Eating Out

There are not many traditional German restaurants but rather an abundance of cuisine from other countries. One can find many fine French, Turkish, Italian, and Chinese places as well as sushi-bars, which are gaining in popularity. Three or four major American fast-food chains have made it to Germany as well as small, inexpensive German fast-food restaurants.

Restaurants offer smoking and non-smoking sections; however, they are usually in the same room. It is considered impolite to ask to take leftovers home. An appropriate tip would be 10% of the price of the meal, but it is permissible for a young person or a student to round off the price of the meal to the nearest Euro.

A German café is usually the storefront of a bakery that sells bread and pastries. Generally, one goes to a café to meet friends for conversation either in the afternoon or the evening. In the cafes, one normally pays cash since credit cards are rarely accepted.

For moist cakes, called “torte,” and sweeter, more elaborate desserts, one would go to a Konditorei or one of the Italian shops that specialize in ice cream.