Tipping serving staff at the Oktoberfest

The service people basically get 10% of anything that they sell. So it's quite a lucrative earner. The actual wage they get is pretty low though. However most of these people actually take 2 weeks out of their holidays from whatever job they normally do to work at the Wiesn, so it must be well worthwhile.

As regards tipping, if you tip well, at least at the start, then you will get decent service for the rest of the evening. They do remember. If you don't tip then you might find that your assigned waitress is suddenly very busy whenever you're looking for another beer. It's well worth dropping the extra bit of cash to be sure of getting looked after.

Thanks for that Keydeck. I've read that some people pull down over 5000 Euro for a 2 week stint working at the Fest which seems like a lot until you consider how hard they work for it.

I will definitely tip for the first few rounds if it results in good service.

some tents dont even pay a wage to the waitresses, I dont know in which ones it is but all they get is the % and tips.

There's a mildly interesting reminiscence by an expat Oktoberfest waitress here.

Second year at the festival this year cant wait. Just reading the forum and I see all the talk of Tips. Last year myself and the lads that were with me tipped generously ie for a round of four beers we always gave around five euros sometimes a little less and as the day wore on lots more. Men generally become more generous when drunk. Im not sure we got any special treatment from it apart from good efficient beer serving. A group of polite (as opposed to louts) english lads near us gave over fifty euro for an extra hour at a reserved table. It seemed to work for a while but in the end they got kicked out like everyone else. Is there certain ethics regarding tips that outsiders might not be aware of?. Is it a waste of money?. Are some tents more appreciative of a few extra euros than others. What are the views of regulars to Oktoberfest. Most of the waitreses were very pleasant but some were just money sharks.

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I've found that generous tipping always gets results. ALL the waitresses/waiters are just doing it for the money so you'll get nice ones and not-so-nice ones. I would definitely say that in general tipping does make a difference. As you said, "Im not sure we got any special treatment from it apart from good efficient beer serving". That's pretty much all I want as a result of tipping. One could argue that you should expect that anyway, but it never hurts to grease the wheels.

tipping helps early on when there is a rush for beer as you are more likely to get your second served quickly. I've found as the evening goes on the less you have to struggle to get served and the waitresses come round with beers looking to sell them, rather than taking orders.

Well keydeck when offered only fools will refuse handy money. But are we idiots if we overtip and can the waitreses do anything for you if do tip apart from noticing you ahead of others when putting in an order.

What else do you want her to do other than bring you beer? give you a handjob?

Perhaps a little head from time to time.

no head in my Maß please!

A Maß should always come with a good head.

This is probably the limit of tipping possibility - once the next reservation turns up then you've got to go, the tent is probably full and there's not much the waitress can do to help, although I did once have the waitress get security to throw out a group of unruly drunks who were giving her grief at another table so we could carry on. It's just luck...

And as my local parish priest used to say, "A Mass should always finish with...". Nevermind.

Steady on there Sleepless. If I want a handjob Im perfectly capable of giving myself an good old five knuckle schuffle. My question is directed more at getting or retaining seats when there are none etc and the amounts one needs to give to avail of these favours. Or if its busy should you save yourself the wasted notes. Are you always this cynical or doid you bang your head recently