we went to Austria as tipping appeared to be expected (in Vienna). In Australia, the staff are offered at least minimum wage which is quite generous compared to some countries. Like the US, though, for the most part, you have to wait to be seated. Payment is a cross between US and Germany here. You can pay by leaving the money in the black folder or you can take the black folder to the counter, or you can pay with the mobile EFTPOS machine, or you can leave your card in the folder and they take it away. Personally, I prefer to pay with EFTPOS either at the table or at the counter. Like the US, our wait staff generally check on us regularly. In most of the restaurants I go to, leftovers are offered to be taken home. We call it a “doggy bag”... I don’t know if that’s an Aussie thing or not to call it that. Generally, not much is free except maybe tap water - You have to buy your breads, your extras and sides, all of it and there generally aren’t free refills either. In some restaurants they offer petit fours, which aren’t traditional petit fours, but often after dinner mints (minty chocolates) if you order coffee.
Also, a question about Germany - How popular is the surname “Haeberle / Haberle” there? It is my maiden name (Although it was anglicised to “Haberley”). I believe we are from Württemberg-Baden and I found a restaurant / farm there with the name Hof Haeberle. I got really excited and wrote to them in my very poor German, but I never got a response. I suspect that this is maybe because it’s a common surname over there...? (Or I inadvertently insulted them with my beginner German!)
At Vapiano you order your food at different stations and then you get a buzzer for when the food is ready. You pick up the food they don't bring it. I think the experience and how they treat customers is very different in southern european countries. So much friendlier than what I'm used to. They often give you dessert for free (at one restaurant they gave us two crepes with nutella for free, every time we visited). In Greece I always took my leftovers with me (portions are huge and you usually order many different plates) (European) Pin codes make it nearly impossible to just take your card away in a restaurant.
I was in the States Last year and I like non sparkling water but I always orderes sparkling water because I don‘t like the Taste of Chlor in the tab water in america! 🙈
There are a lot of similarities when it comes to customs in USA and Germany, yet it's also interesting how many small differences we notice in these normal situations. We aren't sure exactly when we'll be in a sit down restaurant again, but here are some interesting differences to know and discuss! Let us know some of the things you notice when eating at a sit down restaurant!
Deana and Phil there are a lot of German ancestries here in the USA 🇺🇸
Busy restaurants usually place you..even on already occupied tables if there is a free place left...
In Vienna where I´m coming from you usually get a glas of free (plain) water when you order a coffee or a glas of wine at good restaurants or Cafés respectively sometimes you have to ask for while ordering but those glases of plain water are not reckoned up in combination with coffee or wine because it is part of our drinking culture of drinking wine or coffee for 2 reasons a glas of wine with a glas of water is more digestable and you are able to drink more wine which is besides that "wine + water" is part of wine culture obviously also in the interest of the restaurant to make you able to order more glases of wine... and "coffee with water" is part of our coffee culture because just drinking coffee dehydrates you. BUT when you just order water then you get charged.
regarding #4, do you know the Loriot sketch "Schmeckt's?"
if you don't you should probably watch it: th-cam.com/video/oQE44zaB4R4/w-d-xo.html
The reason why in the US you have to wait for the waiter to come and find you a place to sit even though there are plenty of free, empty tables for you to choose is that in the US and also Canada, this is called social engineering. The waiter comes and asks you to follow him/her to a table where there are people of your type next to your table, culturally speaking and skin colour wise. Ever since the abolition of the Segregation law in the USA, in social gathering, be it a end of year party or a graduation party, you will be seated next to people of your own skin colour unless you tell the organizer of the party that you want to be seated to your best white friend. When you look for a home to buy it is also the same. The real estate agent will social engineer you to a home where there are people of your own type first if possible.
just seeing this now, thumbs up, of course, i defo prefer still water! in Thailand, there would usually be free drinking water, self service... here in Germany, often i exchange 1 side or ingredient for another, or ask to omit one altogether... at a Vietnamese restaurant in St Pauli (Hamburg), the pho was horrible, inauthetntic, and with no basil, mung bean sprouts or hoisin on the side; i complained, although the owner offered the dish for free, i insisted on paying (but never returned)... i don't waste food, it's a sin, oftentimes here in Hamburg, a nice German meal will be pretty large, w/healthy portion of leftovers which i always take home with me
The biggest difference for me is the cultural difference in spending time at a restaurant. In Europe in general when you go to a restaurant it is an event that can take up to several hours, whereas in the US it's getting seated, served and get the death stare of "why haven't you left yet?"
Yes, I noticed that too at one place in Hamburg, they weren't in a hurry to kick us out or even bring the check. Maybe they thought we would order more?
