Tipping: round up, and say it out loud
Trinkgeld
In German restaurants people usually tip about 5–10%, and they tell the waiter the total when they pay.
Tipping (Trinkgeld) is voluntary in Germany, but it is normal in restaurants, cafés, taxis and at the hairdresser. Around 5–10% is usual; for a coffee, people just round up.
You do not leave the money on the table. You tell the waiter the total you want to pay. If the bill is €27.50, you can say „30, bitte“ or „Machen Sie 30“.
If you say „Stimmt so“ ("that's right") when you hand over money, the waiter keeps the change.
Card machines sometimes suggest 15–25%. You do not have to choose that.
You may hear
Stimmt so, danke!Keep the change, thanks!
India and Germany
Similar to India, where tips are small and optional. The German difference is that you say the amount aloud instead of leaving cash on the table.
German words for this
- das Trinkgeld · tip
- aufrunden · to round up
- Stimmt so · keep the change
- das Wechselgeld · change
This is a custom, not a rule: families and regions differ.
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