A guide for Australians on how to order food and drink in germany without using english.
## 11. How to Order Food and Drink in Germany Without Using English One of the most common ways Australians default to English in Germany is at restaurants, cafés, and bars. The vocabulary and phrases you need are limited and learnable within a single study session. Here is everything you need. ### Before You Sit Down Germans often do not seat themselves at restaurants without being shown to a table — particularly in more formal establishments. Wait near the entrance and catch someone's eye, or ask: - *Ist dieser Tisch frei?* — Is this table free? - *Wir sind zu zweit/dritt/viert.* — There are two/three/four of us. - *Haben Sie noch einen Tisch für zwei Personen?* — Do you have a table for two? ### Getting the Menu The menu is *die Speisekarte* (food menu) or *die Getränkekarte* (drinks menu). - *Könnte ich bitte die Speisekarte haben?* — Could I please have the menu? - *Was empfehlen Sie?* — What do you recommend? ### Ordering The simplest and most natural way to order in German: - *Ich nehme...* — I'll have... (literally "I'll take") - *Ich möchte...* — I would like... - *Einmal das Schnitzel, bitte.* — One schnitzel please. (Einmal = one time = one order) - *Zweimal die Pasta, bitte.* — Two pastas, please. For drinks: - *Ein Bier, bitte.* — A beer, please. - *Ein Wasser, bitte.* — A water, please. - *Einen Kaffee, bitte.* — A coffee, please. (Note: *Kaffee* is masculine — *einen*) - *Stilles oder Sprudel?* — Still or sparkling? (You will be asked this for water) ### Dietary Requirements - *Ich bin Vegetarier / Vegetarierin.* — I am vegetarian (masculine / feminine) - *Ich bin Veganer / Veganerin.* — I am vegan - *Ich bin allergisch gegen Nüsse / Gluten / Milch.* — I am allergic to nuts / gluten / milk - *Ohne Zwiebeln, bitte.* — Without onions, please - *Enthält das Fleisch?* — Does this contain meat? ### Paying This is where Australians often get confused because German restaurants do not typically bring the bill automatically. You have to ask for it: - *Die Rechnung, bitte.* — The bill, please. - *Zahlen, bitte.* — I'd like to pay. - *Wir möchten zusammen zahlen.* — We'd like to pay together. - *Wir möchten getrennt zahlen.* — We'd like to pay separately. Germans typically pay separately (*getrennt*) even in groups — the concept of splitting a bill evenly is less common than each person paying for exactly what they ordered. ### Tipping Tipping in Germany is appreciated but not mandatory. The convention is to round up to a convenient number or add 5–10% for good service. You say the total you want to pay (not the change you want back) when handing over cash: - If the bill is €18.50 and you want to tip to €20, hand over €20 and say *stimmt so* (keep the change) or say *zwanzig* (twenty) to indicate you are paying €20. - For card payments, tipping is less common and some terminals do not support it — ask *Kann ich auch mit Karte zahlen?* (Can I pay by card?) and if the tip option is not present, a small cash tip is fine. ### Coffee Culture Notes for Australians Australia's flat white has become internationally famous and is available in many German cafés in larger cities. However, the default German coffee culture is different: - *Kaffee* typically means filter coffee in traditional cafés - *Espresso* is an espresso — ask for *einen Espresso* - *Cappuccino* is widely understood - *Milchkaffee* is coffee with a lot of milk (like a café au lait) - *Latte Macchiato* is the German approximation of a latte In most German cities, you can now find specialty coffee shops (especially in Berlin, Hamburg, and Munich) with an Australian-style approach to coffee. If you are suffering and need reassurance, search for *specialty coffee* or *Third Wave Kaffee* in the city you are visiting.Found this useful? Share it with other Australians learning German 🇦🇺
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B1 German / Beginner Swiss German
An Australian who learned German to B1 level without living in Germany — navigating the same lack of local resources that most Australian learners face. Currently learning Swiss German. This site is the resource I wished had existed when I started.
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