American Reacts to 13 things you NEED TO KNOW before visiting Germany!

[@lindsaypolkinghorne22]

Always makes me laugh when people from the USA complain about paying for bathroom visits or water at restaurants but are prepared to pay a fortune for eduction and health care

[@pakabe8774]

This phenomenon is quite new. Till the 90s it was very very very uncommon to pay for bathroom anywhere, at least I can't remember that you have had to pay anywhere. Quite often it is illegal to take money for bathroom use, because any restaurant or place that offers food and drinks with a specific minimum of seats have to have (free) toilettes for their guests. Only train stations took money for using toilettes, but if I remember correct this was just in bigger cities and to hinder drug using.

[@DerAlteMann1974]

Or an ambulance...

[@Sc4v3r]

​@@pakabe8774 We are talking about public toilets. The ones in shopping malls, at train stations and so on. Restrooms in restaurants are not public restrooms as they arp only intended for the customers of that restaurant and not for the general public. In the 80's and 90's there were "cleaning ladies" in front of every public toilet who you could tip. The thought was the same: She (at that time they were almost always women) keep the toilet clean and get the tip for it. That works less well. If the work was done badly, the tip was reduced, and then the work was done worse again... and so on. Public restrooms became a nightmare in Germany. Then the system was changed and professional cleaning companies took over the cleaning. Also due to legal requirements, it could no longer be implemented professionally by the previous staff. But such companies cost money and so everyone has to make their contribution, but benefits from it.

[@pakabe8774]

@@Sc4v3r I am talking about that as well, but I do not exclude other parts of the issue. If you go to a Restaurant at the Autobahn-Raststätte, they are taking money from you - even it formerly was public property and because of that the companies made contracts to keep it free for everybody. I don't call the point of contract, I call the point of law, that they have to have it free for their customers what they don't! In the 90's all public toilettes were free and most of them were as clean or dirty as today! And no, there where no "cleaning ladies" who are asking for tips, that came up on toilettes where the owners don't want to break the law but wanted to put some psychological pressure to customers to pay for use. And now, you are doing historical misrepresentation, because companies like Wall AG and others made offers to overtake the municipal obligation to offer public toilettes and therefore make it free for towns and cities, if the comopanies in return are getting public space for advertisements. Sure, some toilettes where in bad shape, but it never was the majority - at least they weren't worse than nowadays!

[@kidsyx]

Lol. Let's not pretend Germans aren't taxed through the asshole. I literally work with a German who's moved to Australia because the tax is so shit and you gey paid like hired help so everything is too expensive 😂 it's not just Americans who think germany is a shithole. Better countries than America and Germany think its a dystopian nightmare. 😂 the only good thing there is the autobarn and even then is constantly under construction so you can't use it as intended.

[@MarkusUbl]

As a german i have to ask: What the hell is an elevator conversation? Unless you are returning from a bar with your friends, elevator-rides are more quiet and grave than a funeral.

[@pakabe8774]

Depends on where you are and when. In Berlin it can be quite common and that is something I always liked in Berlin.

[@Sc4v3r]

@@pakabe8774 I hate it. On a bus, in a train and also in an elevator I want to be left alone. I have to talk all day at work and otherwise I want peace and quiet as the most Germans.

[@pakabe8774]

@@Sc4v3r You are allowed to hate it. But I am pretty sure, nobody would talk to you, because nobody likes to talk to people when the talk isn't joyful.

[@pakabe8774]

@@Sc4v3r The point of being open minded and talking freely to others is about having a better day. I once was riding my bike hands free at Brandenburg Gate, what isn't allowed in general. Instead of stopping me and charging me for this, the police was driving by and asking me, if they should unscrew my handlebar. I got the hint and we all had fun with that and I was using the handlebars. People like you might have seen it as unpolite and would have prefered to be fined. And if you are standing in an elevater feeling awkward about everybody trying to stare somewhere to avoid looking to others and hardly trying not to outstand in any way, it can be refreshing if there is somebody doing a bad joke about feeling awkward staring somewhere to avoid looking to others and hardly trying not to outstand in any way. Sure I also don't like it, if I'm having a bad day and somebody is coming by and starts talking. But in general that is the way I met people from all over the world, was making friends everywhere, without even leaving the city. And not only making paper friends, but also stayed in contact visited each others, wrote letters, called and so on. But you are right, Germans in general don't like to learn new things or meet new people.

[@normaknorr1614]

About tipping, you don't have to. You only give what you want to. It depence how high your bill is. For example a coffe for...maybe 4,50 the most give to the next full Euro, so 5 in this case. You can say " aufrunden bitte" or tell how much you wanne give. And again it is your choice, but common is up to 10%, depence how friendly the service person was. 😊 The thing about drinkwater in Restaurants is not for free, is that this is how the make Money. Meals in "normal" Restaurants yoused to be not to expensive. So you don't get free drinks because then you wouldn't buy anything to drink and this is how they fix there cost and safe a litle money. But in the last years the prices went higher, so this Argument doesn't count for me anymore. When you need to take medizin you can ask the waiter/res for "Leitungswasser" if its Fortsetzung pill you normaly would get one little Glas for free for this. And at least...since corona changed many in th case to pay, even in germany😂 there are only a few spots were you can't buy/pay with card! Even litle stores/bakery/kiosks... implement the tiny card reader. But its never e foult to have some cash with you for the 2-3 € things. I yoused to have 20-50€ in my wallet, thats way enough . And at the end of the end....sorry for my english! I don't youse it so often. I learned it 30 years ago and in Times between i yoused it Not for a dekade maybe 😂. You make a great Job and i wish you a lot of fun in germany! When your in cologne and have some time space, spent a day im "Phantasialand" in Brühl 😉its Not so big and you can ride a rollercoaster 🎢 oder wie auch immer das geschrieben wird 😂

[@banji7612]

As a German who lived my entire life there too, I can confirm everything she says is right

[@derblitz5837]

Mit dem Englisch sprechen naja es geht. Kenne viele die kein Englisch sprechen oder eher sehr schlecht.

[@denisespangenberg3864]

As a German, I can say here where I live in Niedersachsen, you can choose if you want to give a Tip or not, but mostley people give some Tip 5,99€ Up to 7€ or want you Like to give

[@0rcd0c]

I'd say the tap water in restaurants is a bit different. While it's not mandatory for restaurants to offer free tap water, most of them do if you specifically ask for it.

[@d2ndborn]

I travel to Germany alot for my work. Most of what she said is true. But I have always found the people friendly and willing to help. You do pay for water because it is mostly bottled water. They pay for it so the customers pay for it

[@SuperUltimateLP]

@@Michael_from_EU_Germany werde did you ever get tap water in a German restaurant??? It's always bottled?!

