Oktoberfest Waitress Reveals ‘Unwritten Rule’ for Ordering Beer at the Wiesn
Munich, August 9 – With the Oktoberfest countdown underway, many visitors eagerly anticipate their first Wiesn beer. However, a recent revelation from an experienced waitress clarifies that ordering a beer isn’t as simple as approaching any available server. This practice stems from an ‘unwritten rule’ within the beer tents, designed to ensure fair compensation for the staff.
The 23-year-old waitress, Clina Pscherer, explained in an Instagram video that this system is common not only in beer tents but also in some restaurants. She described a familiar scenario: “You might know it: you’ve been somewhere in gastronomy or a beer tent, wanted to order something, and the waiter then said he’d ‘send the colleague over’. And you thought: Why don’t you just bring it to me? You’re a waiter too.”
The Logic Behind the ‘Unwritten Rule’
Pscherer clarified that this seemingly unhelpful response has a logical basis. “In the beer tent, but also in some restaurants, it’s the case that every waiter has their own tables that they serve.” Crucially, waitstaff are not paid an hourly wage but rather receive a percentage of their tips. “This means: the more you sell, the more you earn.”
She illustrated the point with an example: “If I were to sell a beer to a table that isn’t mine, I would earn money from it. The guest would then have beer, perhaps wouldn’t drink a second, but would occupy that spot.” This would prevent the assigned waiter, who is responsible for that table, from earning their rightful income.
Fairness Among Colleagues and Differing Opinions
Pscherer emphasized that out of fairness to colleagues, waitstaff typically adhere to this ‘unwritten rule’. “That’s just an unwritten waiter’s rule that you stick to. Because you don’t want to fall out with your colleagues. And secondly, it’s just unfair.”
The comments on her Instagram post, however, reveal a mixed reaction. Some users expressed a lack of understanding, suggesting that a waiter could simply take the order and pass it on to the responsible colleague without requiring the customer to re-order. One user contrasted this with practices in central and northern Germany, where waitstaff are paid hourly and customers purchase tokens for drinks. “The advantage here is: every waiter on the team can serve you. The tables are then free for all waiters.” This, they argued, speeds up service.
Conversely, many users defended the system described by Pscherer. One user explained that it “only creates much more chaos if everyone hands you a note somewhere or says: So-and-so wants this and that.” Another user elaborated: “This way, the waitress also knows later what she has to charge, has a better overview of which table she has to check on again, guests are not asked five times if they want another drink, and if something goes wrong, she is responsible for it herself.”
The Oktoberfest is scheduled to begin in just a few weeks, and understanding these nuances of service can enhance the visitor experience.