@@erickoehler4798 It's not that, they just value their customers not feeling rushed out rather than making a few extra tables in revenue a day. Dining out is just as much a social event as it is a functional one.
LOL
Even if you to just to coffee place you can spend 3 hours there without problems. It's the whole EU I think :)
In the US after you had desert (or declined having one) the server will just automatically bring the final bill. In Switzerland you have to like desperately beg the waiter to bring you the check. Also standard european etiquette is to wait until the last person at a table finished their meal before taking away the plates etc. In the US i many times witnessed server staff picking up empty plates while some of us at the table were still eating. It stresses the slow eaters and is considered rude towards still eating customers.
I sometimes feel like in jail, from my wish "I want to pay" up to having actually done it, it's very common it takes 15-20 minutes, and the waiter has to come about 3 times. First, you tell them you want the check; second they bring it, run away immediatly to serve somebody else, next time they take the money .. or the card. That's oughful.
I was an assistant cook and dish washer in a very small german resturant during high school. it was so small that the head chef was also the only waitor. Since was the only one who was able to get a tip, he shared 50:50 with me. I came before him on the weekends for the breakfast and preperation and so he saw it as fit. ^^
I’m totally in agreement with Phil about the tipping culture in the USA. Most restaurants don’t even have a profit margin in the single digit percentages, and with 20% tipping (and the percentage keeps going up year after year!) the imbalance is still getting worse. Restaurants should just increase their menu prices by 20% and actually pay a decent salary. People can always still give a little bit more if the service was great.
Also, on the sparkling water question, I don’t know if this is true or not, but my German host said that this was a habit that started after the end of World War II. As the infrastructure was being rebuilt, water supplies were not safe to drink. So ordering a bottle of sparkling water was your assurance that the water was fresh, sealed, and untampered with, whereas someone pouring a glass of still water didn’t have that same confidence. I haven’t been able to verify that separately but it made sense at the time.
paying a decent salary in a restaurant would require way more that increasing prices by 20%. As someone who works in this industry, I can guarantee that no one, and I mean no one would do this for less that $70-$80/hr for an average 4-5 hour shift. The stress and demanding nature of serving Americans would never work with a $25/hr wage rate; keeping in mind most restaurant shifts usually last 5 hrs and leave you physically and emotionally exhausted. The rates of alcoholism and smoking combined with poor diets due to the crazy hours, and not being able to go for a bathroom break because it's too busy takes its toll on the body. It's not a great system, and could definitely use some gov't protections for workers, but the tipping culture evolved because Americans will not tolerate European levels of service.
@@pwp8737 minimum wage in France is €10.58 an hour , that is what waiters/waitresses get payed and the cooks in the kitchen.
Somebody with a Sodastream could infuse some infected water with CO2 and sell it as 'untampered'.
Coming from southern Germany i look at the "return" point from another side. When there is a real Problem with the Food i believe in telling them (still very friendly) what´s wrong, because if they don´t know about how can they fix it. I don´t feel bad about telling them when i think there was a real mistake happening (not just little things that maybe are only personal preference related. I mean serious things for example when there is Pork or Chicken-Meat that isn´t cooked enough). And i´m sure there is a very polite way to tell that. In the few cases i needed to return something they where really thankful. And for me a good Service includes good problem solving. They get a bigger tip from me when they act professional in these situations.
I actually prefer the European Waiter standards - I just want to eat in peace and have a nice conversation and not being interrupted every 5min
False! They don't come over every 5 minutes
@@passingthroughtime3033 Rather every 30 seconds.
I need the sparkling water, it kind of refreshes better even if not refrigerated. US tap water tastes chlorine containing and so do the ice cubes.
In Australia restaurants supply free refillable bottles of chilled still water.
I totally agree with you Phil regarding tax and tipping. In Australia taxes are included in the menu price, as for tipping this not the custom in Australia as staff are paid a full wage, tipping is voluntary for exceptional service.
I totally understand what you mean by ‘the waiter is my new friend’ thing. The first time I went to the US, I was like omg he/she is so nice to me and really cares about me. But after paying the bill, they are totally ingnoring you. Everytime that happened it felt like a tiny breakup 💔😂.
lol that's true. Very short relationship. :D
To me that sounds very stupid because as a waiter you would asure the customer is visiting again. And ignoring them after check would mean i never visit that restaurant again for sure. So not much intelligent forward thinking there i would asume.
Kathrin Schmidt I totally agree! I guess they know that you won’t be back soon being a tourist.
Americans understand that it is a short and functional relationship that you have with the waiter and not meant to go beyond one meal, so don't expect them to really care about you. You guys seem to think it signifies a REAL friendship.