[@seto108]

@@Loki.Leviah1337 das ist legal und ausserdem nur damit du es weiss, das essen ist billiger als das getränk, wieso? weil in wirklichkeit das trinken mehr gewinne macht als essen, da du nur ein gericht isst bis du danach satt und willst sowieso kein zweites gericht bestellen... also was machst du? trinken... grundsetzlich ist wirklich das restaurant an getränke mehr verdient und nicht an essen.

[@Loki.Leviah1337]

@@seto108 1. ja du hast recht.. ich hab meinen Kommentar dazu schon wieder gelöscht.. war fehlinformiert.. 👀zu dem Zeitpunkt hab ich gar nicht mehr nachgeschaut.. 😗aber ich würde beispielsweise in Würzburg jetzt nun wirklich nicht Leitungswasser trinken wollen.. da dort der Kalkgehalt relativ hoch ist.. im Vergleich zu anderen Großstädten wo ich gelebt habe.. xd 2. jap.. die meisten Restaurants machen hauptsächlich durch Getränke ihren Gewinn.. aber nicht immer ist das Trinken teurer als das Essen.. Außerdem.. wer isst denn bitte nur ein Gericht in nem Restaurant? lol.. gehst du direkt zum Hauptgang? keine Vorspeise? oder Nachspeise? in manchen Restaurants werden dir ja sogar Vorspeisen serviert.. ohne dass du sie bestellt hast..👀um die Wartezeit zu überbrücken.. & 3. wieso schreibst du mir nh Kommentar auf Deutsch.. wenn ich erst auf Englisch geschrieben habe? das is immerhin ein englischer Post.. lol.. wolltest du auf gut Glück überprüfen, ob ich Deutsch kann? xd

[@larafischer9431]

Well I almost never paid for tap water at restaurants. It may happen, but if you ask for a glass of it, most of the times it's free. You should ask the cost anyways though to be sure.

[@fuyasasaki7412]

​@@Michael_from_EU_Germany yeah IT would cost 1cent maybe. One Glass of Tap water in Germany costs almost nothing and i get Tap water in Restaurants for free If i ask for it

[@Kari_B61ex]

She missed a few things out - In Germany Sundays are a day of rest (no shops open which she mentioned) If you're in a residential area you are also not allowed to use lawnmowers, strimmer's and noisy power tools on a Sunday. You also are not allowed to wash your car outside of your home - there are car wash areas in most garages... I believe it is so to prevent petrol and oil debris from going into the drains.

[@jessisfabulousworld2108]

Hab noch nie davon gehört, dass man sein Auto nicht draußen wasche darf 😂 macht bei uns auch jeder

[@leDespicable]

@@jessisfabulousworld2108 Das ist tatsächlich vielerorts verboten, weil das Wasser dann ins Grundwasser gelangen kann.

[@olf9832]

@@leDespicable und was hat das mit sonntags zu tuen?

[@Halogucker]

@@olf9832 Nichts. Du darfst das Auto überhaupt nicht am Straßenrand waschen

[@obsidianwing]

@@Halogucker Gegen fenster putzen hat aber keiner was normalerweise , geht eher um vollwäschen

[@SK-rw8fz]

Exactly, because you didn't come to the restaurant to chat with the waiter, but to eat and drink undisturbed and socialize with the people you came with. I never understood that American insistence on service in which someone constantly approaches you, interrupts you in socializing with friends with stupid and artificial questions. If I need you, I'll call you, bring us food and drinks and stay away and don't disturb :) Greetings from Serbia, Southeast Europe

[@cxgx4503]

Hey man, german guy here: First of all, I really enjoy watching your videos, as a German they're entertaining to watch, also I like that you're willing to take a look outside the box and to learn stuff about our culture :) A few additional things to the video: Drinking in public/drinking in general: Germans often drink to have a nice evening and not to end up being wasted. If you're going to a party and start drinking alcohol, it doesn't mean that you're getting totally shit-faced. Working with a lot of Americans (military) I've noticed that many of them either go hard or go home. Meaning IF they're drinking, they usually do it to get wasted. Germans tend to have a few drinks and then just enjoy the rest of the evening, especially on the example she mentioned when sitting next to a river or lake during the summertime. Correct me if I'm wrong, that's just my experience with the Americans I've met. Jaywalking: Unfortunately she missed out the most important rule: You do NOT, no matter of how much you're in a hurry, you do NOT walk on a red light if there is a child either waiting next to you or on the other side of the road. If you do that and there are other grown-ups noticing that, you'll 100% be called out for that. Speaking german/english: I personally do appreciate when Americans try and make the effort to speak german, it is a sign of respect if someone approaches you in your country and doesn't simply expect you to speak their language (even though as mentioned in the video, we're able to) Just a few thoughts I had while watching, feel free to ask anything if you're curious :)

[@user-jq9ri3pv7q]

Water in Germany is usually (!) not free of charge because many restaurants are earning their money to a great percentage with drinks, not only with food. So while the food is usually very affordable in restaurants, they calculate to also make money with the drinks. So if water would be free, people would order less drinks, and the calculation wouldn't work for them. So the reason is mainly HOW restaurants earn their money. In the US, drinks are often cheaper or free, because the restaurants earn their money more with food, and then food is also more expensive. That's why. :-)

[@seto108]

genau sehr gut gesagt... ich meine du würdes nur ein gericht essen ( falls du sehr grossen hunger hast 2 portion) aber danach willst du nichts mehr essen weil du satt bis und kein essen bestellt......

[@maxi9560]

Man kann sogar sagen das Wir quer durchs ganze Land hervorragendes Trinkwassser in den Wasserleitungen haben, aber auch sehr Stolz auf unser "Mineralwasser" sind. Außerdem mögen die Deutschen und besonders der Staat ( über Steuern ) gern sehr korrekt und es ließe sich schwer belegen wieviel Wasser verbraucht wurde und wieviel Wasser "verschenkt" wurde. Es gibt also verschiedene Gründe für diese "Tradition" und alle sind zusammen der Grund dafür warum es kein kostenloses Wasser gibt. ....... You could even say that we have excellent drinking water in the water pipes across the country, but we are also very proud of our “mineral water”. In addition, the Germans and especially the state (through taxes) like to be very correct and it would be difficult to prove how much water was used and how much water was "given away". So there are different reasons for this "tradition" and all of them together are the reason why there is no free water.

