Have you been dying to go to Munich for Oktoberfest and unsure if you should go as you are or wear traditional trachten? Have you thought about paying in cash versus credit card? In this last segment of Oktoberfest in Munich: Mystery Solved, we'll educate you on the tips for the do's and don'ts so you can be prepared and leave your worries behind.
Tips: Do's and Don'ts of Oktoberfest in Munich
Do wear traditional clothing ("trachten")
Lederhosen (for men) or dirndl (for women). You'll be in the minority if you're not. It's absolutely not required though but it is fun to do! We bought ours at home and brought it with us. You can also buy it there but do you really want to be taking time away from having fun to buy your clothes?
Don't chug or stand on tables
You might temporary feel like the life of the party especially when the entire tent directs themselves at you while you chug your beer, but your reward is to get immediately kicked out of the tent. We watched this happen multiple times and it was very sad for the person leaving all the fun.
Do tip the waitresses
The waitresses in the tents are not paid. When you order a beer from them, they buy the beer and then resell it to you. Their income comes from tips, so 2€ per beer will go a long ways for them.
Do NOT buy from scalpers on eBay or other sites
It is strictly forbidden and won't be honored at the tents. Book directly through the tent or with a tour as mentioned earlier.
Do Bring Cash
As mentioned, cash is king. You can't use your credit cards at Oktoberfest. Everything is paid for in cash including your tips to the waitresses. As you can imagine, beers and food are not cheap. Think about how much food and drinks are at a big concert venue and you have an idea of costs.
Don't clink glasses with your knuckles exposted
They call them knuckle crushers. It's best to hold your 1 liter stein with the hand through the handle so you can easily support the heavy glass. However, remember to grab the handle and remove your knuckles before clinking to Ein Prosit. Otherwise, well, ouch. And speaking of clinking glasses, the Germans taught us years ago to clink your glass from the bottom. It's thickest there and won't break with over exuberance. The hefeweizen glasses especially are thin towards the top and will break easier.
Do Learn the words for Ein Prosit
You'll hear the Ein Prosit song about 10,000 times so learn the words. And when you're done singing, you clink glasses and drink. It's kinda the law. And don't be surprised when you walk away and for the next few days after that you'll still singing the song. It does get stuck in your head. So, learn the words and join in the fun.
Bubbly Tourist Bon Voyage!
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