@@virginiav.1172 no not by any means is there a friendship asumption. This has to do with general kindness and not fake enthusiasm for as long as money is involved. In Germany the waiters know their responsibility for creating a good corporate image for their workplace and not every customer is a tourist. And even when they are tourists and maybe never visit again, they talk to other people. And this will effect other peoples choices where to go and where to avoid. So ignoring someone is never acceptable for someone working in service asuming that they like to keep their job. There are miles between a frinedship and simply beeing friendly.
The thing about the taxes is that different areas of the country and provinces (I'm Canadian) have different tax rates. Sometimes that also depends on the items bought. They will have different or no taxes than other items. That is why tax isn't included in the price.
You mean that's the excuse. They obviously _know_ how much tax to charge for each item, because they tell you at the cash register (in a supermarket) or when they bring you the check (in a restaurant). So if they wanted, they _could_ display the prices including all taxes.
That does not make any sense, since a restaurant is not moving. IT's one place in one province and the tax-rates do not change that often. Yes, in case of tax change they had to re-print, but who hadn't got a printer in he back-office ? Everybody. It might be a habit from ancient times. It's bad service to leave the duty to know the tax rates and to compute the prices, to the customer.
Phil took the words right out of my mouth...about everything!!!
Couldn't agree more!!!
I am from Austria and I take my leftovers always home! I think there are more restaurants now, that offer this service ☺️
Yeah, I'm from south Germany, and taking leftovers home is very common here. You just ask the waiter if they got some boxes or something, and they'll either bring something, or package it for you.
And I haven't been to any restaurant, that wouldn't offer that, if you ask. The only exception to this would be All you can Eat stuff. Which is understandable.
But yeah, my family would have otherwise never let food go to the bin, that we have payed for in a restaurant. Not really a thing. Here. I was even working in a Restaurant for a year and if I would have to guess, I'd say like 80+% of people would take their leftovers.
On the other hand, Bavaria (me) and Austria are pretty similar in culture (we are honestly way closer to Austria, then to the entire rest of Germany). So that may be different in middle or North Germany.
I have also seen that the waiter asks if you want to take leftovers with you or you are offered aluminium foil to wrap up your stuff.
We been living in California for 5 years now and still don’t like the tax situation, but you get use to it, and love the free water. Great videos guys
In US you get your "free" tab water from lead old pipes. In Germany you can choose from still or bubbly MINERAL WATER.
hi :) I’m a polish waitress and in my coutry:
* most of the people pay by card or phone
* you can tip the waiter for good service but you don’t have to
* sometimes there are lines to good restaurants so customers have to wait and they do it
* waiters are usually students and the are paid minimum wage and the tips are mostly for them
* signs „please wait to be seated” are getting more and more popular
One difference I experienced in German restaurants was that food was brought to the table when the dish was ready and not when all the food for the whole table was ready. In the USA we expect that all the food for the people at the table will come at the same time. In Germany, the food came when the kitchen got it ready and you ate your food while it was hot, even if not everybody at the table had been served. The only exception I saw was you didn't takr a drink from your beer or mixed drink until everybody at the table had theirs (non-alcoholic drinks did not matter). Another thing that was different in German restaurants was the length of time you could spend at a table. In the USA restaurants expect to turn over a table at least once an hour during dinner service but in Germany you can relax and enjoy conversation and not feel like you need to get out quickly. I got to live in Germany for three years and it was a wonderful experience!
In Buenos Aires, it's "sin gas" (seen gahz - without 'gas' or plain water) or "gas" - the sparkling stuff.
Lots of Latin American countries it's like that. I laugh every time I hear it.
It's similar in French: eau gazeuse, sparkling water. Still water is eau plate, which literally means flat water.
We do have buzzers in a few restaurants in order just to sit down. But a few "fast food chains" have a buzzer when your food is ready
Really enjoy your videos. I spent 28 years in military service. Several tours in Norway, and one in Bad Tolz. This December(2022) I am taking my wife to Europe. I have been showing her your videos. We will spend Christmas in Trier, the New Years in Berlin; with time in Munchen, and Koln, and Aachen. Thank for such engaging fun videos.
I'm from Germany and I only drink still water.. I don't like the sparkling one 😄 I try to drink 2 Liter a day.. I couldn't do this with sparkling water 🙄
I am also a German i liked in my childhood the sparkling water. Later i was not able to drink it whole day and switched to still water - now i drink medium sparkled ... e.g. Vio Medium - the green coloured thats perfect
I had my practical training as a waitress in a 4 Stars Hotel in Austria...no joke on my first i had a guest who complained because the suger for tea was to coase...
What's coese?
@@ungeimpfterrusslandtroll7155 coarse?