[@bonekatradition2800]

Nein, es gibt die generelle Regel, dass jeder in einem Restaurant ein kostesloses Glas Leitungswasser bestellen kann, das machen nur sehr wenige

[@languageatworkinh.r.-b.kip8043]

Two quick remarks: Feli, the woman in the video, is originally from Munich and her take on things is still excellent -- although she's been living in the States for some years now. One thing that has changed a bit since she filmed this video is the German aversion to card payments -- now, post-COVID, more and more shops and venues accept EU-debit cards and larger locales even take international credit cards. The German language does have a "bad reputation"; admittedly, the grammar is a bit more intricate, but it *is* learnable. I've been teaching it for some time now and after the initial shock of the case system (subject case pronouns, object case pronouns, and so on) wears off, quite a lot of my students take to it and do well. If you're keen on giving it a go, let me know! 🙂

[@UserNamesAreObsolete]

As a German native, I am one of the few who sees the grammar as the best part of the language. It's a rule to follow and makes it easier to always use the correct form of expression (if you understand it - admittedly, even natives have many issues getting ir right, and I have no clue, why). The vocabulary on the other hand is the confusing stuff. I for one hate syonyms for they always induce misunderstandings for something simple. Take the word: Umfahren. It can mean 2 things but it is written the same nonetheless: 1: To drive around / avoid a hindrance or danger 2: To hit a person with a car so you run or rather knock him / her over. Anyways, once you get the grammar right, the vocubalry is just a puzzle piece to put at the correct spot.

[@haukenot3345]

Concerning cash culture: It is changing, that is true. But with smaller shops or especially on markets, cash-only is still pretty common. I usually ask if they accept card payments before ordering at a restaurant, and I'd say that in four out of five cases they do. But you cannot just expect it.

[@BadBoy-re8ow]

Gidday Joel. I am from Australia and I have visited Germany twice on business trips. As a tourist, I can vouch that I found this video to be a very accurate description of my experiences there. On another note: water has to also purchased in Australia in most cases. Australian households and businesses have to pay quarterly bills for supply of water and for the amount of water used over the billing period. We are also charged a sewage disposal fee on our water bills.

[@pakabe8774]

In Germany every liter of tap water has to be paid, even it is not that big of a deal. If you ask for, you also would get tap water for free at many places in Germany, but in restaurants they aren't very happy about that, because many places don't really earn much with food and make their profit with drinks. Sure, imo they should charge a fair price for the food and should offer free tap water, but that's how it is :D

[@kidsyx]

That's not true. Most places in Australia you ask for water and it's free. Where I'm from we don't even pay water bills. Our water is free until you go over the excess. You're taking about shit hole capital cities like Sydney and Brisbane who have to run water restrictions becuase they can't stop selling water to cotton farms and wasting it watering footy ovals and golf courses. In just 1 part of Australia there's more rainfall per year than the Amazon rainforest (1500 mm). Where i live 1600 mm of water falls over the entirety of my state in less than a 6 month period.

[@obsidianwing]

You can also go in any public ( clean) Bathroom and fill your bottle with Water on the Tabs for Free. Just make sure its not Raiwater but this has to be Marked as " no drinking water" ( a crossed water tap). I carry active coal Filter Bottle so i can refill it everywhere for free and the filter get rid of the lime.

[@LexusLFA554]

The thing with cash has another reason. Germans don't like being tracked if they can't control it. Cash is pretty much the most anonym form of payment. Otherwise, Germans usually have a bank account, and along with that comes a Girocard. My Girocard has a wireless chip built into it so I can pay with my card wirelessly on the card terminal.

[@gigabotasami6179]

Another reason for Germans to pay with cash is that it gives a better idea on how much you spend. If you have 100 euro in your pocket and pay a certain amount you see how much you have left and how much you already spend. But with a card there is no difference between 5 euro and 50 euro. Its only a number on the screen.

[@LexusLFA554]

@@gigabotasami6179 Absolutely correct

[@montanus777]

and yet another reason to pay in cash is that 'certain people with special offerings' don't have a card device to pay them electronically ... :P

[@LexusLFA554]

@@montanus777 Kinda the same with flea markets. Who's gonna carry around a EC card reader there xD

[@montanus777]

@@LexusLFA554 exactly! i don't want to go 'fully religiously nuts' here, but that whole 'there'll come the day, when you can't buy or sell without the number of the beast' of john's revelation always stuck with me. :P

[@SkandalRadar]

Customer service in Germany is not unfriendly if you are friendly yourself or even a bit funny. But if you treat customer service like shit because you think you're the king, they'll treat you like shit too. As it goes into the forest, so it goes out again. That being said, customer service in stores is designed to leave you alone and not bug you. If you have questions, you can always approach an employee. It's only in DIY stores that you always have to look for employees. They always hide there ;-) Greetings from northern Germany.

[@andreaslange8256]

DIY store employees are said to be very good workers, because a good worker is hard to find.

[@montanus777]

the DIY personnel joke is getting a little old, don't you think?

[@FrankSui_]

I’m very much pro-cash (though I never use it myself). When you pay cash you physically see the money leave you, making you more aware of your spending. Whereas tapping your card feels like nothing.

[@Frohds14]

Some thoughts about the opening times: Our shops are closed on Sundays AND public holidays. E.g. on - May 1st - October 3rd, - Good Friday, - Easter and White Monday, - Ascension Day, - Pentecost Monday, - Corpus Christi, - Reformation Day or All Saints' Day, - Noon at Christmas eve to 26th 2.5 days, - Noon at New Year's Eve to New Year's Day. - in some regions at Three Kings Day/Epiphany (January 6th) , International Women's Day (March 8th; in Berlin only) and World Children's Day (September 20th, only in Thuringia), Assumption of Mary (August 15th) or Lenting-Day (in November). As a tourist, you should definitely take a look at a German calendar beforehand. At least in rural not so touristy regions, the petrol stations are at public holidays only open for a few hours. Our opening times are not around the clock either, there are no Spaetis (kind of 7-Eleven) everywhere. Most supermarkets open at 7am and close at 10pm. At the moment - because of the energy crisis - in my region from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. You should approach that with a realistic GERMAN view. We know, just because a shop is open many hours or on Sundays does not mean that customers spend more money there. Even American supermarkets can only afford the long opening hours because they save on staff. They only get starvation wages, are not even allowed to sit, rarely have a full-time job so that no benefits have to be paid, overtime is required, only after a year they get vacation and sick days, but shouldn't use the all if possible, otherwise they will get fired for flimsy reasons. We don't have anything of that. Our staff has rights, e.g. for benefits on Sundays and Holidays - (in some branches they get 2 times of the money per hour and every working hour count's 2.5 - so 10€ an hour means 50€ for the employer) . Nowadays the supermarket bosses are even considering reducing the opening hours because there is far too few staff on the market and the long opening times also cost a lot of energy. It's not worth it for only 20 customers who come after 9 p.m. They could have come at 8 p.m. I have to admit that I really like going shopping on Saturday evenings after 8 pm because I'm almost alone in the market, no screaming kids, no impatient pensioners. Rarely are there more than 5 customers in the whole supermarket at the same time, but there must be security present, two persons in the separated beverage market, at least two in the supermarket, and one in the bakery. 5 customers 6 employees. However, the 5 customers and I do not buy so much that the hourly wages of these people are actually earned. We have a staff shortage because very few are dependent on a 2nd or 3rd job. None of our teachers have to sit at the supermarket checkout in the evening to pay off their tuition fees. Very few students have to work part-time because our universities are mostly free and parents are obliged to pay for their education. There is even child benefit up to the age of 25. And no employee in the whole EU is allowed to work more than 48 hours a week in total. The bosses have to pay attention to this, otherwise they are liable to prosecution. If someone works the usual 39 hours a week, they can only do a temporary job with a further 9 hours, but under no circumstances may they work a single hour of overtime. That's why it's no longer so easy to get approval from your main employer. And even harder to get people for temporary jobs.

