Good morning!!☀️🌸😃 Thanks for watching! So my question for you is: Which style of paying do you prefer? And what has been your experience with tipping around the world?
Wanted Adventure Hey Dana, I am from Austria, here it is like in Germany, but if one wants to pay everything, he goes silently without making any attention to the cashiers desk at the restaurant and pays at there, because especially at family parties all women would fight who is allowed to pay it. So everyone wants to be the first one who goes to the cashiers desk. Short before leaving the person who has paid says "passt schon Alles" and then every other mother or aunt want to give the person who paid the dinner money, but normally they refuse it. Nobody else knows about the final price on the bill.
You don't have problems of the "reversing" of the digits from 13 to 19 (=just like in german) so WHY does it seem so strange, when in german the excat same principle of "reversed" digits from 13 to 19 is continued "consistently" all the way to 99 .... :) ? -and by the way, the "reason" for this is, that a typical tendency in german is, that relatively "central" information comes at the end, a principle which english adheres to sometimes, and sometimes not. an example for the central information coming at the end could also be this: "the big yellow schoolBUS"... :)
There is another possibility for paying in Germany. Mostly done when people want to pay with EC-card: They go to the counter and pay there. (The servers don't have the possibility to take EC-cards at the table.)
Gregor Salinger I'm always smiling at the sight of my mother and my grandmother, practically fighting about who's going to pay xD I'm glad that this seems to be normal here in Austria :D
if you want to invite the other people to a restaurant and pay for everyones meal without them knowing how much it was i have a tip for you: in austria it is pretty common to just slip out to the bar of the restaurant at the end of the meal and pay there for the whole table (that also stops the 'nonono i will pay' discussions)
Happens here in Germany, too. But then there's the discussion afterwards when the others find out you've paid and everyone is kind of offended that you didn't let them handle the bill. :D
Yep, you pretend to go to the restroom, pay the bill and then return to the table and say "Let's leave". Then someone says "Shouldn't we pay first?" and you answer "It has already been taken care of". I find this very amusing :D
Was about to say the same. :) That is how you pay in secret. It is especially common, if not the standard, if you have a large bill, e.g. when you invite a group of people for your birthday. You wouldn't pay 2000€ in front of everyone.
I would say this also depends on the level of restaurant. Inhale observed, that in more posh restaurants the servers tend to be more discrete about the price. Another thing I oftentimes do when I would like to invite somebody to the meal, I just excuse myself and go to the bar or the "servers desk" and discretely handle paying with them directly there.
That's the usual and proper way of doing this. Been there, done that and lot of times. Just excuse yourselves, go to your Waiter and and say "I pay for the whole Table".
I was just about to make that same comment. The "german style" she described is common at a Bierhall/Wirtshaus , at Cafés, rustic Pizza places, at places aiming at younger/relaxed casual customers etc. Once you go in Germany to a more nicer/smarter Restaurant with table cloth on the tables etc. you will get that little booklet as well.
The privacy level really depends on the restaurant. When you are in slightly better restaurant in Germany or Austria you also have this privacy. But yes, in the most restaurants its like you described it.
It's often the same in the UK as Germany :), didn't really know that way was seen as strange! I do hate the American tipping system, I have no problem leaving a tip but that is to show appreciation for something beyond normal. In no way should it be because the waiting staff are paid such low wages.
BUT if you want to treat your company to the evening, you can as well discreetly go to the counter and pay there. Also, in better restaurants, you will encounter the little small booklets, too.
Jonas Jonas now, I'm talking US. I was a server and bartender before becoming a nurse. I've heard some places in Germany pay the servers well, as to "include tip," but personally, I could never not tip!
I like tipping in germany better, cause 10% is easy to calculate. +Carolyn Schumacher All places have to pay minimum wage which is 8.50€. I guess that is okay, but also not good
when its 13 bucks make it 14-15 bucks when its 22 bucks make it 25 bucks when its 26-27 bucks make it 30 and so on and on and on. special cases are 82 bucks make it 90 bucks... because the higher the bill the higher you have to round up when you liked the service. But ProTip: Tipping is not required! we just do it out of convenience and we don´t want too much change back.
+Carolyn Schumacher That's a way too large amount. You'd be paying up to 20% with your method. That's way too much for 99% of cases in Germany. 10% is fine, of course you can pay more if you want, or you can pay less and not worry about it, or just don't tip at all. A tip is usually welcome but generally not expected. If you say nothing they will just assume you're paying the exact amount and everything is fine. The only thing i would say is don't tip less than 1€, it's too much of a hassle for them with the change and frankly quite ridiculous. If you're eating alone and your bill is under 15€ just maybe don't even tip at all, it'd be super weird to tip amounts that are too small to bother, better to tip nothing at all. The servers' wages are, or should be, such that they'd still be just fine if no one ever tipped. I mean it'd be a pretty shitty and evil thing to do to pay your servers less than what they need to live just because there will occasionally be tips, making it never quite certain whether they will earn enough to get by. That's the employer not doing his job of paying his employees properly imo. It'd be a pretty despicable practice.
I know a lot of restaurants in Germany where it is the same in the US where you just get a little booklet with the bill. Especially when you're having a business dinner and not a meal with friends or family. But on the other hand I don't know why the bill and tip should be kept a secret because the price of the meals, drinks, deserts is next to the name in the menu anyways and everyone can sum them up in the head. :)
In some more expensive (and perhaps old-fashioned) restaurants (at least in the UK) only the "host" of the meal gets a menu with prices. The "guests" all have menus without prices.
I once was in a restaurant which had neither an official menu nor were the prices anywhere. It wasn't overprices, though, just very informal, you were talking to the cook personally, he told you what he had (which depended on whatever was fresh and in season that day) and then you ordered. One of the best meals I ever had.
That reminds me of an old CD I used to improve my British English skills. There were many songs about topics, which were relevant to British youth (fashion, family, restaurants ect.) and one of them was about a restaurant without a menu and the waiter constantly repeating the dishes to the customer.
In Germany we call this menue without prices "Damen Karte" (Lady's Menue) and you might get it in some restaurants on demand. Yet nowadays it's not very common.
In Italy we do a combination of what's in Germany and in the US. We receive the black booklet, but actually I don't think the average restaurant has the machine for the card, so usually we pay in cash. If you pay separately maybe the others won't know about the price. When it comes to the tip, we usually leave a couple of coins in the booklet and leave. When the restaurant has not the booklet, they bring the receipt.
I am from germany and i prefer our style. It is just the way it is! :D Once i was im the carribean, we were on an island where EVERYTHING is super cheep. We gave like 10$ as tip and they treated us like gods. They could pay their flat a whole month now ;p Sorry for my bad grammar, at least am i trying! Great video :)
Tipping is not done in Australia, Waiting staff get paid award wages which is more than double that of the US and if they are working on the weekend or a night they are in a higher pay bracket. You do pay more for a meal but its all up front and no nasty surprises.
Tipping in Germany is nothing but a "thank you". Staff gets paid reasonable wages (which means a fixed wage per hour plus approx. 10 % of what they sell) - tips are nothing but a friendly gesture for good service. If service was lousy, feel free not to tip at all. By the way: In good german restaurants it's normal to pay the american way, only in casual restaurants ("Gasthaus") it's done the way Dana described.
It depends on the restaurant, the occasion and on you as the one who wants to pay. If you are out for a Schnitzel and a beer with friends and you pay separately, everyone will know how much the others paid. If you have invited your family and friends there is always the option to go to the servers desk after desert and pay without everyone knowing about the cost. If you ask for the bill at the table, everyone will most likely see how much you pay. At some higher level restaurants, it is handled like in the US.
Honestly, for bigger gathering it is more normal to order some sort of menu to keep the cost reasonable, and in this case the restaurant staff will know that the bill is dealt with at the service desk by the host.
btw: in english it also was common to say one-and-twenty not that long ago, check the works of Arthur Conan Doyle for this ;-) aaaannnd: you obviously never had the need to learn the french numbers... As for the tipping: please keep in mind that we have a "Mindestlohngesetz" which is really obeyed. When the Mehrwertsteuer was introduced in Germany (10% at the time) in the early 60s, all restaurant receipts showed "incl. 10% MWst and 15% service" - so your tip does not mean "this is what your service was worth". And I remember signs behind the bar of many cafes in France which said "service included". And of course: the tipping system is quite okay, when you only have students who work as servers. If the server is a normal employee s/he will not pay taxes or social security on the tips. And miss the respective benefits as to sickness pay and retirement/enemployment benefits. The whole system of tipping is just humiliating: that the guest is make up for the patron not paying his employees decently.
Never tipped,never will.employees take up a job knowing how much they will be paid,and if they don't like it,they can leave and looks elsewhere. The only exception ever is if they were to go beyond what was required of them
Tipping is also a little stressful for me(I'm from Germany) because I grew up with my family who never really gave tips. It was just totally normal for me to just pay what I had to. I just started giving tips since I have been out with my friends a couple times and seeing that is normal, but I still don't really know when I should tip and when not. It's just a super awkward situation all the time :D
Chrisi sehr simpel: man gibt Trinkgeld für alle typischen Dienstleistungen! Restaurant, Taxi, Kosmetikstudio oder Friseur etc. In Deutschland sind ca. 10% vom Preis üblich.
And the strangest tipping for me was in restuarants in the Mediterranian region (Corsica,Italy, Croatia etc...) where it is common to just leave the money on the table and go. I was a kid when I experienced it for the first time and I was wondering whether people from other tables or who pass by dont steal the money....
it depends on the quality of the restaurant here in Germany. If you go into a simple one, the waiter/waitress often announces what you have to pay. A more expensive restaurant would discretely hand you the bill and none of your friends or family would know how much you paid.
Here in Japan the server will bring the bill and leave it at the table. In less expensive restaurants there's usually a little cup or holder that they place the rolled up bill in. In other places it might be in a little folder or clipped to a small clipboard. When you're ready to go, you bring the bill to the cashier or front desk and pay. If you're paying for the group, you can usually sneak up and pay while everyone is gathering their things and putting on their coats, etc.