Hi, Deana and Phil. I just found your channel yesterday. I already saw some of the videos. Very interesting this one, analyzing the differences between US and German restaurants. Regarding the taxes and tips: I'm a bit Socialist here, and I'm completely on Phil's side. The taxes should be included and (more important!) restaurants should pay good wages, good salaries to their employees!
We have the buzzer things in some places in Australia too, and we normally seat ourselves as well unless there is a big party or something and you have to make a reservation.
Some bigger chain restaurants in the us have the kiosk that is on the table that has games and things on it so you can pay and order more things to your table.
When I was in US Florida the still water smelled and tasted like there is a lot of chlorate inside. I didn‘t liked it. I always was drinking orange juice 😂🍊🍊 it was the best orange juice ever.
I am not sure why tax isn’t included in the price in the U.S. My guess is that it is because each state has different types of taxes, we like transparency, and it can be deducted if it’s a business expense or a non profit entity expense.
Regarding water, I also prefer sparkling water but I live in Austria and you usually get still water for free if you order "Leitung". This is tap water, which has better quality than any sparkling water. Even at home we only drink tap water because it's so good quality!
Ihr habt eine Sache bei Punkt 6 vergessen ... Zusammen oder getrennt? :-)
Antwort: Fickbeziehung
I'd recommend you to order tap water in Germany which is almost everywhere for free!
Im from australia, and most people drink still water here, which is great, because sparkling water tastes like what static sounds like
Also it doesn't quench thirst as well as still water
I agree with Phil, I'm an Aussie and I freaking hate tipping, it causes me so much stress in the US. I don't want to give someone a dollar or 2 just because they pick up my bag. Our wait staff in restaurants make reasonable money (our minimum wage is over $19/hour for an adult, my 16 year old niece makes $16/hour in a supermarket), our food may look expensive but you don't tip and tax is included. If you leave money on your bed in a motel for the cleaning staff, you will come back to your room to find it on the bedside table. Tipping culture is the worst.
I agree and it is very expensive in the long run. If a haircut in a salon costs $100 you are expected to tip another 15-20% on top of that as well as tipping cab drivers, waiters, hotel maids, spa attendants, personal shoppers, airport attendants, the list goes on and on...
Keep in mind that most waiters only work 4-5 hrs shifts, and if they come in and it's slow, they will be told to leave and make nothing that day. If you want someone to fawn all over you, cater to your whims and be taken care of, pay up. There is no free lunch!
That's because you're cheap
Good day! I enjoy your videos so much. My husband was born in Eschwege and I in Arizona (US). So, we can relate in the reverse. 😀. It is interesting to see the differences from then and now because we were married in 1985. My mother was German, so I speak German and that makes things easier. Love from Texas!
14:15 Here in The Netherlands we pay with debit cards. It's called a 'pin pas'.
Canadian and all these things - Canada is somewhere in the middle between Germany and USA. Most ppl pay with cards, restaurants use wireless pin pads for card payments, we have lots of chain restaurants, and ppl don’t usually seat themselves, tap water is always free.
In New Zealand the culture is no tipping and by law tax is included in menu price. To pay you go up to the service desk and pay there...not to your waiter at all.
I always thought that German tap water was considered to be very good. I like it.
5:04 Phil go to the men's room you have all the free water you want and it's no different than the water you get in the US restaurants. ;-)
If you ask the waiters for tap water l am sure that they will serve it to you. If not leave the restaurant Ice cold is another question because only in the US they drink everything ice cold because beer or other beverage's under normal temperature in the US task very bad.
I agree with you on the credit card details because this waiter I knew bragged one day that he had a magnet he would use on credit cards that if he had rude customers he would run the credit card through and after the bill was payed (minus the tip) then he would purposely erase the card. Good video 👍👍
wow, that sounds bad :( He must have been pretty bitter about the job.
@@DeanaandPhil He probably was lol
That pretty brutal but rude people are the worst. I just don't understand why people choose to be assholes. There is no need to be rude.
I do feel the same way. I do not tip badd servers. And sometimes they include the tip and to the price of your meal so you're forced to paid anyway. So what I do is I go to the manager until among this pleased with the service to remove the tip
Oh yeah - I almost forgot Va Piano. That would also be interesting to try out. Good you mentioned it.
Í don't mind paying with cards ("Würden Sie mir bitte zum Gerät folgen") but I pay the correct amount there and do the tipping in cash to the server directly because I had to learn that German (and other) restaurant owners sometimes keep the tips instead of giving them to their employees.