[@Alina_Schmidt]

Yeah, agreed, just not on two things: Stores aren‘t usually open til 10 pm. They can, but 8 pm is more common, especially for not so big stores. In bavaria (a state in south germany) stores mustn‘t be open after 8 pm (with a few exceptions). Students do work. Studying is not entirely free in germany. There are no direct student fees for public universities, but you still pay every semester for infrastructure-services (to the organisation who runs student homes and provides lunches and for the public transit ticket mostly). Probably a lot cheaper altogether, but even just living in general is expensive when you study most of the time. Not everyone‘s parents can, want to or do pay for studies and it‘s especially difficult for people from poor households. So many, many students work and/or use student loans. Then they do end their studies with debt.

[@BennisKanal]

09:50 that's correct. in German (and most countries of the EU) restaurants you get neither free refill nor free water on the table.

[@t.a.k.palfrey3882]

Feli is slightly behind the times vis a vis the use of cards and cash, at least in German cities. I was recently in Bayern and 90 percent of people I saw shopping at the supermarket, drug stores, and eating at restaurants used card payments. Most cards used are contactless and don't require signatures, so some US cards may not work there. Yes, Germany dubs English language films & tv series. In Scandinavian countries, plus the Netherlands, Belgium, and Portugal they use the original English with local language subtitles. As a consequence, kids become fluent in English much younger in these countries than is the norm in Germany.

[@josefineseyfarth6236]

But still you often are expected to carry cash with you e.g. at the local bakery, butcher's, kiosks or just very small shops which don't accept contactless paying because they just don't have the equipment needed to do so (card readers etc). And of course when you're shopping at the weekly markets (found in local places/ squares in most cities), they mostly accept cash only, no matter if it's for food, clothes or other items you'll find there. Same applies to Christmas markets and fairs.

[@leDespicable]

@@josefineseyfarth6236 Also, even if a place accepts card, it's not guaranteed that you'll be able to pay any amount there, quite a few places have a minimum amount for card payments. I even came across a store at Munich Central station that only accepted card payment if your order was over a certain amount.

[@dashekdashek3360]

@@leDespicable The "over a certain amount" part is against most card companies' policies. So when you go to a store and they say they only accept over 10 euro card payments then it is illegal in the eyes of for example VISA or MasterCard :D

[@katydaniels508]

This ladies videos are really informative. I didn’t think I was interested in learning about Germany, but your reactions are great 😁

[@phexter]

Of course there are places where you can only pay with cash in Germany, but I believe for at least the last 20 years of my life I almost never had to have any cash on me as I could use my debit card or credit card almost everywhere. It is true that in some instances you are required to reach a certain amount before the shop will accept you card (below the threshold they expect you to pay with cash) and in other instances it is frowned upon to pay for little amounts with your card. The reasoning behind both instances is that the payment provider (and/or even sometimes that bank) will charge the shop for a service fee on each payment made in the shop using a card. Nowadays this stuff (as far as I am aware) is way more regulated in terms of what you can reasonably charge as a payment fee in case of banks, and in case of payment providers you have way more competition now, so it's unreasonable to charge high amounts as well. Therefore, as I already stated and of course based on my own experience, you can get by very well without carrying some cash around. Concerning the tap water, one of the reasons you often have to pay for it includes that German tap water has a pretty high quality standard. It is being tested regularly and keeping the water clean usually doesn't comes for free, therefore if you consume the(tap) water you have to pay your share.

[@LunaBianca1805]

The cash thing's not quite so bad anymore, especially now after more than 3 years of COVID. People were encouraged to use cards instead of cash and many places still let you pay with them now, but Feli's right about small places like bakeries and such, I'd say.

[@alansmithee8831]

Hello Joel. This was in line with my experience, though I have not visited for some time, but I have worked with Germans, from different areas and some are less formal. I learned German in school and the words are not so different to English, some being like my northern English dialect, but the word order is different and they have masculine and feminine words, like French, but also neuter words. All then have different endings and these change depending on how they appear in a sentence and for plural.I remember a table of sixteen options for how to say "the" and a similar one for "a". I enjoy watching History With Hilbert channel. He is Frisian from Netherlands, but the region goes from there through Germany to Denmark and they speak similar to old English (or Scots). It is a bit like an in-between language to German. He also covers several other languages in line with their history. The hardest bit of translation from German is when the verb is at the end of a long sentence. There is a joke of a UN translator shouting "Get to the blooming verb!" in frustration.

[@-cirad-]

Then there is another fuck you chapter in the textbook: 48 options for adjective endings. But the table has big blocks where the endings are reused because there are only 5 different endings. English native speakers have problems especially with sentence structure, as they are used to a more fixed word order. But German is one of the easier languages for English speakers. The Slavic languages are more difficult.

[@alansmithee8831]

@@-cirad- Cyrillic is not easy either. At university my Greek friend was amazed I could read Greek, if not understand all the words. I pointed out to her, that since we were both science graduates, the letters were used extensively in that. I then pointed out to her that I not only knew this for Ancient Greek designs for wargames, but I started with Napoleonic figures, so I could read some Russian for flags and the like, the alphabet having derived from Greek. Also many of my parent's neighbours were Ukrainian, though I find it has less words from French and German and is harder to read. Have you seen History With Hilbert channel?

[@T0MT0Mmmmy]

German and English are both germanic languages, the same roots, therfore many similarities.

[@MellonVegan]

It's not about German being difficult (it isn't that difficult to learn for English speakers). It's just that speaking someone's native language or at least a lingua franca (English) when talking to them feels like the polite thing to do. Which is why it feels super weird to speak to people in German when I'm in the Netherlands, even though it may be the better option in cities near the border.

[@corinnaschmidt9735]

Yes, water in restaurants is not free in Germany. And there are no refills either. Public toilets usually also cost something. They are usually clean for that. Is everything true! Another thing that occurred to me: the price that is on the price tag in shops is also the price that you have to pay. With us, the tax is calculated directly and included in the price tag.

[@toomasargel8503]

06:20 in Estonia are 80 % gassataion both . You can pay on pump or chice inside cassirér pay. Even one change is only automatic gastations only by pump pay with card or cash. (last one no money back = full Your money bill You have to tank petrol/diesel) .