Hey! Well, if you hadn't mastered tipping and paying already, you could also have gone directly to the waiter and say that you wanted to pay for the whole table (apart from your guests).
I am working sometimes as waiter in Japan. I prefer the german system, hehe. But as a guest in restaurants in germany I was always slightly bored to wait at the table until someone recognized that i wanted to pay. Here in Japan, I can just stand up, pay and then go home whenever I like to.
@@lynntfuzz Except this means servers get less money overall and wages for these jobs are just as crappy as everywhere else. I'd rather be inconvenienced a little than have the servers struggle even more financially.
THANK GOD !! I had no idea this was just the norm in Germany. I went to Stuttgart earlier this year and thought it was so weird when the server in a restaurant we'd visited asked how much change I wanted. I was so surprised that I thought I was imagining it xD
But the Nummbers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are also with the smaller nummer first and than the bigger number. Why is it than so hard to understand the German way with the rest of the numbers? ^^
Yes but the "1" in 19 for example represents "10." So it is ten plus 9 essentially. Same with larger numbers also. So really the larger number is first.
The Japanese system is the best I've experienced. What I like about it most is that there is no money handling at the table at all. You order, you get your meal, you ask for the bill, you get the bill and with that paper slip you then proceed to the cashier table omewhere at the door of the restaurnt, where you will pay exactly the amount that's written on the bill. No tips. The concept of paying for good service is not very common there. The entire process is really convenient.
The black booklet is usually done only in restaurants with seatings and tables. In UAE or in Philippines, it's similar to the American style. But if you and your friends or family want to split the bill, you can just divide it into what you bought. As for the tip, it's not required, so it's up to you if you want to give the server a tip or not. Usually a small tip is already good enough, but nothing that is required.
in Korea, you bring the bill to the cashier, usually near the door. The server leaves the bill at your table after you order. The bill is updated as you order more (e.g. additional food or drinks) Korean restaurants have alarm buttons on the tables. You push the button if you want the server to come to your table. There is NO TIPPING in Korea. and service is quite fast (ppali-ppali culture -> fast-fast culture) usually diners feign fighting on who's going to foot the bill
Ireland is somewhat half-way inbetween the two of these. You get the receipt in a little black booklet, and it's up to you whether you pay or split the bill. It helps that tipping isn't much of a thing here and instead just have a service charge.
In Sweden some restaurants and bars will let you type in to the credit card machine how much you want to pay (The machine won't accept a lower amount than your order, but will accept a higher amount). So if you want to tip, you just type in a higher amount of money than the order costs before pressing "ok". Also, in Sweden servers will usually just bring a portable credit card machine to the table, they won't bother with the whole taking your credit card away in a little book etc thing.
in Germany you don't have to add taxes because they are always already included, but I agree that you mostly wouldn't be able to keep track and add up everything for everyone.
Do restaurants in the USA have menus without prices? How would the guests otherwise not know what the meal costs? (As a guest I would find that super-uncomfortable, not knowing the cost implication of my choices.)
It also depends on the restaurant type. In sophisticated restaurants you often get your bill in a nice Box or envelope. Also many restaurants have 'Damenkarten' which are a menu without any prices so the invited person has not to hesitate about the price.
In France, they won't split checks normally, which can get kind of messy when you have a table of, say, 15 people 😅 Most of the time it's do-able, but it's extra trouble...especially when you're with colleagues or people you don't know quite as well!
In Canada, when handed over the bill, we gave them the required money + rounded up roughly. The waitress said we'd HAVE to give 10% tip (and apparently we only gave 8.x%). I considered this quite rude, given that the service was nothing better than average. They would stand there and wait until we gathered another 10$ around the table. Maybe in Germany you have to look the waiter in the eye and they might be unhappy with the amount you give, but it's a very personal and transparent way of tipping. I like it the way we have it here :) but I can see how it makes foreigners nervous.
I found a pretty good compromise between the German style and the American style of paying in Spain. The check comes in a little saucer with the check on a clip on the side. You can leave cash or a card in there and the waiter will pick it up. Then he or she will bring it back with the CC receipt or the change. Now the check will be torn at one side, which means you have paid. Now you can either leave cash in the saucer or write it on the CC bill and leave.
In Germany the service price is already includedin the prices on the card in all restaurants where a server comes to your table. The tip is really just what you want to give them as a bonus if you felt the service was nice. It is different in self-service restaurants where you go to the bar to order.
@2:44 That is the case at some restaurants in Germany too. That usual happens in fancy and posh restaurants. I guess the imperium has taken over there. ;)
only my experience, but 90% of all medium or high class restaurants have booklets, or folded bills and the waitress normally dont talk about the price, except you ask them to do so.(in case you cant read the bill - forgot your glasses and such stuff)
As a Soldier I had a habit of always having pen and paper with me...I would say wie viel and give them the pen and paper to write it...but, I would get confused with 1s and 7s...
I live in Flanders / Belgium and we don't have to tip. The amount mentioned on the ticket/bill is the exact amount you have to pay. Of course no one will be cross if you do tip, but certainly no one will be surprised if you don't because it is meant to simplify things for the waiters. Our waiters will also ask whether the group pays in one, or in as many people that have consumed smth. He might bring the bill in a sort of booklet if the restaurant is a bit fancy, but mostly they simply hand it to you (without saying it out loud - unless he sees you can't read it, because you forgot your glasses, or are a bit older) and if you want to pay by credit/debit card you sometimes have to go to the cashregister at the entry, or to some counter where payments are made. They seldom have mobile pincode-machines (because they have to rent them and every machine costs them, as does every payment), and we mostly pay with a debit card (bankcontact) not a visa or other credit card, so you cannot simply give your card and get a written proof you've paid. Nowadays payments are more often done by smartphone, through payconic or NFC on your debitcard or even on your Smart Phone.
I was recently in Prague. The bill came the same way as in the USA, but there's a suggested tip, which isn't normal here. Also the usual tip is smaller in Czechia than in the USA.
My experience of restaurants is 5-10 % but remember that people who work there actually gets a decent pay so they do not have to relay on tip for making a living, in contrary to what I have read about USA.
@Mary Anne Brown, doing some quick math, it gives around 1300 Euros per month. That is guaranteed by state (or you sue the manager). It is still better then USA consider all that is around you in Germany; healthcare, public transport etc.
I remember my dad taking friends out to their restaurant, then taking the waiter aside and paying the bill in full. Going back to the table he mentioned nothing - a couple of after dinners and the waiter was very friendly (I know my father tips a lot if the service is exemplary). Once it was time to leave he stood up and said "Let's go like we always do", grabbed his jacket and went towards the exit door. Bit upset (about not paying) but not to be unfriendly his friends came after him and the waiter and the crew just wished them a nice evening. "We just left without paying" they said - and my father did not say a word until they got home. It was a big laugh and a good memory for all to share for years to come.
I like the Japanese way, which leaves you an option to choose. You get your bill in a booklet at your table, but you pay when you leave. You can either pay everything, or you talk to your group and split the bill (then everybody pays their individual portion at the checkout). - There are no tips in Japan; it is considered insulting to get extra money for service you have paid for. Super easy.
So the waiter picks up the booklet again before you leave? Otherwise you could just leave without paying and they wouldn't notice before you're gone. I'd never do that, but could imagine that some people might take advantage of that.
No, the booklet stays with you and you are supposed to present it to the cashier at the exit. The waiters do not handle monetary transactions. ~ I guess, the Japanese simply trust their customers. However, I think it would be hard to leave without paying. If a group of people were to leave the establishment, I as a cashier would stop them and ask for the booklet.
MollyMalone1983 Not very comon for japanese people to steal, insult etc. They simply don’t do it! And if there is a foreigner, everybody in the restaurant will be aware of it because it’s like a sensation! You couldn’t leave unnoticed! So nope, i don’t think that would be a problem... not paying without leaving doesn’t sound like a thing that japanese people would do.
This was a really great insight! I'm a server, and I worked in a tourist destination for a brief time. It used to frustrate me when German people would announce their tip (which was nearly always lower than average) instead of just inputting it themselves. Now I understand why they did that.
If you don't want anybody to know about the sum, there is another option in Germany: You will leave the group for a moment, saying you will go for the lavatory (?), and pay on the way back. No one will get the sum. For the tip, it is good, to have a level, you always use, e.g. about 10% :-).
I was surprised to see you in the TV today. I didn't know you had your own show^^ Sometimes you get your bill in a booklet but most of the times these restaurants are really expensive. If you want to keep the price as a secret you can also get up from the table to go to the bar and pay everything there.
Als as an Austrian I fully agree with you on the tipping. I mean when you had lunch the tipping is no problem but when you're in a bar and have to pay always immediately I don't want to give always much because when I drink 6 beers I have to tipp six times. So sometimes it's akward to give only 10 cents (e.g. 3,90 to 4,00) or so. The same is with self service at bars. I don't see when I go to the counter my self and get my beer to tipp anything at all. I mean I do it but that is again because of the pressure the situation brings with it.
I'm American and I've lived in Germany for 7 years. My German has always been excellent, so I never had any difficulty talking to the waiter or waitress. However, to this day, I am still not sure how much to really give them. Hearing "eigene Sache" over and over again does not leave me self assured. I've had times where I just handed them the money and got back my change and then server asked if everything had been to my satisfaction, that's awkard. There are other times where I have given them a nice tip and they act surprised. It's hard to tell.
I think it really depends on the restaurants. I've been to restaurants in Bavaria where they bring out the bill in a little booklet, in others on a little tray, and in others as Dana describes it. If paying by card (debit or credit) in many places one has to go pay where they have the register as mobile POS are still not as common in Germany, so others at the table could be kept in the dark this way. Even when paying by card, it's typical to leave an eventual tip in cash, either giving it to the waiter or leaving it on the table/in the booklet/on the little tray. Very fancy restaurants have menus for the people you wish to treat without the prices on it (so they are more free to choose what they like instead of considering the dishes' prices,at least that's the theory I think). I know of people who already calculate what the bill will be when ordering (as all printed prices already include tax). I've also been to places where you had to pay upfront/upon receving the food/drinks when seated at outside tables.