In Germany paying (at leas) minimum wages is mandatory and keeping the tip as a restaurant is illigal, on the other hand taking all tips and dividing them (by some key) by all employees is ok (also for me, because I can't tip the cook)
When my exes brother invited the family (7peps) out to dinner, we had a bill of 180€, he gave a tip of 2€ everyone he invited was embarrassed of how cheap he was, even though Germans aren't big tippers. If you got a table of 180€ though you should at least tip like 10€ I think, especially when food/drinks came fast and the waiter was nice.
Greetings from Greece. Here water is free almost everywhere. Sparkling water it's a thing but as beverage not as a substitute of mineral water
Sparkling water
The line in the glasses to fill with no ice anywhere was odd to me.We visit family in Munchberg Germany.
To be honest I almost never seat myself in Germany, I always ask the staff something like do you have a table for two and then they lead me to a table
The „free things“ thing definitely depends on the restaurant in germany. I know many restaurants that serve free bread or appetizers in the beginning, especially italian, spanish ones. An you get a free grappa in every good greek restaurant after eating.
Never a Grappa, that's italian, but an Ouzo.
In Dresden you have multiple corners with +10 restaurants in one place
I would only wait if I already have an reservation and then even not that long
I am from America and glad I speak German too. I love visiting those small city/small restaurants in Germany where you get the good local cuisine and the staff speaks only German. They are awesome!
you would have to go to real rural ares. In cities you had to search for long. Cause Germans like to eat in Restaurant something different from home. What you are able to cook youself you don't need a restaurant for.
I worked in horeca just on the border between the Netherlands and Germany (Vaals). When we were supposed to get a German-party we always stocked up on 'sprudelwasser'(Spa rood) while Dutch people drink more stilles wasser (Spa blauw).
I used to be a waitress and I made like 2. dollars and hour. Also what i hated was having to put all my tips in with everyone else's tips and then divide them at the end of our shift. that was not fair at all. I do agree that a tip should not be expected or included. The wage should be a living wage. I love the idea that taxes be included in the price that is on whatever is advertised. It would make life so much easier!!!!!!
We've seen also many restaurants where people pay with credit cards and the restaurant takes a big chunk of the tips from waiters. That's why I always have cash to pay for tips even if I pay the meal with a card. I do this also for delivery
Modifying orders: any reasonable German restaurant will allow you to modify the proposed side order according to your taste, and normally free of charge (those who charge you extra for "Umbestellung" fall into my category "unreasonable" :-) - something like rice instead of potatoes.
Gibt auch einige sit down Restaurants, die einer Kette angehören :) Wie Hans im Glück, L'Osteria, Asado oder einige andere steakhouses
I'm an American and I agree that sometimes servers check in too often. I think an important distinction is if you're having a conversation or if you're dining alone. Sometimes, especially if you've eaten at a certain restaurant before, it is nice to chat with the server a bit (if you're by yourself). The tax thing doesn't bother me because I've always experienced it.
There is a big difference in water quality between Germany and US. In Germany I used to get bottled water, and even the tap water is better than in the US. The soda is not from syrup and tap water either.
And if I go daily for lunch in Germany (to the same restaurant) the tip I gave is even smaller, just around 2 to 3 EUR, mostly rounding and adding one or two for good service.
False! Parts of the United States has the best water in the world.
I´m from germany and I have seen these buzzer-things. Usually in a cantine or `Imbiss`. They ring as soon as your orders done and you can get it.
Returning food is definitely not the norm in germany. Still, if something is not edible, e.g. way to much salt or sour milk, I was taught to give it back and order a new one. If it is just not my taste, then I still eat it or leave it, but would never complain. And always stay polite!
Maybe it depends on where in Germany you live. I am from Saarbrücken (a city with a big French influence) and here it is common you get seated. Also when I am in an other part of Germany I always ask a waiter for a table. I never take a seat in restaurants of my own :D
Agree, everyone needs to treat each other with respect!!
1. When I have gone to restaurants in Germany, where it is a full night (when there are many reservations, and maybe just a few tables that do not have reservations), if there is someone at the entrance, they just say "no". No tables, not 'it will be a 30 minute / 1 hour wait', just no.
2. Still water only for me.
3. One time, we went into a restaurant in Cologne that we frequent. My coworker wanted schnitzel, but wanted the sauce that was usually served with the Schweinehaxe. The waiter refused - 'you can't do this'. (They CAN do this, he HAS gotten the schweinehaxe sauce with his schnitzel before, but that time... it was just a no. This can't be done. You can only have the sauces that are allowed for schnitzel.)
