Ordering in German at a bakery or restaurant, and paying the bill

To order in German, say "Ich hätte gern..." or "Ich nehme..." followed by what you want, then "bitte". To pay, ask "Die Rechnung, bitte" or "Wir möchten zahlen, bitte". The server will ask "Zusammen oder getrennt?", meaning one bill or separate. You tip by telling the server the total you want to pay.

At the bakery

German bakeries move fast, especially in the morning. People step up, order in one breath and pay. Knowing the rhythm matters more than perfect grammar.

You will hear several versions of "anything else": Sonst noch etwas?, Noch etwas?, Darf es noch etwas sein? and Kommt noch was dazu? The answer is always the same: Nein, danke, das war's, or Das ist alles.

Rolls have regional names

The humble bread roll is the best example of German regional vocabulary. Brötchen is understood everywhere and is standard in the north and center. In Bavaria and Austria people say Semmel, in Berlin you will hear Schrippe, and in parts of the southwest it is a Weck, Wecken or Weckle. Use the local word if you know it, but Brötchen always works.

If you don't know a pastry's name, point and say "So eins, bitte" (one of those, please) or "Was ist das?" Nobody expects tourists to know every regional cake.

In a café or restaurant

In many casual places you seat yourself. In busier or more formal restaurants, wait near the entrance or ask: Haben Sie einen Tisch für zwei? If a table is shared, as in many beer gardens, ask before sitting down: Ist hier noch frei? (Is this seat free?)

Ordering phrases

English speakers often translate "Can I get" literally as "Kann ich ... bekommen?" That works and is polite. What sounds abrupt is "Ich will einen Kaffee", which is closer to "I want a coffee". Ich möchte or Ich hätte gern is the friendly version.

Remember the article endings: einen Kaffee, einen Tee and einen Salat (masculine), eine Cola and eine Apfelschorle (feminine), ein Wasser and ein Bier (neuter). Getting einen right on drinks is a quick win, because you will say it constantly.

Water is a decision

Ordering "ein Wasser" usually gets you bottled water, often sparkling, or the question Still oder mit Kohlensäure? If you want still water, say ein stilles Wasser or ein Wasser ohne Kohlensäure. Sparkling can also be called Sprudel or Wasser mit Kohlensäure. Tap water is Leitungswasser. It is safe to drink, but it is not always offered automatically, and some restaurants prefer you order bottled water.

Getting the server's attention

Catch the server's eye or say Entschuldigung! politely when they pass. "Herr Ober!" is old-fashioned and you will mostly hear it in films. Servers often leave you alone after the food arrives. That is not slow service: in Germany the table is yours for as long as you like, and the bill only comes when you ask.

Asking for the bill

• Die Rechnung, bitte. (The check, please.)
• Wir möchten bitte zahlen. (We'd like to pay, please.)
• Zahlen, bitte! (Short and very common.)
• Kann ich mit Karte zahlen? (Can I pay by card?)

Card payment has spread a lot, but some smaller cafés, bakeries and traditional pubs still prefer cash or take cash only. Ask before you order if you have no cash: Kann man hier mit Karte zahlen?

Zusammen oder getrennt?

When you pay as a group, the server usually asks Zusammen oder getrennt? (Together or separately?) Splitting the bill by what each person ordered is completely normal in Germany, even on dates and among colleagues. If you say getrennt, the server will go around the table and ask each person what they had, then tell each one their amount.

If one person is paying for everyone, say Zusammen, bitte, or Ich lade dich ein (it's my treat) beforehand.

Tipping the German way

Tips are not left on the table after you go. You tell the server the total, including the tip, at the moment you pay. If the bill is nineteen eighty, you might say "Zweiundzwanzig, bitte" and hand over a larger note, and the server gives change from twenty-two. If you hand over the exact amount you want to pay, say Stimmt so, which means "keep the change".

Rounding up or adding roughly five to ten percent is common in restaurants. When paying by card, tell the server the total before they enter the amount, because there is often no tip line on the receipt.

English speakers often say "Danke" as they hand over a note, expecting change. Be careful: to many servers, "Danke" at that moment sounds like "keep the change". Say the amount you want to pay instead.

Small phrases that make it smooth

• Guten Appetit! is said before eating; reply Danke, gleichfalls! (Thanks, you too.)
• Prost! or Zum Wohl! when you clink glasses. Look the other person in the eye.
• Hat es geschmeckt? (Did you enjoy it?) Answer Ja, sehr gut, danke.
• Schönen Tag noch! (Have a nice day.) is a common goodbye at the counter.

Ordering is one of the best places to practice German, because the script is short and repeats every day. Rehearse it out loud with a tutor, say it at a real bakery counter the next morning, and it stops being a performance and becomes a habit.

Frequently asked questions

How do you ask for the bill in German?

Say Die Rechnung, bitte, Zahlen, bitte, or Wir möchten bitte zahlen. In Germany the bill usually only comes when you ask for it.

What does zusammen oder getrennt mean?

It means together or separately. The server is asking whether one person pays for the whole table or whether each person pays for what they ordered. Both are completely normal.

How do you tip in Germany?

Tell the server the total you want to pay, including the tip, when you pay. Rounding up or adding roughly five to ten percent is common. Stimmt so means keep the change.

Is it rude to say Ich will in a German restaurant?

It sounds blunt, like saying I want. Ich hätte gern, Ich möchte or Ich nehme are the natural, polite ways to order.