Dana, are you familiar with the German-American actor of the 1960's Werner Kemplerer? He taught us kids the rudiments of the German dialect on a popular TV show back then called "Hogan's Heroes."
when i tip, i'll usually just round up to a five or 0, as not to make the waitress count back change to me. they don't need it really, they have a minimum wage that is plenty enough to live off of as it is, and with them working two shifts, often six days a week AND geting a bonus for working on sun- and holydays, chances are most waitresses probably earn more than i do as it is. so the time and stress they save by not having to count back change is probably more valuable than the tip you're leaving.
Ich liebe deiner Videos denn ich bin vor kurzem nach Kalifornien gezogen und finde es immer lustig unsere Probleme im jeweils anderen Land zu vergleichen 😂 Liebe grüße💕
In my country, on restaurants, we do not tip more than 2 euros. The payment style is as in Germany not like in the USA. But here in Munich, I have been to some places like Cafe Luitpold same as in my country just prices much higher than in my home country
Interesting! I have never thought that you can feel awkward when announcing the tip - but after your video, it makes sense! After all it depends of the level of restaurants.. in fancy restaurants in Germany you pay the american way (which I think is more stylish) but in a regular bavarian Wirtshaus or in a pizzeria you pay the german way. I lived in France for 20 years and there it is the rule that you divide the bill by the numbers of persons (no matter what they had and how much they drank).. people often pull out the calculator to divide 322 Euros by 7 and tell everybody what he should pay. Concerning the tip you discuss with your friends at table how much should be appropriate and then leave it on the table.
If you eat at "Wiener Wald", "Schweinske", the italian restaurant around the corner, or have a snack in a bar you will probably have to deal with the exact same process you described. It is not the case in real restaurants or hotels in Germany. There you'll get the check just like described in a little black leather envelope. You either put your CC in that envelope and return it or you just put cash in it. You don't even need to stay until the waiter picks it up, if you pay cash. And when it comes to tipping, I think it is totally fine to just pay the check and then leave whatever you want to tip on the table for the waiter when he/she returns to set up everything for the next customer.
Whenever I'm in italy I get super confused with bills because they don't really let you split the bill and you also kinda have to leave the exact amount you have to pay + the tip on the table while the server isn't even present. I was on holiday with three of my friends and we oftentimes had a lot of problems with how to pay the exact amount.
Hey Dana, keep up the good work! I've been following your videos for about a year now, I really love the content and I really enjoy every episode :). About your question, I have a part-time job in a restaurant and I can say, that what you describe in the video is pretty common here. But in some cases, if the paying customer doesn't want the others to know about the amount of their bill, they often just seek for me and pay directly, without the others knowing. I also do that sometimes. For example if I invite my mom together with her friends on her birthday :). I really don't mind if others know about the amount, sometimes we even just split the bill and everyone leaves a certain amount of tip. But if it comes to special days (like birthday celebrations), I prefer to keep it secret infront of the invited ones :). At the restaurant where I'm working at, we actually hand out the bill in cigar boxes, so it's kinda secret, I guess. The people can then decide, if they keep the amount for themselves or not. So long~ Mark
I wonder about prices in US. On TV when a pizza is delivered they pay 20-25 Dollars. When I order pizza in Linz (Austria) the pizza is 7-10 Euros. To have it delivered for free I have to order 2 or three. But 20 for 1 pizza? Is that true?
Soweit ich gehört habe, kosten Lebensmittel / Essen in Restaurants in den USA mehr, als bei uns. Ich könnte dir jetzt aber keine genauen Preise nennen.
Groceries and eating out is so much cheaper in the US than in Germany. As for a pizza delivery, it depends on what you order and how you order. Some pizza chains give discounts if you place your order online versus calling it in. Then it depends on what kind of pizza you order, is it a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza or is it a specialty pizza with lots of toppings. You pay more if it’s a cheese stuffed crust versus a hand tossed or thin crust. So a pizza can cost anywhere between $7 and $12, delivery will cost around $2-3 and then you add tax and a tip and you’re easily looking at around $20.
Sandra M I have been to several different places in Germany and the US the last 2 years. The US is more expensive. And not just a little. Even Walmart is more expensive. If you add the tax and tip in Restaurants (so compare the bills), US restaurants are also much more expensive.
In Belgium we don't really give a tip all that often.The servers have a decent wage so don't expect to be tipped. I'll only leave a tip if the meal was particularly excellent and even then it won't be more than a couple euros.
I -- as a german -- am always confused with the whole "little black book" thing. Since they typically only use that in posh restaurants I don't often come across it but when I do I never know if I'm supposed to pay the exact amount and what happens if I don't (like will they just assume that the rest is the tip or will I get something back? ) or where and when to leave a tip. I prefer the direct method. But I think there are two things that I see differently than you do: I - for one - assume that my guests at least have a good guess of what has to be paid anyway because they have seen the menu and two I have absolutely no problem with not tipping when the service was awful. I sometimes even ask who gets the tip (bc sometimes the waiter/waitress gets all of it and sometimes it goes to a shared pot in which even the kitchen staff can be included) and tip accordingly. I feel confident in doing so because the waiters don't have rely on that money. It's a bonus and when your work is not good you don't get one.
I am working for an international company and therefore I am traveling every now and then. When I was in Mexico, the manager I was working with was very hospitable and invited me and my colleagues almost every evening. So at the end of the trip (we stayed there for almost two weeks) we decided to return the favor. We invited him and his colleagues to a nice restaurant and at the end of the day we had kind of a huge bill. I think it was something like 350 Euro which would be something around 7400 Mexican pesos. We tipped ca. 20 Euro (which in Germany would be totally fine from my experience) but the waiter came to us and complained that this is not enough and he would expect at least 10%. Luckily our Mexican colleague helped us to clarify the situation but in the end it was still awkward.
hard to concele a price for a meal when there are menues around who tell you what the items cost. and since you have to pay exactly the price that is printed in there its pretty easy to keep a tally in your head. i always wonder if the US is changing taxes on a weekly base so it would economic to add them to the prices before writing them down. its always a bit surprising to pay in the states. but if you want to be somewhat classy about paying for your friends and don't want them to know you can always go to the toilet after dinner and pay at the desk sometime along the way.
Frankly, I don't quite understand why typping and paying has to be such a big deal in the US. I prefer just handing over the money, and well, if my friends know how much I paid, so be it. There's no need to fumble around with black books to hide your receipts or your credit card, because you have to pay either way, regardless of how much fuss you made about it or not...
Meike Fegter What I learned from Donna's videos it's that money overall is a big issue there. I mean here it's perfectly normal to ask how rent do you pay or what did your new car cost or so but in the US that is a big no go. I think that's a interesting phenomena: on the one hand it's the overall goal there to get rich (American dream) and they admire billionaires and successful people but on they other hand they make a bug secret out of money.
I don´t like my friends or family to know how much I paid for the meal. It is my treat, don´t worry if it was expensive, just that it was a nice restaurant. The same about the tip, maybe I´m a cheap bastard or maybe I pay way more than they would. Either way, I would prefer them not to know. Stop defending every single little thing done in Germany, in Spain we do it the same way as in the US, except the tip since we don´t give any normally.
It's interesting you bring up this argument, because I don't think it's very pertinent. Germans, in fact, usually do not like talking about money, regardless if it's wages or rent. I don't see why this would a valid point for Americans, but not for Germans, who also dislike openly talking about money?
Meike Fegter yes wage or overall savings is also a bug taboo. But it's no problem to ask one how much she pays rent or so. At least I never had a problem to ask it and never got an negative feedback. But as Donna explained, I believe it was in her smalltalk video even that is a no go in the US.
I'm Dutch. And paying the bill. Is pretty the same. I prefer it this way when it's all in the open. And the tip is optinal. Since the waiter earns a decent wage. Also we usually say make is 28 or keep the chance.
This really depends on the quality of the restaurant. The better the restaurant, the more "secret" they handle the payment. But sure, if you go to a low/middle class restaurant where you pay 10 bucks for your meal, then you are treated differently.
Dana, why do you call them a server? This always makes me think of a computer sitting in a datacenter somewhere... Why don't you call them a waiter? That's what I've learned how they are called in English (in fact, very early when I had English in school)...so what about those servers who are not serving data, but waiting tables?
Wenn ich jetzt wirklich ganz fies sarkastisch wäre, würde ich sagen: Because American servers are better at servicing, whereas German waiters are better at waiting ;-)
It's also a common way to pay secretly in Germany. You have to tell the server, that you want to pay all together secretly or you stand up, go to the server and say you want to pay. The second one is my favorite, when I want to invite my friends :).
I have no specific preference. Whenever I am in Germany at a restaurant I am comfortable with the German version. I make exceptions though, when I want to treat somebody. In such instances I'll pay without letting anybody know. For example I'll go to the restroom and "pass by" the waiter before returning to my table. It depends on the occasion. Both ways are quite good.
In Italy nobody gives you the bill unless you ask for it. Let's say you're done eating and you're ready to go, but you're still enjoying chatting with the people who are eating with you. In this case you can ask the waiter to bring you the bill to the table. Another way is, you just go to the cashier and say at which table you were (there are numbers on every table), they look at the orders and give you the bill. Then of course, you can pay separately or together. In case you have to pay separately, it's better to say it. :D
Thevbiggest difference that i experienced was how to get the bill. In Germany you havve to catch the server when hes nearby and in America you get the bill even if you want to sit gor another few minutes.
Years ago in vienna in cafés there was a “damenkarte“,“a menu for ladies“,a menu with no prizes on it, so the lady you treated did not know the prizes of anything.
In Germany you can get those as well (usually on demand). Better restaurants have at least one "Damenkarte" in store, bur even small restaurants (and "Ausflugslokale") with changing menues will provide you with "Damenkarten" for your guests if you are taking out a larger group of family and friends. But you have to book this kind of service when booking the table (I guess they have to print the requested amount of copies in advance ;-) ).