4. You haven't commented on this yet, but in Germany, I have ALWAYS (unless staying until the establishment closes), had to ask for the check. The waiters NEVER ask if you want the check [implying "please leave"].
i think the tipping system is really strange in the us ( also very unfair ) but i actually really like being treated that nicely and been taken care of cuz in german restaurants the waiters are often bored and unfriendly i feel like. i remember my first time in the us in a mexican restaurant: super nice waiter whenever my cup was empty its been refilled immediaetly sometimes i didnt even notice :D also the waiter must have heard how much i loved the drink ( it was homemade watermelon lemaonde which i never had before ) that he even got me a cup of it to go when we left and it really made my day :)
Blessi85 Tipping motivates good service.
Here in France you pay for every drink you order ( NO free refills) so I wouldn't want a waiter refilling my glass !
I’m happy I found your guys channel! Are you in the US right now? Only asking because I saw your video about wedding rings and now your ring is on your left hand 🤷🏻♀️ also, any videos about how you guys met or about how you two decided on which country to live? I find it so interesting when one partner has to leave their home behind to make a life in the others home country. Thanks for posting videos during all this lockdown!!!
We are in Germany at the moment! We did have plans to go to the US later this year, but we have since postponed our plans given the current situation. For some reason we both found wearing our rings on the left hand more comfortable. Phil is right-handed and I (Deana) am left-handed, so not sure why both of us like it on our left side more. 😅 Thanks for watching and stay safe during this time!!
Deana and Phil thanks, I hope you guys stay safe as well! ❤️❤️
Try bucca di peppo an Italian restaurant their proportions are huge
i’m gonna make a confession here because she’s probably never gonna see it haha
i went on an erasmus trip in italy and there were german and spanish students there as well (i’m greek)
so the first day we met all together and i saw the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen (she was from germany)
i’ve had a huge crush on her since day one but was shy so didn’t really talk to her (i have never liked anyone that much 😬)
i asked for her instagram and have been talking since then and even though we’re not talking romantically she’s a sweetheart and i’m just glad to be keeping in contact with her, she’s literally amazing :D
and yeah, i’ve been binge watching your videos bc watching germany-related stuff reminds me of her hahaha
i just hope we meet again at the future or at least keep contact bc she’s literally the nicest person and i miss talking to her in person :((
I also notice that a menu is posted outside the restaurant so you can have an idea of what you want and the prices before you enter.
Hi, I m from Belgium. Here you can get still water too in restaurants but it is paying (but most of the time you can get 1 liter bottles. But when travelling to southern countries I always order sparkling (mineral) water because is naturally germ free because of the added carbon gas
From US. Any water is good to me. Still, sparkling, lemon slices floating, etc. all fine.
In essence, they shop, cook, and clean for me. I appreciate the effort enough to conduct myself in the following manner. If a new server, I'll greet them and explain how I'm the easiest type of customer and if I need help, I'll get their attention. After dining, I'll offer thanks for their great service and slip a twenty dollar bill. Then I'll pay with plastic and fill in a 20% tip. At places I frequent, I'm treated like family, and am honored to enjoy their delicious foods and service. Plus, it is my pleasure to share that fact with the owner/manager. Be real with people, be good to them and they will happily be the same with you. And yes, that does include money. It's my desire to be generous and brighten up a many times hectic and thankless job.
To answer your fair question, water is life, and bubbles or not, I'll take it any way offered.
Aqua frizzante is the best!!! It helps your digestion in accordance with Italians.
Maybe in case of heavy pasta. If you had already balsamico on the salad or something with lemon, you have enough acid in your stomach.
I am American and the TIP culture here in the USA is insane!
It doesn't feel like a "well done" tip, it feels like a mandatory tax.
Sparkling water FTW. I'm from Paraguay so big influence from Spain in that regard.
The main reasons restaurants have assigned seating is
1. The restaurant closes off sections of the restaurant when they aren’t busy and 2. The hostess is supposed to evenly divide people between the servers sections so each server gets the same amount of customers
I agree I Always finish what is on my plate
Many states, such as California, have mandatory minimum wage for servers and the tips are on top. People still tip just the same
I totally agree that water should be free in a restaurant. I live in Switzerland and there you can order a big jug if "tafelwasser" ( tab water) and you only pay a fee which can be different depending on the restaurant.. but it's supposed to pay for the service of the waiter getting you this water and it is usually quite cheap
Still water. Never with ice.
I never understood and maybe someone here can explain it to me, why would anyone be rude to someone who handles their food?
stpaley some people are very entitled. I worked as a bartender and waiter for years and will never complain unless my food is actually cold/undercooked. If my order is different than what I expected I usually just eat it and say thank you 😋
Being rude is bad, but what is wrong with pointing out if the food is really bad? For example if it is burned, or if the chicken is not cooked through (which is dangerous for health)? I once hat Spaghetti Bolognese, where most of the Spaghetti was still hard. So I just point it out, in a matter of fact ton. So when something is objectivly bad (not talking about taste here, but real obvious quality issues) then, yes you ARE entitled to complain because you are paying for it.
