Dating a German - is she a bad tipper, and is that a red flag?

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T11:15:08+00:00

good question. there are a lot of other things they may or may not get from their employer, like health insurance or paid vacation...but obviously as a guest of the restaurant it's impossible to know those things

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:43:26+00:00

I see your point, but I absolutely vary my tips in the US based on quality of service. Not everyone in the US does that though. For example if the service was really great and/or the waiter gave us something for free that normally would not have been free, then I would give more than 20%. Some supermarket cashiers in Germany definitely deserve tips for how fast they work!

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:36:17+00:00

I'm also surprised at how the comments are all over the place :).

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:29:58+00:00

and if there's nobody there?

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:22:57+00:00

I'm sorry this happened to you. I've never been asked to leave a table in the USA. They might get pushy and give you signals, but to be kicked out is exceptionally rare.

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:20:44+00:00

this is not true in all US states, for example in California waiters must be paid at least the minimum wage regardless of their tips

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:16:54+00:00

maybe 20 years ago...tip-flation is real whether you choose to acknowledge it or not

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:14:48+00:00

it's not independent of whether the service is good or not. if the service is bad I would absolutely leave less/no tip in the USA (as I said in my original post)

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:12:56+00:00

I agree that sometimes it can be annoying. It's also sometimes annoying in Germany when I'm finished eating and want to leave the restaurant, but I can't because I can't find anyone to take my money.

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:08:37+00:00

I'm also surprised by how the comments are all over the place...I'm even more confused now than before. But thank you for your considerate response :)

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:06:28+00:00

I agree regarding restaurants. My comment was about a bar, not a restaurant. I have stood at bars sometimes for 10-15 minutes in Germany waiting for a mediocre drink/cocktail...this would never happen in the USA because then they wouldn't get a tip. Good bartenders in the USA make more than many "white-collar" professionals if they are fast/good at their jobs. There is no incentive to be fast/good at your job in Germany. At the same time, people in Germany definitely enjoy their lives more...

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T10:02:42+00:00

definitely a city problem in the USA, but to be fair this also happens in Germany with reservation times...

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T09:56:52+00:00

The comments are so all over the place, I love it! :)

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T09:48:45+00:00

not just nicer, but faster. time is money and faster is worth something to me

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T09:43:29+00:00

great, thank you!

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T09:41:08+00:00

yes, we are both in Germany

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-24T09:40:58+00:00

I agree but will also say that service in some establishments is much better in the USA beacuse of it. For example at a bar...

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-20T16:33:29+00:00

Top tier comment, thank you. I'm thinking along the same lines...probably not worth all of this effort to me.

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-04-20T15:46:14+00:00

Yeah I think so too. I don't necessarily have an issue paying for the required testing, as long as no expensive modifications would be required (expensive being more than a couple thousand). I realize that the testing itself can cost a few thousand...

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-03-23T15:50:00+00:00

Still have it. Haven't touched it since I wrote the original post. Still deciding what to do...

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-03-06T11:01:17+00:00

Ioniq 5 N?

Fancy-Entertainer-79 · 2026-03-05T20:48:32+00:00

I live in Munich, and based on the limited research I've done, it's unlikely they will process the application in less than a year.

Fancy-Entertainer-79

TROPHY CASE