Tips in Restaurants

http://www.german-way.com/travel-and-tourism/germany-for-tourists/dining-out-in-germany/

Some people round up to the nearest banknote, €5 or €10, and say "keep the change". Particularly if you are a large group, which is more work.
But not everybody does this. It is perfectly acceptable to give the exact money, or wait for change. Many people never give tips. Waiters carry around enough change with them in big leather purses, often on their belts, so they don't have to go back to the till. They look like this: http://l7.alamy.com/zooms/4571f69063c645ed970927f926c968b4/wallet-purse-of-waiter-waitress-filled-with-coins-a279k8.jpg

See Rick's advice here: https://www.ricksteves.com/travel-tips/money/tipping-in-europe

A good question. We visited Germany prior to the German minimum wage act. Our German friend advised us that German wait staff are not highly compensated and that tips are appropriate. I understand the the new German minimum wage started last year at 8.50 EUR/hr. The german-way.com website suggestion of 15% is in line with our German friend's tipping practice.

Tipping rules are not precise. And it seems that contrary to Rick's homogeneous tipping rule for Europe, tipping practices are as different as the different European regions and countries. The Conde Naste suggestions for 50 countries are interesting mix:
http://www.cntraveler.com/stories/2008-11-11/etiquette-101-tipping-guide

Conde Naste suggestion for Germany:

GERMANY

At Restaurants: 10–15 percent to the waiter or bartender—just add it
to the bill.

At Hotels: One to three euros per bag for the porter; five euros per
night for the housekeeper; 20 euros for a helpful concierge.

Dollars Accepted? Yes, but euros are recommended.

P.S. Despite its reputation for precision, Germany has no hang-ups
about generous tipping.

Well, Conde Naste is an American publication and focused the better funded travelers, so it does not surprise me that they would suggest 10-15%. Most Germans I have spoken with and many that post on here would maybe laugh, at worst castigate you for leaving that.

If you are in touristed parts, then they may very well expect 10% or more (the "service not included" note is always in English, not German), but most will tell you that a simple rounding up of coins or a couple euro is more than adequate. If service for a larger group was exceptional, than a larger tip, personally handed to the waiter and thanked is appropriate.

When in Rome, do as the Romans. Still good advice. You can hand out 100% gifts if you want - I am sure they won't say no.

If it is a good restaurant, then I leave at least 2 Euro which I add to the credit card bill. I tell the waiter/waitress exactly in German what final amount is with my 1-2 Euro tip included as I hand over the bill and US credit card so that he/she knows how much to run off. That settles it.

Tipping in Germany is voluntary, but always welcome. Usually 5-10% depending on level of service and where you are. If you are in a big city, tipping higher is more common than if you are in a village. Rounding up is acceptable unless it is a low amount. If your dinner bill was 39 €, rounding up to 40 € would be really stingy. If your coffee was 2.50 €, go ahead and leave 3 €. If it is a large dinner party, the restaurant may go ahead and add the tip, but their menu should say so. If that is the case, you don't have to leave anything else. Just make sure there is a difference between tip and service charge. They are not the same thing.

Your server will make your change for you, so don't leave the tip on the table. Tell them what you want back as change. If your bill was 35 €, give them a 50 and just say 38 € and they will give you 12 € back. If service was crappy, you don't have to tell them anything, they will give you 15 € back.

In many restaurants, the servers are tipping out to the kitchen staff and the bartender who is making all of their drinks.

Ignore the Service Charge amount printed on your bill, that amount is going to the owner and never the wait staff. If you are in an restaurant that is printing "tip not included" on their bills, you are in a tourist trap. This is illegal in Germany and any place doing this is out of line. I would tell the server that I was going to tip until I read that. If more people did this, they might get the point and stop. The only reason they do it is because so many people believe that the Service Charge is the tip and then they leave nothing. The server really loses out naturally.

I would never leave more than 10% at a restaurant. I usually quickly calculate 10% and round down to whatever makes the most sense. Leaving as little as 5% is normal. Don't feel obliged to leave more.

At Oktoberfest, it is normal to tip 1€ per beer.

Early in my German travel I stayed for a week in a Privatzimmer where the woman brought my breakfast in the breakfast room every morning. She would stay around while I was eating, and we had some interesting conversations (about dialects, tipping, etc). I told her how I tipped - I don't remember now what I said - and she was aghast, and told me that under no circumstance should I do more than round up the bill and leave that much. Even if the bill were 10,90€, she said, I should only leave 11€. Well, I can't see leaving a 10 cent tip, so I usually add 0,50€, then round it up. So 15,70 would be 17€ (that's 8,3%).

In Germany, you don't leave the tip on the table. When the waiter presents you with the bill, figure the total with an appropriate tip, then tell the waiter the total. In the example above, you say "siebzehn Euro" (17€). If you give the wairter a 20€ note, he'll give you 3€ change.

Once, when I had dinner in Rothenburg, right on the town square, the bill came to something over 20€, but less than 25€, I forget now how much. I didn't have a 5€ note, so I gave the waiter a ten and a twenty and said, "fünf und zwanzig euro" (25€). He left, I thought to get change, nevermore to be seen. I had to hunt him down to get my change. I was speaking to him in German, but I'm sure he knew I was American. I guess he thought I would be a big tipper, but 30%!