Tipping, Paying and Cash in Berlin: What You Need to Know

First-time visitors to Berlin often arrive with a set of questions already forming: Can I pay by card everywhere? How much should I tip? And why does everyone look at me oddly when I leave money on the table? A few ground rules will help you find your feet quickly — and save you from any awkward moments at the till.

Paying by card — better than its reputation

Berlin has long had a reputation for being cash-heavy, and until a few years ago that was largely justified. Today, the situation has improved considerably. In restaurants, hotels, supermarkets and most shops, paying by Girocard or EC-Karte works without any issue. Visa and Mastercard are also widely accepted. Contactless payment by card or smartphone is increasingly standard and is actively offered at most points of sale.

American Express is the notable exception: many restaurants and smaller shops simply do not accept Amex. If Amex is your only card, you may find yourself unexpectedly having to explain yourself. Carrying a Visa or Mastercard as a backup is strongly advisable.

When cash is genuinely necessary

That said, Berlin remains a city where cash is sometimes unavoidable. Spätis — the ubiquitous corner shops and late-night off-licences — almost always accept cash only. The same applies to many Imbisse and Döner shops, to flea markets of every size, to older pubs (Kneipen) and some smaller cafés. At any market, you will almost certainly be paying in cash.

BVG ticket machines at U-Bahn stations are also worth bearing in mind: newer models now accept card, but older ones only take coins and notes. If you have no cash on you and encounter an older machine, you will be stuck. Keeping €20 to €50 in cash per day is a sensible buffer — you generally will not need more than that if you also have a card on you.

Tipping: the unwritten rules

The German tipping system works differently to the one in the United States or the United Kingdom. There is no expected 18 percent, and no suggested amount pre-printed on the bill. The usual range is 5 to 10 percent — but the crucial difference lies in how you hand it over.

In Germany, you tell the waiter or waitress the total amount you wish to pay — you do not say "keep the change" and put the rest down on the table. If the bill comes to €37 and you want to leave €3 as a tip, you say "Vierzig bitte" (forty, please) and receive nothing back. Leaving money on the table is considered impolite and is sometimes interpreted as a mistake — the waiting staff expect to receive the amount directly from you in person.

At bars, it is normal to round up to the nearest euro per round — a one-euro tip on a €4.50 drink is perfectly standard. In taxis, the same 5 to 10 percent applies, rounded up to the nearest whole number. Hotel porters typically receive €1 to €2 per bag; at the hairdresser, 5 to 10 percent is customary.

Getting the bill — a few useful phrases

A handful of useful phrases for restaurants: „Zahlen bitte" signals that you would like the bill. „Ich zahle alles" means you are covering the whole table. „Getrennt" means everyone pays their own share separately.

The latter is genuinely the norm in Germany: splitting the bill is not considered rude in the slightest — quite the opposite, in fact. Waiting staff generally expect each person to state their own amount rather than one person picking up the tab for everyone. Dividing the total evenly and each person handing over their share is possible, but less common here than in many other countries.

ATMs: choosing the right one

For those who need to withdraw cash: machines belonging to the Sparkasse (orange logo) and Deutsche Bank (blue and white logo) are the first choice for foreign cards — low or no foreign transaction fees, reliable technology and found throughout the city. The machines to avoid are the Euronet ATMs, which are dotted around shopping centres, railway stations and tourist areas. They charge fees of €5 or more per withdrawal and often display exchange rates in a misleading way. Anyone who has used one out of convenience tends to regret it afterwards.

When in doubt: reach for your card, default to EC payment, and save your cash for situations where it is genuinely needed. Berlin is more relaxed than its reputation suggests — and that goes for money matters too.

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