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Disclaimer: I have 75 percent German heritage. I love Germany and German culture. I was born there and lived there until I was 9. My parents are both Americans who happened to meet and fall in love while working for The Stars and Stripes U.S. military newspaper, in Germany. Some of my best childhood memories are of going to German harvest festivals, humongous German playgrounds, German food and restaurants, German castles, towns 4 times older than the United States, and faster drivers (AKA faster traveling by car). Plus, being able to vacation all over the rest of Europe. I even have a tattoo of the German flag on my left shoulder/upper arm to keep Germany close to my heart. Very corny I know, but I like it.
However, I have a huge problem with rich Germans coming over here to buy OUR designer clothes in bulk, eat OUR food, own property or timeshares here, and travel all across OUR beautiful country. The reason being: They are the cheapest people I have ever encountered besides the Scots.
I am a waiter on a resort island in Florida, so we get tons of them. I can spot them a mile away. When I wait on a table of Germans I speak German to let them know that not all Americans only speak one language. I also tell them that I lived there for nine years. Then they ask about my parents and why we were there and complement my knowledge of their language. They act too polite. They always rave about the food I serve them. Then they make a huge deal out of saying goodbye to me. The killer is that they leave a 7-12 percent tip almost every single time. I've had a few Germans leave me 15 percent, and even a couple that left me 20 percent.
They pretend not to know, BUT THEY DO. You see in Germany waiters are automatically given a percentage of the restaurant's profits (by law) so it is customary not to tip, but maybe leave a buck or two in coins. Germans have been flocking to Florida for over 30 years now. They still pretend that they haven't heard that 15 percent is for good service and 20 percent is for excellent and impressive service. THEY ALL KNOW!!! Plus, they study receipts as if they are careful legal documents. A lot of them ask for no ice in their drinks too because they are afraid of there not being free refills. Pretty much everywhere in America has free refills on soda unless otherwise noted.
It is too bad that probably no Germans will see this post, but it feels good to vent. You have money and we get it that you hate our country because of Bush and whatever but do not take it out on lowly waiters and waitresses. And please stop standing and sitting like you have rods up your butts. Good posture is one thing, but looking like you're made of wood is another. If you keep acting superior to us, we'll keep cursing you behind your back.