Useful Tips

Some helpful phrases:

• May I have the menu, please. - Die Karte bitte.
• Waiter! - Herr Ober!
• The bill, please. - Bitte zahlen.
• If you wish to pay one common bill for several persons: - Alles zusammen.
• If you request individual bills for each persons: - Bitte getrennt
• In order to avoid misunderstandings when looking for the rest room, please note that "D" stands for "ladies" and "H" for "gentlemen".

Leaving Tips

Tip, "Trinkgeld", is normally expected in restaurants and bars in Germany. It is usual to give about 5% of the bill as a tip. However this is not required and therefore if you don't think the service was worthy of leaving a tip, it is not necessary to do so.
When taking a taxi it is entirely up to you whether you leave a tip or not, although most people will normally offer a small amount to the driver.
 
You should never leave tips to civil servants in public authorities. In fact you do so it would not be looked upon kindly.