Speisen und Gebräuche (food and food customs)

essen / speisen / trinken

restaurant:: die Gaststätte, die Gaststätten; (similiar to American cafes and frequently a source of authentic cooking and specialize in serving local food; found especially in smaller villages); die Speisewirtschaft, die Speisewirtschaften; die Gastwirtschaft, die Gastwirtschaften; die Gaststube, die Gaststuben; das Speiserestaurant / das Restaurant, die Restaurants; (has a varied menu of hot foods, including a Spezialität)

RESTAURANT CUSTOMS AND CULTURE

Introduction
- German cooking and cooks
- Language problems
- Restaurant vocabulary
  1. 15 must-know German phrases to dine like natives at restaurants
- Restaurant tips
Restaurant culture:
- Eating out:
  1. Choosing a place to eat
  2. Opening times, meal times, and closing times
  3. Almost all restaurants display a menu outside near the entrance to check prices and selections before entering
  4. When entering a restaurant, men generally precede women.
- Restaurant trends:
  1. Wo ist die Toilette? / Don’t forget to put coins in your pocket!
  2. Buying ready-cooked food
  3. Smoking in a restaurant
  4. Internet service
  5. Is there too much English being spoken in Berlin restaurants?
  6. Nothing stays the same
German restaurant customs:
Things you should know before going to a German restaurant
- Seating:
  1. No hostess, so seat yourself
  2. Ist dieser Platz frei? / Sharing tables with strangers
  3. Stammtisch (reserved table for local patrons)
- Bedienung (Service) and Kellner (waiter) or Kellnerin (waitress):
  1. Calling the waiter or waitress
  2. Hi, my name is ______!
  3. Drinking customs
    - Ask for a beverage menu (die Getränkekarte)
    - No cocktail hour, beverages are served with meals
    - Don’t come thirsty! (no water on the table)
    - Don’t ask for ice to put in your drink!
    - Coffee is served after dessert and the meal
    - Milk is not a beverage served in German restaurants
    - Many German restaurants serve beverages from a beverage cart
  4. How was everything?
    - German restaurants serve large portions of food
    - If you don’t eat all food on your plate, it’s an insult to the cook.
    - Service might be slow because Europeans believe you a good meal takes time.
- Menükultur (Menu culture):
  There’s a difference between die Speisekarte and das Menü.
  1. Menu vocabulary
    - A Short Guide to Gourmet’s Germany
    - German phrases during and after the meal
  2. Reading and sharing a menu
    - Some places have English on the menu or are written in English
    - Information on servings (Art and mit) and cooking terms
    - German specialties
  3. Ordering a meal
    - Ordering in English vs. ordering in German
    - Language barrier: ham and ice cream
    - Making special requests
    - How to order in German
  4. Examples of menus
    - Münchner Pschorr Bierhalle
    - Salzburger Café Tosca
- Manieren und Etikette (German table manners and etiquette):
  1. Think before you touch (bread and rolls)
  2. am Tisch (table settings)
  3. Sayings and Mahlzeit! (I hope you enjoy your meal!)
  4. German style of eating
  5. Learn the fork language
  6. Are Germans really rude or just avoiding politeness overload?
- Rechnung (Paying the bill):
  1. Zahlen, bitte! (How to ask for the check?)
  2. Paying the check: zusammen oder getrennt? (together or separate)
  3. Dutch treat still exists in the German dating scene
  4. Pay the waiter or waitress at the table
  5. Most people pay cash
  6. Can you pay for a meal with a check or credit card?
  7. Tipping and tipping traps
    - What you need to know about tipping culture in Germany

die Gaststätte, die Gaststätten (restaurant)

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