I'm German and I'm always nervous when it comes to paying at a restaurant. I'm not good at mental math in general and in this situation I feel pressured and it gets even worse. I'm always afraid to tip too much or too less and everyone at the table noticing it. One time I had dinner with my workmates and totally messed up. The waitress even asked me if I was sure that I wanted to tip so much. It was soooo akward xD
A hint: Just move the comma by one to the left, then you have 10 percent. E.g.: 8,56€ -> 0,85€ tip, 32,40€ -> 3,24€ tip. Then you can round up or down as much as you like depending on the service. (For 5% you take half and for 20% you double the amount, depending on the country you are in.)
Simple solution: vor 10% ( a ok amount if everything was fine here in germany) just move the comma 1 digit to the left then round up or down a bit. Example 34,50 -> 3,45 round to 3 or 4
Die beste Lösung ist dann wirklich, sich am Ende des Essens mal kurz zu entschuldigen, nachdem man gefragt hat, ob irgendwer noch etwas trinken möchte, und auf dem Pseudo-Weg zur Toilette an der Kasse vorbei zu gehen, die eventuell letzten Bestellungen abzuliefern und dann die Rechnung zu verlangen. Meistens stehen die Bedienungen dann nicht so "fordernd" daneben, sondern rödeln an der Bar herum, und man kann sich die Zeit nehmen, in Ruhe zu rechnen und zu entscheiden. Man kann sogar etwas zu Schreiben erfragen, und sich da wirklich die Zeit nehmen. Wenn man zurück zum Tisch kommt, ist man allerdings in der Situation, das Verlassen des Lokals zu iniziieren ("wollen wir gehen?") - das ist der Hinweis für die anderen, dass die Rechnung beglichen ist (oder der Anlass, danach zu fragen: "sollten wir nicht noch zahlen?" - "das ist schon erledigt"). Man darf sich das schon so leicht und angenehm wie möglich machen - immerhin ist man Gast ;-)
Hello Dana, it's quite easy. If you want to avoid those situations, you go descretely to the cash desk or to the server and you pay. That is also normal in Germany. Nobody will know how much you payed.
When I was in Hungary the tip was already included in the bill, but I didn’t notice and so we tipped them again. They probably thought ‘Ha, stupid foreigners’. Also it was so weird with their big amount of numbers. Is 6,200 Forint a good price for a meal or not?
If you treat your friends in a more posh restaurant, you are very likely to find the same procedure as you described knowing it from US. Typically if you do not want to disclose the amounts to your friends, you would ask the waiter for the bill away from the table. (e.g. on your way to a restroom or on your pretended way to the restroom)
Hi Dana! To be honest, I find the American way of paying meals in a restaurant strange. What is the advantage of making a secret of the payment and tip? Prices are usually provided on the menu card, so everybody can calculate what you will probably have to pay. And when I payed and left the restaurant and the server (why "server" and not waiter?) then checks the tip, how do I know if it was appropiate and I will gladly be served the next time? Plus, in Germany, the tip is a kind of reward, so if you were not satisfied, you do not have to give it. In the USA as well as in the UK; it is a part of the regular income so not giving it is quite an insult. With the numbers in German, I believe it is really not easy for an American, but I think most people will understand when you say "Hier sind zwanzigeins Euro" instead of "einundzwanzig". I have to admit I find the English numbers more logical. It's vice versa with the date: Why do Americans write first the month and then day and year? That something I always have to reorder again and again :). Greetings to Mr. German Man :).
The secrecy is less about prices being "secret" and more about being casual and making the exchange of money less emphasized. The term server describes a person that serves you food, but doesn't wait around for you to need something because they have other people to serve too. Waiter and waitress stopped being used because server is a gender-neutral term. In America, it's usually expected to leave at least an additional 15% to the bill, and often 20% if it's good service. Also, if someone wants to pay with cash and make the total an even number, usually they would round up. Despite this expectation, there is usually no indication whether a tip was appropriate or not. The server will just try to suffer in silence if the tip was less than 15%, and try to contain their outrage if it was lower than 10%. Since Germans are used to applying 10% and rounding down, they often offend servers without even knowing it, which is tragic for everyone - especially for the wallets of servers. The restaurant industry in North American is silly, but it's not likely to change anytime soon.
3x3is9: Thank you very much for the detailed explaination! To me, a "server" is a kind of computer providing communication or other kind of services, so I was a bit surprised when I heard it is now used to avoid saying "waiter" or "waitress". Good to know.
It can definitely be confusing. I get to use both meanings every day since I have two jobs: one where I am a server who serves food to people, and another where I run a server that serves computer data to people.
always interesting to see what's not normal, weird or awkward for foreigners. :-) makes you reflect on many things. and this video gave me an IDEA FOR A TOPIC for one of your next videos, maybe you find that interesting, too: i noticed that in american english there are a loooot of phrases and figurative speech which revolve around money or/and deal-making. maybe you can talk about some of those and about why you think they have developed and why there are so many. for a german-speaker it is really striking how many of those phrases occur and often the context is also a little weird. so, in a word: interesting. :-)
Very easy solution to your problem: you just ask the server to set up the bill and say that you want to pay it at their counter. At larger parties it is common to deal that decent. To pay a huge bill open is considered as showing-off.
For me (in Germany) tipping isn't difficult at all: By default there is no tipp since waiters and cooks are supposed to be paid a sufficient wage. If, however, the service is better than expected or the food is extraordinary, I'd give 10-20% extra; unless it's a pricy place to begin with in which case I assume they kind of included tipps in their price calculations anyway.
One tipping experience I had abroad that was pretty awkward was when I went to Prague as part of a school trip. Me and a bunch of friends decided to go out and eat pizza together, and after we've finished we compiled the money our food had been worth and waited for the waiter... Who then proceeded to hand us a bill that was higher than the money we had put into our little pile. We wondered if anyone of us had given less than they were supposed to, but... it turned out that they had a fixed rate for tips at IIRC 5 percent, and so we desperately searched our wallets to compile the cash needed to pay that tip. Super awkward, our server was not happy with us.
What you are describing is what happens in lower or middle tier restaurants. In the better and the really posh restaurant you get the black map and then you either put in the credit card and later lay the tip into the black map, or you put in the whole sum (though at this level restaurant paying with card it is more likely due to the higher prices). Basically you have just revealed that you are really cheap when you invite your friends ;-) But next time, just go to the service desk and explain that you want to pay for everyone and keep the amount secret. They will adhere your wishes. And to answer your question, it really depends on the situation. If you are in a bigger group, it is simply easier when everybody tells the waiter what part of the meal they intend to pay.
The actual trick for keeping the bill secret if you're inviting someone is that you get up and go to the waiter when he's close to the cash register and pay him there. It's also a sneaky trick if you want to avoid the discussion who invites whom (especially with the family). I do prefer the German way - mainly because nobody is trying to hurry you to get out of the restaurant. And waiters are actually paid and don't have to live from the tip.
I'm British and know EXACTLY what you mean about having to state the amount that you'd like to pay! Initially it felt really uncomfortable for me and the German directness really challenged my British reserve. 😹 That said, I'm now completely used to it too and appreciate the transparency of these things in Germany. It means there can be no misunderstandings and actually makes perfect sense!
As a german I always felt the other way around. It was so awkward paying in the US, because there is no talking involved. So for a foreigner who didn't know what to do it was really stressful. Do I give them the tip with the payment? What do I do when using the credit card? What is a normal tip? Do I leave before they get my tip in this "folder"? But now I think I got the hang of it.
I don't like that in the US they take your credit card and there is no PIN. Here in Chile they bring the wireless device to your table and you add normally 10 % and confirm with PIN.
I like the "British Pub Payment". I order drinks and food on the bar, pay all, get my drinks and a server bring the food after a time. I hate to wait for the waiter to ask for the bill. Actually, at the Oktoberfest, I love it. I order, I get my beer or food and I have to pay.
to me as an Austrian, it would feel strange to let the waiter take your creditcard, here waiters either have a small card reader with them or you follow them to the cashier.
I generally like the American way of paying with the booklet exccept for when everyone is paying separately, because that always turned into a huge hassle when we were in America! We were never asked this and just got a bill for the whole table always, and then it was such a huge deal until everyone had gotten the right amount into the booklet and then got the right amount of change out of it after. So if American waiters asked first whether we're paying separately then I'd prefer that completely, I think! :)
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Good morning!!☀️🌸😃 Thanks for watching! So my question for you is: Which style of paying do you prefer? And what has been your experience with tipping around the world?
the american way :D
Wanted Adventure Hey Dana, I am from Austria, here it is like in Germany, but if one wants to pay everything, he goes silently without making any attention to the cashiers desk at the restaurant and pays at there, because especially at family parties all women would fight who is allowed to pay it. So everyone wants to be the first one who goes to the cashiers desk. Short before leaving the person who has paid says "passt schon Alles" and then every other mother or aunt want to give the person who paid the dinner money, but normally they refuse it. Nobody else knows about the final price on the bill.
You don't have problems of the "reversing" of the digits from 13 to 19 (=just like in german) so WHY does it seem so strange, when in german the excat same principle of "reversed" digits from 13 to 19 is continued "consistently" all the way to 99 .... :) ? -and by the way, the "reason" for this is, that a typical tendency in german is, that relatively "central" information comes at the end, a principle which english adheres to sometimes, and sometimes not. an example for the central information coming at the end could also be this: "the big yellow schoolBUS"... :)
There is another possibility for paying in Germany. Mostly done when people want to pay with EC-card: They go to the counter and pay there. (The servers don't have the possibility to take EC-cards at the table.)
Gregor Salinger
I'm always smiling at the sight of my mother and my grandmother, practically fighting about who's going to pay xD
I'm glad that this seems to be normal here in Austria :D
The thing with the booklet sometimes happens here in Germany too in classier restaurants.
Or in restaurants in tourist areas, in Salzburg for example it's common, as we have many american guests, so that they are not confused.
in *VERY* classy restaurants.
Seen this in an Indian restaurant in Germany.
if you want to invite the other people to a restaurant and pay for everyones meal without them knowing how much it was i have a tip for you: in austria it is pretty common to just slip out to the bar of the restaurant at the end of the meal and pay there for the whole table (that also stops the 'nonono i will pay' discussions)
Happens here in Germany, too. But then there's the discussion afterwards when the others find out you've paid and everyone is kind of offended that you didn't let them handle the bill. :D
It is actually the same in germany.