@@usulsk there is a difference in legitimate criticizing and miserably complaining to get something, there are many people who lives a miserable life and tries to spread that all around
I forgot about Germany with the sparkling water. If I go back now, I have to still have my stomach sleeve. I do remember if the place was crowded or complete, you could have people seated at your table, say if you are a couple at a table that seats 4. Another couple would sit at your table. I kind of Liked it you meet people that way.
Hi guys love from Kanada(Canada). In my early 20s I worked in nightclubs as a bartender and waiter. My wage as 8.00 per hour. I worked 6 days a week on 12 hours a day. I was known as the dancing bartender like Tom cruises in cocktail the movie. I made between 200.00 to 400.00 a night in tips. I made great money as a bartender.
But, correct me if I´m wrong, you can order "Leitugswasser" for free in germany too!? Don´t know what kind of restaurants you prefer, there are quite big differences. Some of them are just for getting full, but when I personally go to a restaurant it´s less the "intake of food", So we differ "Nahrungsaufnahme" from "Essen gehen".
tipping is not required but is expected, unless there is a large party gratuity is automatic.
always fun to hear you :-) das gilt für beide!
I want to Go to America... its my biggest Dream. Even just for vacation it would be Great
Another big difference is how long you stay (or should I say allowed to?). In the US they "throw you out" it's so uncommen in the US to have a nice evening in a Restaurant. It's more like sit, eat, pay, go! ;) In NYC I discoverd the biggest impudency about tiping. We got the receip and they added a 20% service Chargee. But we were still asked to tip on top of that (that 2 lines at the end of the bill 😉). I mean you go to a Restaurant and not a take away because you want to sit down and get served. That's why you pay more for the food. The Service is not additional it's part of the Business. That's what make a Restaurant a Restaurant. Greetings from Berlin. Whish you all the best!
If they bring an overcooked (and expensive) steak, definately sending it back but ask nicely
When looking up the explanation of tipping, this is somethimg extra to show of your apreciation for the food or the service. So expecting a standard payment to overcome the superlow standard hour rate is a big sign on the value you rate your personel.
when its too much yet even good i always ask for a box or tinfoil so i can take it home...sometimes its weird when you go to another place after eating and have it with the rest of the evening.
Hallo,
8.22 naja ich bin der Meinung, das man schon was sagen sollte, wenn das Essen nicht ok ist. Natürlich auf angemessene Art und Weise. Gute Gastronomen sind dankbar für konstruktive Kritik 😉
Bleibt gesund ihr Lieben und weiter so 👍 ihr seid klasse 😍
we have these buzzers in germany for like festivals so you know when your food is ready
But the free water in the US is often of such poor quality, much worse than German tap water.
Australian here: Still vs Sparkling, depends. If I'm just having water, then sparkling. If i'm having something else to drink, then the water is there just for added hydration.
I think you missed talking about one other difference with drinks - Ice. It seems to be way less common in Europe than I'm used to here in Australia (and I believe the US is similar to us on this).
Complaining about food or something - I only do it if it's completely inedible, or dangerous. For example: served a chicken schnitzel which was completely raw in the middle, or the meat in a sandwich was so completely tough and inedible. But in all of those cases, I don't want a replacement or refund, I just want them to get the message that it was wrong and to fix their processes.
Have you been to Losteria in Munich at the evening? Most of the time we had to wait 20+ minutes 😶 queues are big there 15.
In the beforetimes in my small city of the US, if you wanted to go to brunch on a weekend you would just have to wait because every brunch place has that long of a line.
The reason behind sparkling water in German and most of Europe is due to the WW2 it was the only way you knew that the water was clean. There are many articles and the newer generations are just not aware of all the was destroyed during both wars. That is also why you find still water in bottles as well. Truly enjoy your VLOG you due such a wonderful job. We are moving back to the states this summer and I will truly miss the German people and culture!
In Aussie same as Germany seat yourself read menu and then go to counter and place order but meal will be served but more fancy wait to be seated because people have booked a table. Aussie can be the same don't want waiter constantly there. In Aussie you can go up and pay or like US you put your card in folder and its taken and charged. In Aussie you check the receipt and sometimes you will see a service charge so you have already paid for being serviced if you tip on top of that up to you.
I prefer still water, but I also prefer "still Coke". I'm not very fond of carbonated drinks. I also prefer Pils because of it having less CO2 than other beers -- unless I can pour it myself. Btw, I'm from Bavaria.
1) We live in Schwabenland. If a bill is 47€, my husband will give 48€.
2) I feel that in the U.S. the servers will constantly be scanning the patrons to see if anyone needs them. In Germany, I feel like most of the time, the servers purposely look down and avoid eye contact in order to not get sidetracked.
