Americans React To ” The Don’ts of Visiting Germany & Mistakes Tourist Make In Germany”

Could you PLEEEASE react to the video by "Dr. Ludwig" named "This Is Germany" (activate the subtitles)????

He is kinda exxagerating some of these points. It's good etiquette to let people leave public transport before getting on and imo it's respected quite well.
Also how do waiters in the US know when to come to a table if flagging them down is not a thing??? 🤔
Breakfast will also include sweet spreads like Nutella, honey and jams. More upscale hotels will also offer a wider variety.
He also didn't do a very good job explaining the deposit system. Most frequently it is used for plastic bottles of whatever drink you buy at your supermarket. Just bring your empty bottles back next time you go there, put them in the machine, get your receipt and whatever amount you end up with will be substracted from your bill at check out. That's the most common and hence most important version of deposit. Another is mugs at christmas (or other temporary) markets. And that's where your confusion came from. Drinks in these mugs are sold at market stalls, there is usually no sit down area provided. So you're free to get it and roam around the market. But of course they want their mugs back. So they put a deposit on them. Bring back the mug, get back your deposit.
There is never any form of deposit in sit down restaurants. Never!!!

Definitely old video. I spend a month every summer in Southern Germany, and last year I had to use cash only once, and that was indeed in a small local bakery. This has changed rapidly over the years, I was curious, and asked why. Aldi cashier:'A lot easier. Grannies searching for pennies in their purse takes way too long'. Getränkemarkt (beverage store?) cashier:'No, we don't mind paying the merchant fee, because the bank charges us for the rolls of coins we need to give as change, so it's a wash.'

If you are just in one city, I would recommend a day ticket or there's sometimes 3 day Tickets. Then you don't have to wonder each time when you're using public transport which is the right ticket.
I would use ICEs if you are just a week in Germany. Time is important then.

The guy in the video you watched isn't nearly as knowledgeable as he thinks he is and the video is very old.

Everybody jaywalks, it's about being a role model for kids. So it depends on the situation.
You get your Pfand back at the vendor where you got your mug upon return ( regarding christmas markets etc.) There's no Pfand at normal everyday restaurants and bars. Bottles from the supermarkets als has Pfand but you get that back when you return it there.
You don't have to bring gifts every time you visit someone. It's more of a first time visit thing.
Agreed about the disrespecting memorials thing… but it's not just a tourist problem.
The ordering at restaurants quickly is also bs.
I'll never understand the fascination about the autobahn. Average speed is still around 120 kmh, so not that fast. "Raser" aka people who go much faster than that are a hazard for themselves and everyone else. Don't expect to go on the autobahn and zip around at 200+ kmh without issue or regard for others.
Everything is closed on sundays – yes, mostly. And it's an absolute non-issue.
The cash thing is also very much a non-issue. The video you watched is 7 years old. Every store takes card nowadays.
Architecture varies in every country, no country is only their stereotypes. There's half-timbered houses and castles all over Germany, as well as concrete blocks and glass cubes. Just like everywhere else.

Wow the guy in the video you watched really managed to piss me off with his overconfident "knowledge"🤣
When he said that german public transport is fantastic he lost all credit🤦

I just checked the (german) ticket prices for trains. If I wanted to go to Munich from my location, I could take an ICE-train: 2 hours and 48 minutes ride would cost me 78 euros!
If I would take the local trains, it would take me 3 hours and 23 minutes. That not too much of a time difference and I would only pay 13 euros for the ticket! < so I would save 65 bucks … just as comparison! It's a lot of money, I could spend for nice beers and food! 🙂

In Germany, it is considerd polite to not waste or demand someone else's time. That goes for serving customers, small talk, punctuality etc. We show respect by being short and straight to the point honest. Or by serving drinks without interrupting the patrons' conversation for too long or cashing them out quickly instead of demanding their time and attention.

Deposits for dishes, cutlery, mugs, drinking glasses etc. are only common on openair events like christmas markets, concerts, fairs but not in restaurants or bars… You return it where you bought it.

Deposits for glass and plastic bottles, cans … are mandatory and are between 8 and 25 cents. You can return them at return machines at every grocery store or where you bought it.

"not like Latin-based languages […]"🤨… I will just assume that you mean French or Italian or Spanish – of course you know that German in extremely close to English (both are western Germanic languages) – play the game and combine German and English – you will probably get pretty close to Dutch which geographically speaking is no surprise😉.

Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz

You pay a deposit for the cups and when you return them you get your money back.
However, if you want a second drink then they give you a new cup.
If the cups are particularly nice we keep them, we have lots of Christmas cups

I wouldn't fine those who don't honor our memorial, but I would just tell them.
In many countries the topic is not discussed as intensively as it is here.

I don't know why Americans in particular don't take this seriously. Many people don't find September 11th funny, what would happen if their memorial was misused as an amusement park.
Maybe this is due to years of desensitization to all the bad news of shootings.

Regarding local breweries: In Berlin – as a Berliner – you DON'T drink Berlinder Kindl. You just don't. We do have some smaller breweries that serve a lot better but lesser known beers.

In a restaurant you do not have to pay deposits! You only pay deposits on glasses, mugs etc. when you get your drinks yourself at christmas markets, beer gardens, etc. etc. you buy your drinks at the station , you pay an extra 2-3 euros per drink, you go with your glass to wherever you sit, stand etc. and after you are finished you bring back your glass and get your money back. The reason is: they want to reduce waste ( plastic cups etc. ). By the way: you cannot just take the cup or glass home just because you paid a deposit… if you take them , well nobody will arrest you, but the beer gardens, markets etc. need their cups and glasses for other guests… I think they will be fine if you ask them if you can keep it as a souvenir if its a nice glass or mug, but dont be rude and just take them home..

Cards are after Corona more exeptet, but in little shops and streetfood is often cash, public toiletts too!!! When you go with friends or familyhere in Germany in a restaurant, sometimes you not only stay for the meal. You can stay a couple of hours and drink and talk, no problem. Cause the waiters get more money per hour, so they don´t wanna get you out fast for new guests, as in the US.

Hi! Here is some advice for a typical procedure in an ordinary German restaurant. When you come in and there is enough space, sit wherever suits you. But if, for example, you come with a group of people on Sunday lunchtime and there is a lot of activity, go straight to the employees (if they haven't noticed you yet) and ask for a suitable table. If the weather is good, try to sit outside. That's it (apart from the insects) always much nicer. So if you come into a restaurant and have been noticed, think about what you want to drink. The waiter will then come to you with the menu and of course take your drink order first. If you don't know what you want to drink yet, the waiter will wait until you have chosen something, or if it is busy, he will come back in a few minutes. While the waiter takes care of your drinks, you can choose your food from the menu. The waiter will then take your further order when he serves you your drinks…

Ad "follow the rules": If i am driving on the Autobahn and there is a sign that lorries are not allowed to overtake, no speed limit for cars, and there is quite a quer of lorries on the right lane I will not mind to overtake them with 90 or 100 mph (165 – 180 kmh). I rely on the lorry drivers to keep the rules – and I might honk if they do not. Greetings from Bavaria!