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Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

that or it is payback for all the times germans have stiffed American waiters/waitresses

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

That's not correct. It isn't rude to tip in Germany. You should still tip, it's just that tipping norms are different. You don't need to tip 20% like you should in the US. People generally round up to the next Euro, or leave an extra Euro or two if the server did really well. At bars, I usually left a Euro per drink, but that was probably more than was necessary. I usually had very good experiences with bartenders though. To be clear though, it's not rude to tip. Out of curiosity, who told you that it was considered rude?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ghazkuul wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

that or it is payback for all the times germans have stiffed American waiters/waitresses

To be clear, the reason that happens is because tipping norms are very different in Germany. It's not because Germans are jerks. In Germany, servers are paid a regular wage and tips are just a little extra for a job well done, and not relied on as much as they are in the US, where servers are paid below minimum wage by the restaurant.

 Hordini wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

That's not correct. It isn't rude to tip in Germany. You should still tip, it's just that tipping norms are different. You don't need to tip 20% like you should in the US. People generally round up to the next Euro, or leave an extra Euro or two if the server did really well. At bars, I usually left a Euro per drink, but that was probably more than was necessary. I usually had very good experiences with bartenders though. To be clear though, it's not rude to tip. Out of curiosity, who told you that it was considered rude?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ghazkuul wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

that or it is payback for all the times germans have stiffed American waiters/waitresses

To be clear, the reason that happens is because tipping norms are very different in Germany. It's not because Germans are jerks.

Clearly you have never seen the movie "Waiting"

Who? Myself or Jihadin? I think your quotes got messed up (and I edited my above post).

 Hordini wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

That's not correct. It isn't rude to tip in Germany. You should still tip, it's just that tipping norms are different. You don't need to tip 20% like you should in the US. People generally round up to the next Euro, or leave an extra Euro or two if the server did really well. At bars, I usually left a Euro per drink, but that was probably more than was necessary. I usually had very good experiences with bartenders though. To be clear though, it's not rude to tip. Out of curiosity, who told you that it was considered rude?

When I was first stationed there, we had a "head start" program, wherein a local national who spoke very good English, would come in and teach the incoming Americans about some of the cultural differences, road laws, etc.


The lady that we had said that it is considered an "insult" (by the waitstaff) if you tip the usual (for the US) 15-20% or whatever. She did inform us that it was considered the norm and a "good" tip if you round up to the next bill for especially large parties or large tickets (ie, if your overall bill was over 100 Euro, it was considerate to tip more than the simple rounding). But, the most common tip was if your bill was say... 37.80, and you put down 40 Euro, you could leave that change as tip, and it was considered goo form.

Sorry if my countrymen seem rude to you. Finns just don't put very much thought into ceremonial politeness outside the President's Independence Day ball, and you'll probably find that quite a few also drink more than is considered polite in civilized countries. But make a friend of one and he will invite you to a real sauna bath and escort your sister safely to the airport without making a pass on her. ;-)

 Ensis Ferrae wrote:

 Hordini wrote:

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

That's not correct. It isn't rude to tip in Germany. You should still tip, it's just that tipping norms are different. You don't need to tip 20% like you should in the US. People generally round up to the next Euro, or leave an extra Euro or two if the server did really well. At bars, I usually left a Euro per drink, but that was probably more than was necessary. I usually had very good experiences with bartenders though. To be clear though, it's not rude to tip. Out of curiosity, who told you that it was considered rude?

When I was first stationed there, we had a "head start" program, wherein a local national who spoke very good English, would come in and teach the incoming Americans about some of the cultural differences, road laws, etc.


The lady that we had said that it is considered an "insult" (by the waitstaff) if you tip the usual (for the US) 15-20% or whatever. She did inform us that it was considered the norm and a "good" tip if you round up to the next bill for especially large parties or large tickets (ie, if your overall bill was over 100 Euro, it was considerate to tip more than the simple rounding). But, the most common tip was if your bill was say... 37.80, and you put down 40 Euro, you could leave that change as tip, and it was considered goo form.

I would agree that that's a pretty good rule of thumb. I think the issue with tipping 20% is that it can be perceived as a statement that the server doesn't make enough money at their job, or that the restaurant doesn't pay the server enough.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Spetulhu wrote:
Sorry if my countrymen seem rude to you. Finns just don't put very much thought into ceremonial politeness outside the President's Independence Day ball, and you'll probably find that quite a few also drink more than is considered polite in civilized countries. But make a friend of one and he will invite you to a real sauna bath and escort your sister safely to the airport without making a pass on her. ;-)

For an additional perspective, I have a few Finnish friends and they are all awesome. I've never met a Finn that I thought was rude.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Ghazkuul wrote:
Clearly you have never seen the movie "Waiting"

Not only have I seen the movie "Waiting," I've also worked in the restaurant business.

OgreChubbs wrote:
Hello:

I was just over the mall and seen someone who I know is going to get his... kicked he was rude when asking for a game from the case he never said thank you to the worker no please. Cut people off and was telling them how where he is from is better and going on and on. It was gettng a bit annoying and people around him where not looking so happy.

Now here is my question when you travel to a different country do you try and figure out the local customs to make sure your not being rude? Or how do you get ready for it?

I'm very gracious when in foreign countries.
1. Because they typically speak another language I will raise my voice and slow my words so they can understand.
2. Because the US$ is so awesome I handle all my transactions in dollars. People are always helpful in taking it and figuring the exchange rate in their head.
3. Because the US is God's country, I try to show the locals the error of their ways, while being gracious.
4. Because local food is always garbage I make sure to order a Royal with Cheese.

I tip generously and I don't think anyone has ever been annoyed with me. Quite the contrary!

Oh and if you are traveling to a country that is poorer than your own, always pay in local currency.

People in Vietnam, China, or Kazakhstan would happily charge you 1000% more if they knew you had US$. Which still was dirt cheap of course.

When I came back from Germany in '02. Think you are right Hordini being I was tipping 20-30%. Another NCO told me after my tour. Oh well.

 Jihadin wrote:
Don't tip in Germany. Was told it was considered rude in a way

No, you round up to a reasonable amount. For example on Friday I rounded up a 32€ bill to 35€ to make the change easier to manage.

I cocked up in France though thinking it was the same principle but they apparently have 15% added to all food bills. I told them to keep the change and afterwards worked out I'd effectively paid 20+% tip which is a bit silly. But it worked out at meals, desserts and most of a bottle of wine for £35 even with my tip-blunder.

What with the exchange rate being what it is, every night we had two main courses and deserts with several drinks each and the bill never came to more than £35 equivalent even after tipping. The last night in Germany we ate in a massive beer hall with hundreds of Germans sitting at long benches singing to live music. We both had a meal, she had vodka and coke and I had a litre (!!) of dunkelbier and it was 35€ with the tip. That's £25 in the centre of Berlin. You'd struggle to match that at weatherspoons in the UK.

I leaning so much more of being a Ex Pat and cashing in on my Dual Citizenship