If then someone ask about the bill you say that it has been taken care of.
Yep, you pretend to go to the restroom, pay the bill and then return to the table and say "Let's leave". Then someone says "Shouldn't we pay first?" and you answer "It has already been taken care of". I find this very amusing :D
@ftlouim true, but at that point it's usually easier for them to accept and they stop muttering about it faster ^^
Was about to say the same. :) That is how you pay in secret. It is especially common, if not the standard, if you have a large bill, e.g. when you invite a group of people for your birthday. You wouldn't pay 2000€ in front of everyone.
I would say this also depends on the level of restaurant. Inhale observed, that in more posh restaurants the servers tend to be more discrete about the price. Another thing I oftentimes do when I would like to invite somebody to the meal, I just excuse myself and go to the bar or the "servers desk" and discretely handle paying with them directly there.
Exactly that! :o)
I agree. Fancier Restaurants especially leave the bill in a little booklet.
That's the usual and proper way of doing this. Been there, done that and lot of times. Just excuse yourselves, go to your Waiter and and say "I pay for the whole Table".
I was just about to make that same comment. The "german style" she described is common at a Bierhall/Wirtshaus , at Cafés, rustic Pizza places, at places aiming at younger/relaxed casual customers etc.
Once you go in Germany to a more nicer/smarter Restaurant with table cloth on the tables etc. you will get that little booklet as well.
So now we know Dana prefers to go to less posh restaurants in Germany :D
The privacy level really depends on the restaurant. When you are in slightly better restaurant in Germany or Austria you also have this privacy. But yes, in the most restaurants its like you described it.
It's often the same in the UK as Germany :), didn't really know that way was seen as strange! I do hate the American tipping system, I have no problem leaving a tip but that is to show appreciation for something beyond normal. In no way should it be because the waiting staff are paid such low wages.
BUT if you want to treat your company to the evening, you can as well discreetly go to the counter and pay there. Also, in better restaurants, you will encounter the little small booklets, too.
I am German and I still feel nervous about it. You have such a short time between getting the bill and thinking about how much you wanna tip.
Jonas Jonas first number of the total x's 2. Example: 24.95. 2 is the first number. 2×2=4, so $4 tip. 28.95 total.
Jonas Jonas now, I'm talking US. I was a server and bartender before becoming a nurse. I've heard some places in Germany pay the servers well, as to "include tip," but personally, I could never not tip!
I like tipping in germany better, cause 10% is easy to calculate.
+Carolyn Schumacher All places have to pay minimum wage which is 8.50€. I guess that is okay, but also not good
when its 13 bucks make it 14-15 bucks when its 22 bucks make it 25 bucks when its 26-27 bucks make it 30 and so on and on and on.
special cases are 82 bucks make it 90 bucks... because the higher the bill the higher you have to round up when you liked the service.
But ProTip: Tipping is not required! we just do it out of convenience and we don´t want too much change back.
+Carolyn Schumacher That's a way too large amount. You'd be paying up to 20% with your method. That's way too much for 99% of cases in Germany. 10% is fine, of course you can pay more if you want, or you can pay less and not worry about it, or just don't tip at all. A tip is usually welcome but generally not expected. If you say nothing they will just assume you're paying the exact amount and everything is fine. The only thing i would say is don't tip less than 1€, it's too much of a hassle for them with the change and frankly quite ridiculous. If you're eating alone and your bill is under 15€ just maybe don't even tip at all, it'd be super weird to tip amounts that are too small to bother, better to tip nothing at all. The servers' wages are, or should be, such that they'd still be just fine if no one ever tipped. I mean it'd be a pretty shitty and evil thing to do to pay your servers less than what they need to live just because there will occasionally be tips, making it never quite certain whether they will earn enough to get by. That's the employer not doing his job of paying his employees properly imo. It'd be a pretty despicable practice.
I know a lot of restaurants in Germany where it is the same in the US where you just get a little booklet with the bill. Especially when you're having a business dinner and not a meal with friends or family. But on the other hand I don't know why the bill and tip should be kept a secret because the price of the meals, drinks, deserts is next to the name in the menu anyways and everyone can sum them up in the head. :)
In some more expensive (and perhaps old-fashioned) restaurants (at least in the UK) only the "host" of the meal gets a menu with prices. The "guests" all have menus without prices.
I once was in a restaurant which had neither an official menu nor were the prices anywhere. It wasn't overprices, though, just very informal, you were talking to the cook personally, he told you what he had (which depended on whatever was fresh and in season that day) and then you ordered. One of the best meals I ever had.
But what is it good for? You still have a clue in what price range you order. At least if you had been the host once in your life.
That reminds me of an old CD I used to improve my British English skills. There were many songs about topics, which were relevant to British youth (fashion, family, restaurants ect.) and one of them was about a restaurant without a menu and the waiter constantly repeating the dishes to the customer.
In Germany we call this menue without prices "Damen Karte" (Lady's Menue) and you might get it in some restaurants on demand. Yet nowadays it's not very common.
In Italy we do a combination of what's in Germany and in the US. We receive the black booklet, but actually I don't think the average restaurant has the machine for the card, so usually we pay in cash. If you pay separately maybe the others won't know about the price. When it comes to the tip, we usually leave a couple of coins in the booklet and leave. When the restaurant has not the booklet, they bring the receipt.
I am from germany and i prefer our style. It is just the way it is! :D Once i was im the carribean, we were on an island where EVERYTHING is super cheep. We gave like 10$ as tip and they treated us like gods. They could pay their flat a whole month now ;p
Sorry for my bad grammar, at least am i trying! Great video :)
Tipping is not done in Australia, Waiting staff get paid award wages which is more than double that of the US and if they are working on the weekend or a night they are in a higher pay bracket. You do pay more for a meal but its all up front and no nasty surprises.
Tipping in Germany is nothing but a "thank you". Staff gets paid reasonable wages (which means a fixed wage per hour plus approx. 10 % of what they sell) - tips are nothing but a friendly gesture for good service. If service was lousy, feel free not to tip at all.
By the way: In good german restaurants it's normal to pay the american way, only in casual restaurants ("Gasthaus") it's done the way Dana described.
It depends on the restaurant, the occasion and on you as the one who wants to pay. If you are out for a Schnitzel and a beer with friends and you pay separately, everyone will know how much the others paid.
If you have invited your family and friends there is always the option to go to the servers desk after desert and pay without everyone knowing about the cost. If you ask for the bill at the table, everyone will most likely see how much you pay.
At some higher level restaurants, it is handled like in the US.
Honestly, for bigger gathering it is more normal to order some sort of menu to keep the cost reasonable, and in this case the restaurant staff will know that the bill is dealt with at the service desk by the host.
btw: in english it also was common to say one-and-twenty not that long ago, check the works of Arthur Conan Doyle for this ;-) aaaannnd: you obviously never had the need to learn the french numbers...
As for the tipping: please keep in mind that we have a "Mindestlohngesetz" which is really obeyed. When the Mehrwertsteuer was introduced in Germany (10% at the time) in the early 60s, all restaurant receipts showed "incl. 10% MWst and 15% service" - so your tip does not mean "this is what your service was worth". And I remember signs behind the bar of many cafes in France which said "service included". And of course: the tipping system is quite okay, when you only have students who work as servers. If the server is a normal employee s/he will not pay taxes or social security on the tips. And miss the respective benefits as to sickness pay and retirement/enemployment benefits. The whole system of tipping is just humiliating: that the guest is make up for the patron not paying his employees decently.
We also used to say Fourscore for eighty....
I would like a mixture of both ways. I think the American privacy is a good thing, but i hate it when people walk away with my credit card
Never tipped,never will.employees take up a job knowing how much they will be paid,and if they don't like it,they can leave and looks elsewhere. The only exception ever is if they were to go beyond what was required of them
Tipping is also a little stressful for me(I'm from Germany) because I grew up with my family who never really gave tips. It was just totally normal for me to just pay what I had to. I just started giving tips since I have been out with my friends a couple times and seeing that is normal, but I still don't really know when I should tip and when not. It's just a super awkward situation all the time :D
Its simple you just have to tip all the time.
Chrisi sehr simpel: man gibt Trinkgeld für alle typischen Dienstleistungen! Restaurant, Taxi, Kosmetikstudio oder Friseur etc. In Deutschland sind ca. 10% vom Preis üblich.
Danke für den Tipp, merk ich mir. Es bleibt aber trotzdem irgendwie schräg wenn man das fast 20 Jahre lang nicht gewohnt war.
And the strangest tipping for me was in restuarants in the Mediterranian region (Corsica,Italy, Croatia etc...) where it is common to just leave the money on the table and go. I was a kid when I experienced it for the first time and I was wondering whether people from other tables or who pass by dont steal the money....
it depends on the quality of the restaurant here in Germany. If you go into a simple one, the waiter/waitress often announces what you have to pay. A more expensive restaurant would discretely hand you the bill and none of your friends or family would know how much you paid.
Here in Japan the server will bring the bill and leave it at the table. In less expensive restaurants there's usually a little cup or holder that they place the rolled up bill in. In other places it might be in a little folder or clipped to a small clipboard.
When you're ready to go, you bring the bill to the cashier or front desk and pay. If you're paying for the group, you can usually sneak up and pay while everyone is gathering their things and putting on their coats, etc.
Hey! Well, if you hadn't mastered tipping and paying already, you could also have gone directly to the waiter and say that you wanted to pay for the whole table (apart from your guests).
The Japanese one. No tipping required xD
reaper84 I hope they include tip
Carolyn Schumacher
Are you Caitlyn's sister?
Yes that was a big surprise in Japan. I tried to tip the bellman and he politely explained the cultural difference and I felt SET FREE!!!! LOL.
I am working sometimes as waiter in Japan. I prefer the german system, hehe. But as a guest in restaurants in germany I was always slightly bored to wait at the table until someone recognized that i wanted to pay. Here in Japan, I can just stand up, pay and then go home whenever I like to.