[@ivylasangrienta6093]

Tipping isn't mandatory, it's just a nice bonus.

[@PokhrajRoy.]

15:44 OMG we’ve been waiting to see you do a language based video where we hear you speak in different languages but nothing on that so far.

[@Mr4dspecs]

Germany’s lovely! Go there when you next visit the UK.

[@listey]

Or just skip the UK and go to continental Europe instead.

[@vanessaschiefereder8590]

4:43 update from 2023, since COVID you can pay contactless everywhere. You always have some cash with you if you need it

[@flintlock539]

Hi Joel , an interesting video. I lived in Germany for 5 months. I speak Dutch French German (the 3 official languages in Belgium) and English. In Belgium you also have to pay for water in a restaurant. In 2022 we had a new law. you can pay cash but they must allow you to pay electronically. But (like my favorite restaurant) some don't accept cards and use payconiq. That is with smartphone. (pierre - bruges)

[@biscuitguy4923]

I am originally from England from a town next to Middlesbrough on the NE coast, and in 2020 I moved to Austria, and they speak a deep dialect of German here that even differs in grammar and tenses, and I'm pretty much completely fluent after 2.5 years, so I wouldn't say it's very difficult, and around 70% of classical English is of German/Germanic origin, so I guessed my way around mostly and it worked! It's just very irregular in comparison to French or Spanish and they create compounded words like 'Krankenstandsbestätigung' which means 'certificate of sickness' (off from work sick) so it just scares people. I highly recommend Austria over Germany, just because of the natural beauty, the culture, more relaxed people (not rigid rule followers, but just be friendly, trustworthy and keep things the way they were found), and there is just a lot more to do in a much smaller country - it's very compact and like a huge playground. On one side of the valley you have a mountain cave and a lift taking you up, on the other side there's a lake where there's places to set up and have nobody around you in hundreds of meters to tell you to turn your music down, and on the other hand Germany is hugely overpopulated and bursting with crowds of people, even visiting my best friend who lives just over the border and a 3 hour train ride from me, I notice instantly I'm in Germany

[@alansmithee8831]

@BiscuitGuy. Are you from Redcar? If so you will understand how Keks sounds like something to make you laugh as a kid learning German up north. My girlfriend has family in Austria. They could not come to UK for a funeral the other year, due to travel restrictions, so we had to represent the family. We met last year for a remembrance. I have commented before that they say I speak German like a German, but I think there is an Austrian joke in there somewhere.

[@janettesinclair6279]

Love Austria! Very relaxing to spend time there.

[@josefineseyfarth6236]

In Deutschland nennen wir die "Krankenstandsbestätigung" "Arbeitsunfähigkeitsbescheinigung", also ein noch längeres Wort.

[@Loki.Leviah1337]

@@josefineseyfarth6236 hachja.. die Deutsche Sprache.. immer wieder schön.. xd

[@embreis2257]

"70% of classical English is of German/Germanic origin"? that may overstating it a bit. English is a [west] Germanic language and therefore contains quite a lot of words with German roots. the going rate is about 29% of English still has German roots, the percentage gets higher in everyday/vernacular English. the rest is mostly of Latin and French origin thanks to the Norman conquest of England in 1066.

[@johnfisher9816]

Hi Joel, another good video. Bottled water for sure. I never drink tap water because your digestive system may be sensitive to water changes. Bowel issues are to be avoided at all costs when travelling. Germans are very reserved, which can come across as cold and indifferent. They actually are very nice and helpful, and I have always been spoiled travelling around Germany. In short, I could live there quite comfortably. Paying to pee is common in Europe, e.g., "Madam Peepee" in France, who is the attendant. German customer service joke, "Velcome to Lufthansa, and you VILL enjoy the flight!!!!" John in Canada

[@taptoplayde]

Some minor additions: The cash thing changed a lot during the last years. Contactless payment and Covid were good for that. You won't have any problems paying with any card (with the Exception of American Express) when buying train tickets or at supermarkets. Many restaurants and bars offer contactless payment, but some are still cash only (while some in bigger cities are cashless!). Farmer's markets are still very much cash only, as well as Kiosks and other little stores. It also depends on the region. I'm living in Berlin and I can pay contactless most of the time (or via app), but in smaller cities it's still differently and besides supermarkets and some restaurants it will still be cash only. So regarding bigger cities: Just keep 100-200 Euros with you as "emergency money". Reasons: 1. Privacy. 2. Fees (which is more or less a myth, current contracts are rather cheap and handling of cash gets more expensive). 3. Control of your expenses (many Germans fear that they loose control about how much money they spend when they do not use cash) Regarding the friendlyness of service: There are parts of Germany where service is just plain rude. Brandenburg is legendary for that and I can confirm it. Every single time. It's not just that they are unfriendly or not talkative (you will have that in northern Germany more than in the southern parts), but they are plain rude.

[@toomasargel8503]

04:41 You are choking but reason is bank take at card terminal ( yes that little device) every pay 2,89 % to bank and little company / cafe get 2,89 % less profit .

[@shacks29]

You can pay with Card,watch and Phone at all Gasstations,Restaurants,Grocery Stores etc. she is refering to very small businesses that are very rare nowadays...also Germans love their Cash its that easy....its 50:50 when it comes to paying with Plastic or Cash.

[@SoraIsGood111]

14:20 I agree, but it's not like we don't talk with each other at all, most of the time we constantly greet each other when passing by. And sometimes we do make small talk, but that's rather rare

[@lachlanmain6004]

I've had experience of the language issue, I was going to travel to Hamelin by train so I spent a day learning how to ask for a return rail ticket in German, trying to show willing etc. I walked up to the ticket desk and asked for the tickets in my newly minted German and the ticket man handed them over and as he did he asked "And what part of England are you from?" It was done very pleasantly without and snarkiness but I couldn't help going away a little bit deflated. I don't know if it's still a thing but in Germany queueing didn't seem to be as much a thing as in the UK??

[@alansmithee8831]

@Lachlan Main. I feel quite smug now that I was asked "Du bist Holländer?".

[@lachlanmain6004]

@@alansmithee8831 Dug myself into another hole trying to explain that my father was Scots, took my a little bit and a bit of pantomiming from the guy I was talking too for me to work out that "das doodlebag" meant bagpipes.