3) I haven‘t had it happen in awhile, but being seated at a table with complete strangers is something that I had to get used to when I moved to Germany.
It is really interesting to hear about these differences.
I live in Germany and I must say, that I'm guilty of some things xD:
Modify orders:
I'm a vegetarian, so I sometimes went out with friends and they had no salad as an option or such and I had to order something like a steak without steak, just to get the Fries with sauce xD
Had to give back my order (luckily only once so far) & chatting with the waitress
As a kid I was allergic to chocolate. By now I can manage to drink a hot cocoa occasional, but a few things I still can't really eat. One of them is chocolate ice cream. just a bite can be quite painful afterwards. (It's no issue when there was some left on the scoop or such as it is a really tiny amount, but 1 or 2 spoons are enough to make me feel bad) So I once was at an ice café with my family and ordered a banana split without the chocolate ice cream (As it came originally with 1 scoop of chocolate ice). When the order was brought it was ONLY Chocolate ice. The woman had written it down, but her brother had misread it. She even brought her note to show us, that she wrote it down correctly and it was her brothers fault. That time we were the only customers and it was more like a kind of joking around over it, than really be a bad situation. We all had fun and they ate the one they made and made me a new one without chocolate this time xD (It is a family owned café and when they have very few customers, they sometimes chat with you, or even sit with you to have a chat, if you like it. I always thought that it was a nice touch that they try to make you feel welcome or even included. Especially when you are alone and the only customer in the whole café at that time.
leftovers:
On some days, especially in summer, when it is hot, I can't eat big meals. I always feel uncomfortable to have to ask to take it home. Guess it is just so uncommon and I don't want them to have extra-work... So most of the time I only order something little. I hate having food wasted. Yet, if it just a little. (for example 4-5 more spoons of rice or such) then I leave it. But when it is like... half my food or such, I ask my friends if they want it, or I ask awkwardly if I can take it home with me. (I can't tell why I feel so uncomfortable to ask for it ...)
Btw: I often was asked if I am completely allergic to something, or if they still can use the same appliances. So I know, that they cook some food separately here in Germany as well, if you are allergic.
I am from Australia and things are most like the German ways here. On the water, we are generally served still water from the tap, often with no ice (Dude, it’s Australia, it’s hot, we need ice!) I personally prefer sparkling water and I was so stunned when we travelled to Switzerland and Austria that “water” was generally sparkling and not still. Taxes must be included in the price on the menu, they are not allowed to be added as an additional cost here (although on the docket, it will state how much of the overall cost went to taxes). Tipping is not as much of a thing here. You can tip if you like, but it’s not expected. This is something that was confronting to us when we went to Austria as tipping appeared to be expected (in Vienna). In Australia, the staff are offered at least minimum wage which is quite generous compared to some countries. Like the US, though, for the most part, you have to wait to be seated. Payment is a cross between US and Germany here. You can pay by leaving the money in the black folder or you can take the black folder to the counter, or you can pay with the mobile EFTPOS machine, or you can leave your card in the folder and they take it away. Personally, I prefer to pay with EFTPOS either at the table or at the counter. Like the US, our wait staff generally check on us regularly. In most of the restaurants I go to, leftovers are offered to be taken home. We call it a “doggy bag”... I don’t know if that’s an Aussie thing or not to call it that. Generally, not much is free except maybe tap water - You have to buy your breads, your extras and sides, all of it and there generally aren’t free refills either. In some restaurants they offer petit fours, which aren’t traditional petit fours, but often after dinner mints (minty chocolates) if you order coffee.
Also, a question about Germany - How popular is the surname “Haeberle / Haberle” there? It is my maiden name (Although it was anglicised to “Haberley”). I believe we are from Württemberg-Baden and I found a restaurant / farm there with the name Hof Haeberle. I got really excited and wrote to them in my very poor German, but I never got a response. I suspect that this is maybe because it’s a common surname over there...? (Or I inadvertently insulted them with my beginner German!)
At Vapiano you order your food at different stations and then you get a buzzer for when the food is ready. You pick up the food they don't bring it. I think the experience and how they treat customers is very different in southern european countries. So much friendlier than what I'm used to. They often give you dessert for free (at one restaurant they gave us two crepes with nutella for free, every time we visited). In Greece I always took my leftovers with me (portions are huge and you usually order many different plates)
(European) Pin codes make it nearly impossible to just take your card away in a restaurant.
Also European EC cards cannot be used to pay online and don't have cvc codes.
I was in the States Last year and I like non sparkling water but I always orderes sparkling water because I don‘t like the Taste of Chlor in the tab water in america! 🙈