@@lynntfuzz Except this means servers get less money overall and wages for these jobs are just as crappy as everywhere else. I'd rather be inconvenienced a little than have the servers struggle even more financially.
THANK GOD !! I had no idea this was just the norm in Germany. I went to Stuttgart earlier this year and thought it was so weird when the server in a restaurant we'd visited asked how much change I wanted. I was so surprised that I thought I was imagining it xD
But the Nummbers 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18 and 19 are also with the smaller nummer first and than the bigger number.
Why is it than so hard to understand the German way with the rest of the numbers? ^^
yeah ... even in english :)
Because people dont think about it.
Yeah that's what I thought too. At least the German way is consistent ;)
Language is most often not consistent.
Yes but the "1" in 19 for example represents "10." So it is ten plus 9 essentially. Same with larger numbers also. So really the larger number is first.
The Japanese system is the best I've experienced. What I like about it most is that there is no money handling at the table at all. You order, you get your meal, you ask for the bill, you get the bill and with that paper slip you then proceed to the cashier table omewhere at the door of the restaurnt, where you will pay exactly the amount that's written on the bill. No tips. The concept of paying for good service is not very common there. The entire process is really convenient.
The black booklet is usually done only in restaurants with seatings and tables. In UAE or in Philippines, it's similar to the American style. But if you and your friends or family want to split the bill, you can just divide it into what you bought. As for the tip, it's not required, so it's up to you if you want to give the server a tip or not. Usually a small tip is already good enough, but nothing that is required.
in Korea, you bring the bill to the cashier, usually near the door.
The server leaves the bill at your table after you order.
The bill is updated as you order more (e.g. additional food or drinks)
Korean restaurants have alarm buttons on the tables. You push the button if you want the server to come to your table.
There is NO TIPPING in Korea.
and service is quite fast (ppali-ppali culture -> fast-fast culture)
usually diners feign fighting on who's going to foot the bill
Dana I saw your old music video '13 ghosts- Dana Newman' on TH-cam. Soo cool!! Is there a making of video to it or a featurette of some sort?
Ireland is somewhat half-way inbetween the two of these. You get the receipt in a little black booklet, and it's up to you whether you pay or split the bill. It helps that tipping isn't much of a thing here and instead just have a service charge.
In Sweden some restaurants and bars will let you type in to the credit card machine how much you want to pay (The machine won't accept a lower amount than your order, but will accept a higher amount). So if you want to tip, you just type in a higher amount of money than the order costs before pressing "ok". Also, in Sweden servers will usually just bring a portable credit card machine to the table, they won't bother with the whole taking your credit card away in a little book etc thing.
But the prices for the meals are in the menu...
So they already know, how much you spend on them except of the tip.
Jonas G it gets confusing when you add wine, appetizers, entree, desert, etc..and tax + tip.
in Germany you don't have to add taxes because they are always already included, but I agree that you mostly wouldn't be able to keep track and add up everything for everyone.
Leilani Foster tax? Also included, thats something I will never understand why to exclude it in America
But who scans the prices of everyone's meal on the table? I tend to forget what exactly has been ordered by the others in a matter of seconds :)
Americans like to see their tax separate and know exactly how much they are being taxed for.
Do restaurants in the USA have menus without prices? How would the guests otherwise not know what the meal costs? (As a guest I would find that super-uncomfortable, not knowing the cost implication of my choices.)
Kaisa Kyläkoski yes, menus include prices.
I ate at a restaurant once in California years ago where the woman's menu did not have prices
steve bartley but how could I as the woman decide then on one of the more low cost options if I know the other one will have to pay?
It also depends on the restaurant type. In sophisticated restaurants you often get your bill in a nice Box or envelope. Also many restaurants have 'Damenkarten' which are a menu without any prices so the invited person has not to hesitate about the price.
In France, they won't split checks normally, which can get kind of messy when you have a table of, say, 15 people 😅 Most of the time it's do-able, but it's extra trouble...especially when you're with colleagues or people you don't know quite as well!
In Canada, when handed over the bill, we gave them the required money + rounded up roughly. The waitress said we'd HAVE to give 10% tip (and apparently we only gave 8.x%). I considered this quite rude, given that the service was nothing better than average. They would stand there and wait until we gathered another 10$ around the table. Maybe in Germany you have to look the waiter in the eye and they might be unhappy with the amount you give, but it's a very personal and transparent way of tipping. I like it the way we have it here :) but I can see how it makes foreigners nervous.
I found a pretty good compromise between the German style and the American style of paying in Spain. The check comes in a little saucer with the check on a clip on the side. You can leave cash or a card in there and the waiter will pick it up. Then he or she will bring it back with the CC receipt or the change. Now the check will be torn at one side, which means you have paid. Now you can either leave cash in the saucer or write it on the CC bill and leave.
In Germany the service price is already includedin the prices on the card in all restaurants where a server comes to your table. The tip is really just what you want to give them as a bonus if you felt the service was nice. It is different in self-service restaurants where you go to the bar to order.
@2:44 That is the case at some restaurants in Germany too. That usual happens in fancy and posh restaurants. I guess the imperium has taken over there. ;)
only my experience, but 90% of all medium or high class restaurants have booklets, or folded bills and the waitress normally dont talk about the price, except you ask them to do so.(in case you cant read the bill - forgot your glasses and such stuff)
As a Soldier I had a habit of always having pen and paper with me...I would say wie viel and give them the pen and paper to write it...but, I would get confused with 1s and 7s...
I live in Flanders / Belgium and we don't have to tip. The amount mentioned on the ticket/bill is the exact amount you have to pay. Of course no one will be cross if you do tip, but certainly no one will be surprised if you don't because it is meant to simplify things for the waiters. Our waiters will also ask whether the group pays in one, or in as many people that have consumed smth. He might bring the bill in a sort of booklet if the restaurant is a bit fancy, but mostly they simply hand it to you (without saying it out loud - unless he sees you can't read it, because you forgot your glasses, or are a bit older) and if you want to pay by credit/debit card you sometimes have to go to the cashregister at the entry, or to some counter where payments are made. They seldom have mobile pincode-machines (because they have to rent them and every machine costs them, as does every payment), and we mostly pay with a debit card (bankcontact) not a visa or other credit card, so you cannot simply give your card and get a written proof you've paid. Nowadays payments are more often done by smartphone, through payconic or NFC on your debitcard or even on your Smart Phone.
I was recently in Prague. The bill came the same way as in the USA, but there's a suggested tip, which isn't normal here. Also the usual tip is smaller in Czechia than in the USA.
The secrecy thing is the same in Mexico 🇲🇽 I find it funny here too! 💜
This was very interesting. I'm German and never thought about this. Cool video, thanks.
My experience of restaurants is 5-10 % but remember that people who work there actually gets a decent pay so they do not have to relay on tip for making a living, in contrary to what I have read about USA.
Leopold Birkholm If you consider minimum wage decent pay.
@Mary Anne Brown, doing some quick math, it gives around 1300 Euros per month. That is guaranteed by state (or you sue the manager). It is still better then USA consider all that is around you in Germany; healthcare, public transport etc.
I remember my dad taking friends out to their restaurant, then taking the waiter aside and paying the bill in full. Going back to the table he mentioned nothing - a couple of after dinners and the waiter was very friendly (I know my father tips a lot if the service is exemplary). Once it was time to leave he stood up and said "Let's go like we always do", grabbed his jacket and went towards the exit door. Bit upset (about not paying) but not to be unfriendly his friends came after him and the waiter and the crew just wished them a nice evening.
"We just left without paying" they said - and my father did not say a word until they got home.
It was a big laugh and a good memory for all to share for years to come.
I like the Japanese way, which leaves you an option to choose. You get your bill in a booklet at your table, but you pay when you leave. You can either pay everything, or you talk to your group and split the bill (then everybody pays their individual portion at the checkout). - There are no tips in Japan; it is considered insulting to get extra money for service you have paid for.
Super easy.
So the waiter picks up the booklet again before you leave? Otherwise you could just leave without paying and they wouldn't notice before you're gone. I'd never do that, but could imagine that some people might take advantage of that.
No, the booklet stays with you and you are supposed to present it to the cashier at the exit. The waiters do not handle monetary transactions. ~ I guess, the Japanese simply trust their customers.
However, I think it would be hard to leave without paying. If a group of people were to leave the establishment, I as a cashier would stop them and ask for the booklet.
MollyMalone1983
Not very comon for japanese people to steal, insult etc.
They simply don’t do it! And if there is a foreigner, everybody in the restaurant will be aware of it because it’s like a sensation! You couldn’t leave unnoticed!
So nope, i don’t think that would be a problem... not paying without leaving doesn’t sound like a thing that japanese people would do.
This was a really great insight! I'm a server, and I worked in a tourist destination for a brief time. It used to frustrate me when German people would announce their tip (which was nearly always lower than average) instead of just inputting it themselves. Now I understand why they did that.
In normal cases you dont tip around these parts belgium netherlands germany france etc
If you don't want anybody to know about the sum, there is another option in Germany:
You will leave the group for a moment, saying you will go for the lavatory (?), and pay on the way back. No one will get the sum.
For the tip, it is good, to have a level, you always use, e.g. about 10% :-).
I was surprised to see you in the TV today. I didn't know you had your own show^^
Sometimes you get your bill in a booklet but most of the times these restaurants are really expensive.
If you want to keep the price as a secret you can also get up from the table to go to the bar and pay everything there.
I never really noticed your background that much... but HEY ... I´ve been in Bielefeld last week :D
Als as an Austrian I fully agree with you on the tipping. I mean when you had lunch the tipping is no problem but when you're in a bar and have to pay always immediately I don't want to give always much because when I drink 6 beers I have to tipp six times. So sometimes it's akward to give only 10 cents (e.g. 3,90 to 4,00) or so. The same is with self service at bars. I don't see when I go to the counter my self and get my beer to tipp anything at all. I mean I do it but that is again because of the pressure the situation brings with it.
I'm American and I've lived in Germany for 7 years. My German has always been excellent, so I never had any difficulty talking to the waiter or waitress. However, to this day, I am still not sure how much to really give them. Hearing "eigene Sache" over and over again does not leave me self assured. I've had times where I just handed them the money and got back my change and then server asked if everything had been to my satisfaction, that's awkard. There are other times where I have given them a nice tip and they act surprised. It's hard to tell.