[@JaniceHope]

I don't know if it's still a thing but in Germany queueing didn't seem to be as much a thing as in the UK? Well, not in a straight line. It's an unspoken system and it's for the most part respected. You keep in mind who was there before you and who arrived after you and that's how you know when it's your turn. Meanwhile you can mill around and do stuff... but don't miss it when it's your turn in the waiting crowd! (though often the person who came after you will ask you if it isn't your turn now)

[@helmuthschultes9243]

Tap water is not normally used for drinking. People generally drink bottled water, still or fizzy, or mineral water. Water is clean, well filtered, but source tends to be mixed with impurities such as river or major bore water with ground contamination. The local frown if you drink tap water, which I have generally done without any bad effect. Water in a restaurant will be from bottled source, and the charge covers the drinking glass washing, as if you had some other drink, soda or beer for example, the drinking glass has to be washed whatever you have been drinking, so cost cover. Tipping is NOT expected, but is appreciated. The workers are well paid and do NOT depend in the tips to live, but certainly a tip for good service is good. Part of the tip by rounding is also to avoid pocket full of coins. Cash is very common for smaller outlets, and above all CREDIT cards are rare, the cards used in most of Europe tend to be DEBIT cards. Credit cards like Diners, AMEX, Thomas Cook all normally have surcharges, as the retailers DO NOT want to cover the charges to them by these organisations, to the retailer that cuts into profit margin, as if offering a discount, just that cost to the profit going to the financial mob. Lots of take away stands, magazines, newspaper, bus/train tickets, even cinema tend to require cash. I even had Hotels proffering cash over cards. Even increasing room rates for credit card use. Waiters in most restaurants have their leather cash pouch for meal payments. Card usually means going to the office to scan cards.

[@TheGamingCrow]

9:25 nope, unlike Feli said tipping is neither common nor expected. Most poeple don't tip or just round up from 5.95 to 6.00 €. Of course, it also depends on the area, so just check out what other customers are doing.

[@michaelfiedler1419]

Always great to welcome visitors from States, I used to live in California myself and know that getting adjusted, one way or another seems complicated. My fellow German in the video hasn't mentioned anything controversial, everything she says matches my personal experience. You of course havesome public bathrooms free of charge, but the charged ones are very clean. Water in restaurants is completely true, I don't know any place in Germany where the offer tab water. I dont know the reason, but tab water might be illegal to serve, I am not sure though. By the way Germany offers the cleanest tab wab water you think of, just dont expect in a restaurant. Cash still is very think here, could be because of trust issues, people don't fully understand card payments, hence they tend to not trust them. Tips in restaurants are only expected if you're satisfied, if you didn't like the service, dont tip.

[@norbertzillatron3456]

The tap water in German is usually high quality, and you can drink it without any health concerns. The issue with water in restaurants is that the meals are comparatively cheap, so they need to make some extra money on drinks. That's why drinks in a restaurant cost a lot more than the same stuff in the grocery store, and also why they don't like (or refuse) to provide free tap water. Waiters are paid like in other jobs, so they don't rely on tips as much as in the US. That's why tipping is optional, but it's considered to be good form to show appreciation of good service/quality by tipping about 10%.

[@seto108]

je nachdem was für laune du hast, kannst du ( musst du nicht ) trinkgeld drauf legen. aber das ist kein musst, in deutschen gesetz steht nicht drauf du MUSST trinkgeld geben.

[@danielg.4769]

Greetings from Germany too :) Regarding to tap water: it depends on the restaurant if it is free or not but you have to ask for it. Usually it is not on the menu.

[@embreis2257]

12:40 *dubbing* : that's something only large enough language communities can afford. around 100m people are German native speakers in Europe and this is a market strong enough to warrant dubbing. it wouldn't be feasible for smaller language communities like the Scandinavian countries or the Dutch etc to dub all [popular] foreign tv shows or movies but the French and Germans can do this.

[@leasop58]

In German Restaurants Sometimes are other things to dring cheaper than water

[@SinanErgin88]

In the netherlands supermarkts/grocery stores are open everyday of the year and some of them like jumbo or albert heijn till 10 pm, and no not just grocery stores are open on sunday but every other kind of shop dont close on sunday, but that's the netherlands ofcourse 😁

[@florianrothbauer3394]

Hey JP. I am a chef and I think I can help you with two of your questions. First is not acepting cardpayment. For the shop and restaurantowners it is very expensiv to have card reader. The fees are enormous and can easily be one euro or more per transaction. Second is tapwater in restaurants. Tapwater is one of the best tested and cleanest water you can get in germany, so ther are no health issues with that. But the prices for food in restaurants are mostly fairly low. So the restaurant has to sell beverages to pay it's bills. Also you are required to give tip's of 15-20% like in the US to pay the waiters, also 5-10% are really apriciated for good service and food. Yes the waiters normally share with the kitchensaff.

[@blaucharly78]

You can order Tab Water in Restaurants and sometimes it is cheaper, but even this wont be free, because you pay the waiter, the glass (cleaning) and part of all the other costs (like rent, power...).

[@raiklitzenberger1560]

Free water is available at some places, at least to refill your own bottle. The places have a blue sign with a waterdrop on it. But other than those places I dont know of many where you can have free water.

[@Nobody_Cares913]

So even a lot of Germans don't know this: Crossing a red light as a pedestrian is illegal, BUT only on the actual Fußgängerüberweg (pedestrian crossing). If you cross even a few steps next to it, it's totally allowed, but maybe not appreciated.

[@1EATkids]

15:45 for example (I’m a student who lives in germay born in germany) in english you only have the and in germany you have “der, die, das“ and we also have more but I’m lazy so yeah but we can use a word like “dieser“(the guy can be “der Typ“ or “dieser Typ“ and its also the in a context (and yes german is complex for example my spelling in german is the worst so I got an 6(F) in my “diktat“ (a test for spelling, and its horrible)

[@MsAaannaaa]

1. tipping is not necessarily expected but still a nice thing to do & the 10% are also what I usually give. 2. tap water isn't free for the restaurants so it's up to them to give it to you for free. many places do, some don't. you have to specifically ask for tap water though, not just water ("Leitungswasser")- the quality is actually top notch. when they don't offer it it's probably because their margin is bigger on the beverages & not so much on the food. 3. the places where you can't pay electronically are clearly the minority but it can happen. post covid a lot has changed for sure. 4. with German customer service mentality my experience has been "what goes around comes around". don't act as if they're lesser than you and you should be fine. ;) and if one of them is grumpy, just ignore it and don't take it personally. it's most definitely not about you. 5. paying to pee only applies to specific public toilets that are basically a business & not attached to another business. restaurants, cafés and bars usually allow their customers to use the bathroom free of charge & ask for 50cent from non customers who just drop in to use the bathroom. in my experience you don't have to pay the 50 cents if you ask really nicely before you use the bathroom. give them a smile & show some gratitude & you're good. 6.the jaywalking thing is a bit outdated in my opinion and also depends on the region/area you live. 7. yes, GTFO the bike lane. I'm one of those angry cyclists yelling at people blocking the way. xD if you hear a bikebell, just move to the side, don't look around first. thank you.

[@patrickschindler2583]

Tap water also goes through a water meter, whereby the water has to be treated and costs money. The carbonated water also has to be bought!

