Austrian Cuisine: Mahlzeit 133Paying
When you are ready to leave, request the bill. Restaurants
that cater to the tourist market and upscale restaurants will
accept credit cards, but be advised that many restaurants
do not take plastic. The first time you visit, you should
always have enough cash on hand to avoid an embarrassing
situation. Beiseln, Heurigen, Gasthäuser, small restaurants and
coffeehouses definitely do not accept credit cards. If you are
travelling through small towns and villages, rest assured that
irregardless of size of restaurant, you can only pay with cash.
However, if you are travelling on the freeway, there are very
good and affordable restaurants (many are part of a chain)
that will accept credit cards. Several offer incredible buffets
with a very good selection of quality food.
Normally, you will be asked if the bill is zusammen (all
together) or getrennt (separate). When paying, you may be
asked to repeat everything you ordered as the waiter jots
down the price for each and mentally calculates the total.
Remember that you have to pay for each roll or piece of
bread, so you will be asked how many were eaten.
When presented with the final bill, round the figure up,
normally to the nearest Euro. Either give the server the total
amount (bill plus tip) and say “Das stimmt”, or, if you don’t
have the exact amount, tell the server the total and wait for
your change. For example, if the bill is € 25.30 and you only
have € 30, tell the waiter “Sechs-und-zwanzig (26).” In upscale
restaurants, you can leave a tip of 5 to 10 per cent. Waiters are
paid an average wage and don’t rely on tips as a significant
portion of their income. Avoid leaving a tip on the table.
Stammtisch
Austrians continue to uphold the longstanding tradition of the
Stammtisch. This is a table reserved for regular customers. Often,
friends choose a night of the week for the Stammtisch, and
they meet regularly without having to call the restaurant first or
organise the evening among themselves. It provides a place and
an opportunity for friends to sit down together, drink a glass of
beer and chat.