I think it really depends on the restaurants.
I've been to restaurants in Bavaria where they bring out the bill in a little booklet, in others on a little tray, and in others as Dana describes it.
If paying by card (debit or credit) in many places one has to go pay where they have the register as mobile POS are still not as common in Germany, so others at the table could be kept in the dark this way.
Even when paying by card, it's typical to leave an eventual tip in cash, either giving it to the waiter or leaving it on the table/in the booklet/on the little tray.
Very fancy restaurants have menus for the people you wish to treat without the prices on it (so they are more free to choose what they like instead of considering the dishes' prices,at least that's the theory I think). I know of people who already calculate what the bill will be when ordering (as all printed prices already include tax).
I've also been to places where you had to pay upfront/upon receving the food/drinks when seated at outside tables.
Dana, are you familiar with the German-American actor of the 1960's Werner Kemplerer? He taught us kids the rudiments of the German dialect on a popular TV show back then called "Hogan's Heroes."
when i tip, i'll usually just round up to a five or 0, as not to make the waitress count back change to me.
they don't need it really, they have a minimum wage that is plenty enough to live off of as it is, and with them working two shifts, often six days a week AND geting a bonus for working on sun- and holydays, chances are most waitresses probably earn more than i do as it is.
so the time and stress they save by not having to count back change is probably more valuable than the tip you're leaving.
Ich liebe deiner Videos denn ich bin vor kurzem nach Kalifornien gezogen und finde es immer lustig unsere Probleme im jeweils anderen Land zu vergleichen 😂
Liebe grüße💕
In my country, on restaurants, we do not tip more than 2 euros. The payment style is as in Germany not like in the USA. But here in Munich, I have been to some places like Cafe Luitpold same as in my country just prices much higher than in my home country
Interesting! I have never thought that you can feel awkward when announcing the tip - but after your video, it makes sense! After all it depends of the level of restaurants.. in fancy restaurants in Germany you pay the american way (which I think is more stylish) but in a regular bavarian Wirtshaus or in a pizzeria you pay the german way. I lived in France for 20 years and there it is the rule that you divide the bill by the numbers of persons (no matter what they had and how much they drank).. people often pull out the calculator to divide 322 Euros by 7 and tell everybody what he should pay. Concerning the tip you discuss with your friends at table how much should be appropriate and then leave it on the table.
If you eat at "Wiener Wald", "Schweinske", the italian restaurant around the corner, or have a snack in a bar you will probably have to deal with the exact same process you described. It is not the case in real restaurants or hotels in Germany. There you'll get the check just like described in a little black leather envelope. You either put your CC in that envelope and return it or you just put cash in it. You don't even need to stay until the waiter picks it up, if you pay cash. And when it comes to tipping, I think it is totally fine to just pay the check and then leave whatever you want to tip on the table for the waiter when he/she returns to set up everything for the next customer.
Whenever I'm in italy I get super confused with bills because they don't really let you split the bill and you also kinda have to leave the exact amount you have to pay + the tip on the table while the server isn't even present. I was on holiday with three of my friends and we oftentimes had a lot of problems with how to pay the exact amount.
Hey Dana, keep up the good work! I've been following your videos for about a year now,
I really love the content and I really enjoy every episode :).
About your question, I have a part-time job in a restaurant and I can say, that
what you describe in the video is pretty common here. But in some cases, if
the paying customer doesn't want the others to know about the amount of their bill,
they often just seek for me and pay directly, without the others knowing.
I also do that sometimes. For example if I invite my mom together with her friends
on her birthday :). I really don't mind if others know about the amount, sometimes we even just
split the bill and everyone leaves a certain amount of tip. But if it comes to special
days (like birthday celebrations), I prefer to keep it secret infront of the invited ones :).
At the restaurant where I'm working at, we actually hand out the bill in cigar boxes, so it's kinda
secret, I guess. The people can then decide, if they keep the amount for themselves or not.
So long~
Mark
Usually everybody know roundabout how much their meal costs, there are prices written next to the things you can order from the menu
I wonder about prices in US. On TV when a pizza is delivered they pay 20-25 Dollars. When I order pizza in Linz (Austria) the pizza is 7-10 Euros. To have it delivered for free I have to order 2 or three. But 20 for 1 pizza? Is that true?
Soweit ich gehört habe, kosten Lebensmittel / Essen in Restaurants in den USA mehr, als bei uns. Ich könnte dir jetzt aber keine genauen Preise nennen.
Groceries and eating out is so much cheaper in the US than in Germany. As for a pizza delivery, it depends on what you order and how you order. Some pizza chains give discounts if you place your order online versus calling it in. Then it depends on what kind of pizza you order, is it a simple cheese or pepperoni pizza or is it a specialty pizza with lots of toppings. You pay more if it’s a cheese stuffed crust versus a hand tossed or thin crust. So a pizza can cost anywhere between $7 and $12, delivery will cost around $2-3 and then you add tax and a tip and you’re easily looking at around $20.
Groceries cheaper in the US than in Germany?. That´s not what I heard.
Sandra M in German/Austrian prices tax is allways included. As is in the prices I mentioned
Sandra M I have been to several different places in Germany and the US the last 2 years. The US is more expensive. And not just a little. Even Walmart is more expensive. If you add the tax and tip in Restaurants (so compare the bills), US restaurants are also much more expensive.
In most restaurants I know you can just walk up to the counter and pay there if you want to pay without everyone else knowing how much you paid.
In Belgium we don't really give a tip all that often.The servers have a decent wage so don't expect to be tipped. I'll only leave a tip if the meal was particularly excellent and even then it won't be more than a couple euros.
I -- as a german -- am always confused with the whole "little black book" thing. Since they typically only use that in posh restaurants I don't often come across it but when I do I never know if I'm supposed to pay the exact amount and what happens if I don't (like will they just assume that the rest is the tip or will I get something back? ) or where and when to leave a tip. I prefer the direct method. But I think there are two things that I see differently than you do: I - for one - assume that my guests at least have a good guess of what has to be paid anyway because they have seen the menu and two I have absolutely no problem with not tipping when the service was awful. I sometimes even ask who gets the tip (bc sometimes the waiter/waitress gets all of it and sometimes it goes to a shared pot in which even the kitchen staff can be included) and tip accordingly. I feel confident in doing so because the waiters don't have rely on that money. It's a bonus and when your work is not good you don't get one.
I am working for an international company and therefore I am traveling every now and then. When I was in Mexico, the manager I was working with was very hospitable and invited me and my colleagues almost every evening. So at the end of the trip (we stayed there for almost two weeks) we decided to return the favor. We invited him and his colleagues to a nice restaurant and at the end of the day we had kind of a huge bill. I think it was something like 350 Euro which would be something around 7400 Mexican pesos. We tipped ca. 20 Euro (which in Germany would be totally fine from my experience) but the waiter came to us and complained that this is not enough and he would expect at least 10%. Luckily our Mexican colleague helped us to clarify the situation but in the end it was still awkward.
hard to concele a price for a meal when there are menues around who tell you what the items cost. and since you have to pay exactly the price that is printed in there its pretty easy to keep a tally in your head. i always wonder if the US is changing taxes on a weekly base so it would economic to add them to the prices before writing them down. its always a bit surprising to pay in the states. but if you want to be somewhat classy about paying for your friends and don't want them to know you can always go to the toilet after dinner and pay at the desk sometime along the way.
Frankly, I don't quite understand why typping and paying has to be such a big deal in the US. I prefer just handing over the money, and well, if my friends know how much I paid, so be it. There's no need to fumble around with black books to hide your receipts or your credit card, because you have to pay either way, regardless of how much fuss you made about it or not...
Meike Fegter What I learned from Donna's videos it's that money overall is a big issue there. I mean here it's perfectly normal to ask how rent do you pay or what did your new car cost or so but in the US that is a big no go. I think that's a interesting phenomena: on the one hand it's the overall goal there to get rich (American dream) and they admire billionaires and successful people but on they other hand they make a bug secret out of money.
I don´t like my friends or family to know how much I paid for the meal. It is my treat, don´t worry if it was expensive, just that it was a nice restaurant. The same about the tip, maybe I´m a cheap bastard or maybe I pay way more than they would. Either way, I would prefer them not to know.
Stop defending every single little thing done in Germany, in Spain we do it the same way as in the US, except the tip since we don´t give any normally.
It's interesting you bring up this argument, because I don't think it's very pertinent. Germans, in fact, usually do not like talking about money, regardless if it's wages or rent. I don't see why this would a valid point for Americans, but not for Germans, who also dislike openly talking about money?
Meike Fegter yes wage or overall savings is also a bug taboo. But it's no problem to ask one how much she pays rent or so. At least I never had a problem to ask it and never got an negative feedback. But as Donna explained, I believe it was in her smalltalk video even that is a no go in the US.
I'm Dutch. And paying the bill. Is pretty the same. I prefer it this way when it's all in the open. And the tip is optinal. Since the waiter earns a decent wage. Also we usually say make is 28 or keep the chance.
This really depends on the quality of the restaurant. The better the restaurant, the more "secret" they handle the payment. But sure, if you go to a low/middle class restaurant where you pay 10 bucks for your meal, then you are treated differently.
The more expensive restaurants in germany do give you the bill in a booklet too. But its very rare in mid and lower price range restaurants.
Dana, why do you call them a server? This always makes me think of a computer sitting in a datacenter somewhere...
Why don't you call them a waiter? That's what I've learned how they are called in English (in fact, very early when I had English in school)...so what about those servers who are not serving data, but waiting tables?
Wenn ich jetzt wirklich ganz fies sarkastisch wäre, würde ich sagen:
Because American servers are better at servicing, whereas German waiters are better at waiting ;-)
It's also a common way to pay secretly in Germany. You have to tell the server, that you want to pay all together secretly or you stand up, go to the server and say you want to pay. The second one is my favorite, when I want to invite my friends :).