[@sksaddrakk5183]

Water costs something (even tap water) because the staff has still to bring it to your table and clean the dishes afterwards. It is the same in Switzerland. However, in Switzerland, tipping is NOT expected, but if you think the waiting stuff went above and beyond, some small tip is appropriate (often people round up to the next 5er, depending on the check)...

[@Xalinai]

Bottled water is sold at 3 - 4€ for a 300ml bottle. And for tipping some Germans use a 3F rule: Fast, Friendly, Flawless, each worth 5%. And yes, bad service might result in no tip.

[@MrAta64]

water: normally it has to be paid, if u want a water"version" from the menucard (what is only bottled). but it differs: if ure asking friendly and especially for Tapwater (except in restaurants). Party locations (most electrro ones :P) serve Tapwater if ure asking, but its not allowed to set it on the menucard, cause of waterquality..not because of the waterquality of the city or area but of the Building its served in (old pipes etc.). So the waterstandard is that high, that tapwater has t be measured in each restaurant for itself and that kills the thinking of serving tapwater. Many companies in germany have waterfilters or filtermachines that are used for getting tapwater in carafes in meetings. But its a "service" and will cost money

[@PokhrajRoy.]

Nice to see Joel being an Anti-American Imperial Measurement thought leader.

[@blablupp13]

Short info: in Germany restaurants are required to have one nonalcoholic baverage on the menu thats cheaper than the alcoholic ones ... also by charging money for the water they can keep the price for beer lower

[@miajohanna2048]

Most restaurants don’t really offer tap water. You just get water in bottles. But maybe in some restaurants or cafés you could just ask for tap water and it might be free then.

[@davidmar442]

Upselling bottled water is common in restaurants, tap water if offered is free here in Australia … also best to ask in German whether someone speaks English so you’re learning one sentence rather than a whole language … and it is more polite😃

[@xderleonx7227]

The thing is that the Restaurants get their revenue from drinks not from food thats why drinks are a bit expensive

[@toreon1978]

Tipping is 0-10% depending on quality of service. But water nearly always costs close to as much as coke as there often is no such thing as tap water. Service is hit and miss but it is honest and does not feel fake.

[@Tiwi81]

Before Corona you have to buy stuff for minimum 5€ or 10€ to pay with a card in some small shops. Since Corona you can pay with a card nearly everything without a minimum amount. Except in Bakerys or at chrismas markets.

[@bastianroth1204]

ehm... Im not sure to what kind of restaurants Felicia went to but shes also from Munich, Baveria (The Texas of Germany) and that says a lot. Im from Rhineland-Palatinate and we actually have a great customer service here, including having a reception that gets you seated and ofcourse free tap water. This could be related to the American airbase Ramstein that exists near Kaiserslautern (or K-Town) but I dont think so. Also you dont have to tip. Its completly normal to pay without tipping but I usually do it, unless the service was unpleasant which it never is.

[@hans-jurgenmuller3686]

During summertime , a lot of places will have a sign on their door saying that they will fill your waterbottle for free - with tapwater...which is very good in Germany and most people drink it .

[@lukassteinbrink322]

Tap water will cost of course, as you know our tap water is totally fine to drink and we have to pay for it cause a lot of water gets reprocessed and that have to be payed too. That old water gets reprocessed might sound a bit strange but our processes are good enough to bring it back into rivers and other stetches of water so it gets back in to the cycle.

[@enthaupter_]

Regarding the tipping in Germany, I usually round up to the next 5 or 10 € Mark, so if the Bill is 12,40 I would round it up to 15; if the Bill is 88€ I would Round it to 100€; always striking a balance between how much I spent and how much the next 5/10er mark is away from the original Bill - This comes down to the size of the bank notes, the smales Euro-Note is 5€, so I don't want to pay with a mix of coins and Bills so I round to the next point where I can only pay with Bills and not with coins/don't get any coins back

[@aerosoul12345]

to answer your questions: Cash in germany is standard for low cost items/services. the reason is simply because a shop owner has to pay a (way too expensive) fee for each card transaction to the credit card provider (Visa, Mastercard aso.) thats why it doesnt make sense to accept card payments for lets say a 5€ product if you have to pay 30ct of it to the credit card provider. so you have to blame these (US) credit card providers as for free water. if you order water you wont get tab water but usually a small bottle of spring water from a fancy brand. if you explicitly ask for tab water you'll usually get it for free. even though restaurants wont be too happy about it, simply because they make profit mostly from drinks instead of food. also that's why there's no free refill. regarding "pay to pee". you'll usually see this in public spaces. benefits are that most of the time you'll find these places spotless, cause that's what you're playing for. often you'll get some sort of coupon for the payment, for example at gas stations.

[@tobiase1699]

I'm from northern Germany and I'd say that most of the time you can ask for tap water in restaurants and they will give it to you for free. I also dont really ever see somebody only drinking a glass of tap water with their food. You usually order a beer or a coke and a glass of water with it. I heard multiple times that restaurants are obligated to give you tap water free of charge but I don't know if that is true

[@janettesinclair6279]

First they charge you for the water, then they charge you again to use the bathroom! One cafe I know charges to use the restroom, but if the restroom ticket is presented when you pay, the cost is deducted from the cost of the meal. It is always useful to have a small amount of cash, as many small corner shops, market stalls etc don't accept cards as it's not practical..

[@VintageTechFan]

That only happens in touristy areas or inner city, where people always sneaked in to use the bathroom, without contributing to the cleaning costs. Normal restaurants don't do that.

[@davidmarkwort9711]

actually water is free, it's the drainage that costs. So they couple the amount of water used to the amount that floats down the sewers. All you are paying for is the sewage works

[@toomasargel8503]

15:44 German is same trhee that english . Start learn estonian langugae where ( my native language ) are 14 noun chaces and united words like ( until 8 words thoghetere ) siselaskeklapisäärepooltihend .

[@dannyf359]

Here in berlin we Jay walking here everything if no car is coming and here we have a smalltalk in the grocery store

[@Flowyerg]

I am from germany and I can tell you streight ahead that you have to pay for your water in restaurants except you are having a stroke. But the good part is that you just have to give a tip if you are really happy with the customer service.

[@amongabriel3383]

waterquality in german is extremely good, and even if there is written kein trinkwasser (non drinking water) on a spring or whatever it might even be high quality water. tapwater also costs something but cold water costs basicly nothing. but yes restaurant waterprices are insane, just buy juice alc or limo

[@cleriker4095]

Hi. Born and currently living in Germany. You don't have to tip your waiter... but it is a nice thing too and will be appreciated 😊

[@bavo981]

Beer is less expensive than water lol. I've been to this one restaurant and they would give you a small bottle of water for like 7 euros and half a liter of beer cost like 2,50. I always make sure to drink my fill when I do go out lol.

[@missyd5016]

It's pretty commonplace here in Australia to pay for your petrol after you've filled your petrol tank. We try to give credit where credit is due, by working on a trust system. In saying that though, most petrol stations have cameras nowadays. Water also costs in restaurants here too, unless it's offered. ☺

[@PokhrajRoy.]