I have no specific preference. Whenever I am in Germany at a restaurant I am comfortable with the German version. I make exceptions though, when I want to treat somebody. In such instances I'll pay without letting anybody know. For example I'll go to the restroom and "pass by" the waiter before returning to my table.
It depends on the occasion. Both ways are quite good.
In Italy nobody gives you the bill unless you ask for it. Let's say you're done eating and you're ready to go, but you're still enjoying chatting with the people who are eating with you. In this case you can ask the waiter to bring you the bill to the table. Another way is, you just go to the cashier and say at which table you were (there are numbers on every table), they look at the orders and give you the bill. Then of course, you can pay separately or together. In case you have to pay separately, it's better to say it. :D
Thevbiggest difference that i experienced was how to get the bill. In Germany you havve to catch the server when hes nearby and in America you get the bill even if you want to sit gor another few minutes.
Years ago in vienna in cafés there was a “damenkarte“,“a menu for ladies“,a menu with no prizes on it, so the lady you treated did not know the prizes of anything.
In Germany you can get those as well (usually on demand). Better restaurants have at least one "Damenkarte" in store, bur even small restaurants (and "Ausflugslokale") with changing menues will provide you with "Damenkarten" for your guests if you are taking out a larger group of family and friends. But you have to book this kind of service when booking the table (I guess they have to print the requested amount of copies in advance ;-) ).
I'm German and I'm always nervous when it comes to paying at a restaurant. I'm not good at mental math in general and in this situation I feel pressured and it gets even worse. I'm always afraid to tip too much or too less and everyone at the table noticing it. One time I had dinner with my workmates and totally messed up. The waitress even asked me if I was sure that I wanted to tip so much. It was soooo akward xD
A hint: Just move the comma by one to the left, then you have 10 percent. E.g.: 8,56€ -> 0,85€ tip, 32,40€ -> 3,24€ tip. Then you can round up or down as much as you like depending on the service. (For 5% you take half and for 20% you double the amount, depending on the country you are in.)
Simple solution: vor 10% ( a ok amount if everything was fine here in germany) just move the comma 1 digit to the left then round up or down a bit. Example 34,50 -> 3,45 round to 3 or 4
Well, round to 3,50, then you end up with 38 Euro overall.
Die beste Lösung ist dann wirklich, sich am Ende des Essens mal kurz zu entschuldigen, nachdem man gefragt hat, ob irgendwer noch etwas trinken möchte, und auf dem Pseudo-Weg zur Toilette an der Kasse vorbei zu gehen, die eventuell letzten Bestellungen abzuliefern und dann die Rechnung zu verlangen.
Meistens stehen die Bedienungen dann nicht so "fordernd" daneben, sondern rödeln an der Bar herum, und man kann sich die Zeit nehmen, in Ruhe zu rechnen und zu entscheiden. Man kann sogar etwas zu Schreiben erfragen, und sich da wirklich die Zeit nehmen. Wenn man zurück zum Tisch kommt, ist man allerdings in der Situation, das Verlassen des Lokals zu iniziieren ("wollen wir gehen?") - das ist der Hinweis für die anderen, dass die Rechnung beglichen ist (oder der Anlass, danach zu fragen: "sollten wir nicht noch zahlen?" - "das ist schon erledigt").
Man darf sich das schon so leicht und angenehm wie möglich machen - immerhin ist man Gast ;-)
Hello Dana,
it's quite easy. If you want to avoid those situations, you go descretely to the cash desk or to the server and you pay. That is also normal in Germany. Nobody will know how much you payed.
When I was in Hungary the tip was already included in the bill, but I didn’t notice and so we tipped them again. They probably thought ‘Ha, stupid foreigners’. Also it was so weird with their big amount of numbers. Is 6,200 Forint a good price for a meal or not?
Keeping the amount of the bill secret would mean everybody at the table has to suck at basic math.
you are assuming everybody at your table knows exactly what everybody else ordered which is pretty unlikely in larger groups
If you treat your friends in a more posh restaurant, you are very likely to find the same procedure as you described knowing it from US.
Typically if you do not want to disclose the amounts to your friends, you would ask the waiter for the bill away from the table. (e.g. on your way to a restroom or on your pretended way to the restroom)
Hi Dana! To be honest, I find the American way of paying meals in a restaurant strange. What is the advantage of making a secret of the payment and tip? Prices are usually provided on the menu card, so everybody can calculate what you will probably have to pay. And when I payed and left the restaurant and the server (why "server" and not waiter?) then checks the tip, how do I know if it was appropiate and I will gladly be served the next time? Plus, in Germany, the tip is a kind of reward, so if you were not satisfied, you do not have to give it. In the USA as well as in the UK; it is a part of the regular income so not giving it is quite an insult.
With the numbers in German, I believe it is really not easy for an American, but I think most people will understand when you say "Hier sind zwanzigeins Euro" instead of "einundzwanzig". I have to admit I find the English numbers more logical. It's vice versa with the date: Why do Americans write first the month and then day and year? That something I always have to reorder again and again :).
Greetings to Mr. German Man :).
The secrecy is less about prices being "secret" and more about being casual and making the exchange of money less emphasized.
The term server describes a person that serves you food, but doesn't wait around for you to need something because they have other people to serve too. Waiter and waitress stopped being used because server is a gender-neutral term.
In America, it's usually expected to leave at least an additional 15% to the bill, and often 20% if it's good service. Also, if someone wants to pay with cash and make the total an even number, usually they would round up. Despite this expectation, there is usually no indication whether a tip was appropriate or not. The server will just try to suffer in silence if the tip was less than 15%, and try to contain their outrage if it was lower than 10%. Since Germans are used to applying 10% and rounding down, they often offend servers without even knowing it, which is tragic for everyone - especially for the wallets of servers.
The restaurant industry in North American is silly, but it's not likely to change anytime soon.
3x3is9: Thank you very much for the detailed explaination! To me, a "server" is a kind of computer providing communication or other kind of services, so I was a bit surprised when I heard it is now used to avoid saying "waiter" or "waitress". Good to know.
It can definitely be confusing. I get to use both meanings every day since I have two jobs: one where I am a server who serves food to people, and another where I run a server that serves computer data to people.
Dana imagine this in French:
"neunzig" is "quatre-vingt-dix" which is 4 times 20 add 10
always interesting to see what's not normal, weird or awkward for foreigners. :-) makes you reflect on many things.
and this video gave me an IDEA FOR A TOPIC for one of your next videos, maybe you find that interesting, too: i noticed that in american english there are a loooot of phrases and figurative speech which revolve around money or/and deal-making. maybe you can talk about some of those and about why you think they have developed and why there are so many. for a german-speaker it is really striking how many of those phrases occur and often the context is also a little weird. so, in a word: interesting. :-)
Very easy solution to your problem: you just ask the server to set up the bill and say that you want to pay it at their counter. At larger parties it is common to deal that decent. To pay a huge bill open is considered as showing-off.
For me (in Germany) tipping isn't difficult at all: By default there is no tipp since waiters and cooks are supposed to be paid a sufficient wage. If, however, the service is better than expected or the food is extraordinary, I'd give 10-20% extra; unless it's a pricy place to begin with in which case I assume they kind of included tipps in their price calculations anyway.
One tipping experience I had abroad that was pretty awkward was when I went to Prague as part of a school trip. Me and a bunch of friends decided to go out and eat pizza together, and after we've finished we compiled the money our food had been worth and waited for the waiter... Who then proceeded to hand us a bill that was higher than the money we had put into our little pile. We wondered if anyone of us had given less than they were supposed to, but... it turned out that they had a fixed rate for tips at IIRC 5 percent, and so we desperately searched our wallets to compile the cash needed to pay that tip.
Super awkward, our server was not happy with us.
What you are describing is what happens in lower or middle tier restaurants. In the better and the really posh restaurant you get the black map and then you either put in the credit card and later lay the tip into the black map, or you put in the whole sum (though at this level restaurant paying with card it is more likely due to the higher prices). Basically you have just revealed that you are really cheap when you invite your friends ;-) But next time, just go to the service desk and explain that you want to pay for everyone and keep the amount secret. They will adhere your wishes.
And to answer your question, it really depends on the situation. If you are in a bigger group, it is simply easier when everybody tells the waiter what part of the meal they intend to pay.
Now I finally understand, why on vacation they bring back the box with the full change even when I said the amount (including tips) before! :D
The actual trick for keeping the bill secret if you're inviting someone is that you get up and go to the waiter when he's close to the cash register and pay him there. It's also a sneaky trick if you want to avoid the discussion who invites whom (especially with the family). I do prefer the German way - mainly because nobody is trying to hurry you to get out of the restaurant. And waiters are actually paid and don't have to live from the tip.
I'm British and know EXACTLY what you mean about having to state the amount that you'd like to pay! Initially it felt really uncomfortable for me and the German directness really challenged my British reserve. 😹 That said, I'm now completely used to it too and appreciate the transparency of these things in Germany. It means there can be no misunderstandings and actually makes perfect sense!
As a german I always felt the other way around. It was so awkward paying in the US, because there is no talking involved. So for a foreigner who didn't know what to do it was really stressful. Do I give them the tip with the payment? What do I do when using the credit card? What is a normal tip? Do I leave before they get my tip in this "folder"? But now I think I got the hang of it.
I don't like that in the US they take your credit card and there is no PIN. Here in Chile they bring the wireless device to your table and you add normally 10 % and confirm with PIN.
I like the "British Pub Payment". I order drinks and food on the bar, pay all, get my drinks and a server bring the food after a time. I hate to wait for the waiter to ask for the bill.
Actually, at the Oktoberfest, I love it. I order, I get my beer or food and I have to pay.
to me as an Austrian, it would feel strange to let the waiter take your creditcard, here waiters either have a small card reader with them or you follow them to the cashier.
I generally like the American way of paying with the booklet exccept for when everyone is paying separately, because that always turned into a huge hassle when we were in America! We were never asked this and just got a bill for the whole table always, and then it was such a huge deal until everyone had gotten the right amount into the booklet and then got the right amount of change out of it after. So if American waiters asked first whether we're paying separately then I'd prefer that completely, I think! :)