11:12 Is there something you’d like to share with the class? There’s a cathartic rant in there somewhere.

[@stenhard61.46.1]

Hey Joel. Did you know that America doesn't use the Imperial System to measure. We use American Customary Units which predate the Imperial System. Tho based on an older English system many of the units with the same names are different in size.

[@luis_khf474]

Tiping is in gemany not expected. Also you can pay almost everywere with card. This changed especally in the last 3 years.

[@Deer-Hirsch]

Tipping is on your own you dont need to if u dont want to thats up to you if u want to tipp. And most we round it up like when we pay 22€ we say make it 25€. But thays up to u how much u want to tipp.

[@susanita1093]

The thing about the water and other drinks in restaurants is, that the food in german restaurants is much cheaper than in other countries. Restaurants in Germany earn their money mostly about selling the (expensive) drinks. In the end the bill is more or less the same as in other countries where you get free water and pay more for the food.

[@EinChris75]

The quality and oversight rules for tap water are way more strict than on bottled water. Tap water is often even cleaner (!!) then bottled water.

[@andreaslange8256]

You got the point with customer service. There´s almost no obvious fake smile or in any way overboarding kindness to be seen in customer service, as german customers would rather feel embarrassed than pleased by it. You can expect them to be polite and willing to help, but not more. If someone is extraordinately friendly and talkative, it´s because he or she really enjoys the job.

[@Corrupted]

I would say the still/sparkling water debate is changing quickly, I don't know a single person who prefers sparkling water over good still water, no matter the age

[@k.s.8064]

The water thing is, that the water in restaurants are bottled. But even for tap water a restaurant owner has to pay his regional water supplier, so he gives that to the visitor. And right, the Germans love their cash. But the Corona times changed alot and nowadays you can pay so much more without needing any cash. I am living in Frankfurt am Main and 99% of my daily payments are now with cards or mobile phone. I barely use and have any cash anymore but still have always cash in my wallet, in case there is a shop accepting only cash or there is a terminal problem so you aren't able to pay by card.

[@clement2780]

most museums are closed on mondays , hungary vatican sunday, naples tues wed, dresden tues, paris tues,

[@ISOMNIA666]

and german teens are most likely to help u out as a tourist. Most of them can speak english and are friendly. Like for example asking for streets

[@stuckclamp]

Water is therefore not free, as the service and washing up also causes costs. Drink water at the public city fountain. Credit card operators usually charge the smaller shops horrendous fees, so it's only worth it for more than €20. Department stores with several branches have better conditions. Especially since what do you do when the electronic payment system goes on strike. I don't know about you, cleaning a toilet facility has to be paid for in some way. I'd rather go to a clean toilet than a filthy one.

[@sneshubr5192]

The paying for water will be similar to in the UK. Certain places aren't aloud to give tap water to customers due to health and safety so bottled water is all they have to offer.

[@MrStubbs8157]

If you are nice and explicitly call for a little tap water noone will decline...its just that its not normal to drink tap water in a restaurant, bar, cafe....if you have an emergency or something you will get it. And paying for bathrooms: It seems regional as I rarely paid for a restroom ever. On the autobahn restaurants you pay and get it back as a ticket. You can collect them and later on buy stuff from it. I dont know many places where you have to pay for that stuff. And only cash is real money that noone can track anymore. In other countries your bank knows how much you eat fatty burgers, smoke cigarettes, etc....and going full electronic in some countries already show hints, that your insurances suddenly get more expensive as you are a potential risk patient consuming so much fast food.

[@Pucky71]

An innkeeper mostly earns his money with drinks, so there is no free water. But drinks aren't so expensive that you need complimentary water either. Cash = Freedom! Germany had two dictatorships, so Germans are suspicious when data is collected. Credit cards collect data, which is why many Germans don't like it. It's also a money issue for the shops, as they have to pay fees to make payments with credit cards. But it's not that bad, more and more shops are taking credit cards.

[@momoniii08]

The thing about giving tip at the restaurant, its not expected your free to say it

[@miajohanna2048]

It’s true, some strangers just don’t like to talk with others. But that’s mostly not the case. Maybe if you’re in the shops you won’t have small talk with the cashier because she is busy, but by saying “ugh this line is not getting any shorter” you will get a nice answer.

[@powerpuffboy6825]

Water at restaurants is payable almost all over Europe and they usually don't serve tap water even if asked (exception are the Balkans where you can get tap water for free if you ask). I don't think she explained good enough about the tips. You are not expected to leave certain amount of tip, however it's usually nice out of courtesy to leave 5-10% tip, but if you don't want to tip, no one will run after you, maybe just a bit of bad mouthing between the waiters. Although there are some fancy restaurants where they directly include "Service fee" (usually 10-12%) to the bill and don't expect tips.

[@shacks29]

Tipping is not expected and not a " must do" in Germany you only do if you satisfied with the service,but its pretty common to round up....and waiters are not unfriendly they just leave you eat in peace and dont ask you every 5 minutes if you need something.

[@arnodobler1096]

Usually tap water is free in restaurants in DE, but you have to ask specifically for it. German restaurants live more from selling the drinks than from the food itself. It's also comparatively cheap.

[@arnodobler1096]

@@Michael_from_EU_Germany Ich arbeite fast mein ganzes Arbeitsleben in der Gastronomie. Wir haben nie etwas verlangt. Habe aber gehört von Restaurants die ein paar Cent verlangen. Man hat auch Kosten: Service, Gläser spülen, ... ich verstehe das.

[@tubelist41]

German dont want ice in their drinks, if we pay for a Cola we want Cola and nor frozen water xD And the customer service thing is because germans want to talk with their friends or family while eating and dont want to get interupted in conversation by the customer Service. So if you need something just ask and then they will hurry to get your wishes done but if you dont ask they think you need your time.

[@elwourmo993]

tipping in restaurants is expected but not manditory, the reason you have to flag down servers is mainly because they want to leave you alone and make you feel private and at home (not jumping around every 5 minutes) but they will still see empty glasses and plates. fourtunatly german servers don't really on tipps (though they still appriciate it) but they get payed enough so they don't need everyone to tipp to stay alive. (german from hamburg here)

[@Olim22]

Tipping is not expected. Often people will just round up to the full next Euro and maybe add 1 Euro in addition if you feel like it. Also using cash is for privacy reasons. A lot of people don’t want a payment service provider to know their spending history.

[@EinChris75]

Cash is king. (In recent times it shifted a lot to mobile payment) But with cash you get a way bette feeling on how much you spend.

[@bluebear6570]

We don´t drink tap water, although it´s perfectly fine to do so.

[@CellurizonDe]

It’s an acutal thing to pay for water in germany! Greetings from Hannover,Germany ❤