How to Ask for the Bill in German: Essential Phrases, Etiquette & Tips

Travelling in a German-speaking country and dining out? One of the most important German restaurant phrases you’ll need is how to politely ask for the check. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll show you how to ask for the bill in German in multiple ways (from formal to casual), provide phonetic pronunciations, and explain the cultural etiquette around paying and tipping in Germany. Whether you’re an A1 beginner or an intermediate speaker brushing up on German phrases for travel, this post will prepare you to handle the end of a meal with confidence – and even promote good manners like a local.

Common Ways to Say "The Bill, Please" in German (Formal & Informal)

There are several ways to request the bill in German, depending on the level of formality. In a restaurant, it’s customary to use polite phrases (with “bitte” for “please”). Here are some common expressions to say "the bill, please" in German, along with pronunciation and meaning:

• Die Rechnung, bitte. (dee REKH-nung, BIT-teh) – “The bill, please.” This is a polite and straightforward phrase used in any sit-down restaurant.

• Zahlen, bitte! (TSAH-len, BIT-teh) – “Pay(ing), please!” A very common, slightly more casual way to ask for the bill. Zahlen means “to pay,” so you’re literally saying you’d like to pay. Despite its brevity, this phrase isn’t rude – “Zahlen, bitte” is understood as “Can I pay, please?”.

• Kann ich zahlen, bitte? (kann ikh TSAH-len, BIT-teh) – “Can I pay, please?” Another polite question, essentially the same intent as Zahlen, bitte but in question form.

• Die Rechnung, bitte schön. (dee REKH-nung, BIT-teh shURN) – “The bill, please (nicely).” Adding bitte schön adds a touch of extra politeness (literally “please nicely”). It’s optional, but you might hear it.

• Kann ich bitte die Rechnung haben? (kann ikh BIT-teh dee REKH-nung HAH-ben) – “Can I have the bill, please?” A polite request, using the verb “to have.”

• Können Sie mir bitte die Rechnung bringen? (KERN-nehn zee meer BIT-teh dee REKH-nung BRING-en) – “Could you bring me the bill, please?” Very polite and formal – here you are explicitly saying Sie (the formal “you”) to the waiter.

• Ich möchte gerne zahlen. (ikh MERKH-tuh GERN-eh TSAH-len) – “I’d like to pay, please.” A polite statement using möchte (“would like”). You can also say Ich würde gerne zahlen, which has the same meaning (“I would like to pay”).

Your waiter will understand all of the expressions above. “Die Rechnung, bitte” and “Zahlen, bitte” are probably the most commonly used by locals. Remember to always include bitte (“please”) to keep it polite. In German, you would typically address a waiter or waitress with the formal Sie, but many of these phrases don’t require using Sie explicitly – they are polite by context. (For example, “Zahlen, bitte!” is short for “Ich möchte zahlen, bitte,” understood politely.) If you’re in a group, you can also phrase it in plural form: “Wir möchten bitte zahlen.” (“We would like to pay, please.”) Usually, one person will ask on behalf of everyone at the table.

When and How to Ask for the Bill in Germany

Knowing when and how to ask for the bill is as important as the phrase itself. Culturally, German service is hands-off – the staff won’t rush you or bring the bill until you signal that you’re ready. In fact, if you wait for the waiter to bring the check without asking, you might be waiting all night – they won’t assume you’re finished until you explicitly request the bill. It’s up to you to initiate the payment.

So what’s the polite way to get your server’s attention? In Germany, it’s perfectly acceptable to make eye contact with the waiter and say “Entschuldigung” (“Excuse me”) or subtly raise your hand to call them over. This isn’t considered rude at all – it’s how the system works, as waitstaff will otherwise leave you to enjoy your meal undisturbed. You might lightly wave or nod to signal you’re ready to pay, then use one of the phrases above: for example, “Entschuldigung, die Rechnung, bitte.”

Typically, once you ask, the server will bring the bill to your table and handle the transaction right there. Unlike some countries, the waiter usually stays at the table while you pay, rather than dropping off a check and walking away. This means you should be prepared to pay when you ask for the bill. If you’re in a hurry, it’s okay to ask a bit in advance so they have time to prepare the check.

Paying at the Table vs. the Counter

In most German restaurants and cafes with table service, you will pay at the table directly to the server. They may bring a small tray or just hand you the bill, and then settle the payment on the spot (often with a portable card machine if you’re paying by card). In more casual establishments – like some cafés, bars, or quick eateries – you might pay at the counter instead. For example, in a busy lunch café or a beer garden, you might walk up to a register to pay. If you’re unsure, you can politely ask the staff “Wo kann ich bezahlen?” – “Where can I pay?” – and they’ll let you know.

Don’t be surprised if some smaller restaurants or bars accept cash only. While cards are widely used, there are still places (especially older establishments or rural spots) that don’t accept credit cards, or have a minimum amount for card payments. It’s wise to carry some euros in cash, just in case. If you plan to pay by credit card, you might mention it when asking for the bill (e.g. “Kann ich mit Karte bezahlen?” – “Can I pay by card?”) so the waiter can bring the card machine.

Another thing to note: if you’re dining with a group, the waiter may ask “Zusammen oder getrennt?” – in English, “Together or separate?” – to determine if you’ll pay as one bill or each person individually. It’s common in Germany for friends to pay separately (getrennt), and the server will happily split the check. Just answer “Zusammen, bitte” for one bill or “Getrennt, bitte” for separate checks. (See the dialogue examples below for how this plays out.)

Tipping in Germany: How Much and How to Do It (Trinkgeld)

Tipping in German restaurants is appreciated but more modest than in some other countries. Here are the key points of tipping etiquette in Germany:

• Is tipping required? No – a tip (das Trinkgeld) is not mandatory in Germany, but it’s customary to leave something if the service was good. In fact, if you were satisfied with the meal and service, it’s expected to give a small tip; not tipping at all can be interpreted as you being unhappy with something. So while you won’t offend anyone by giving a little or even by rounding up, leaving nothing might send a negative message.

• How much to tip? A typical tip at restaurants is around 5–10% of the bill. For small bills (like a coffee), people often just round up a euro or two. As a general rule, you can round up to a convenient number – for example, if your bill is €22.40, you might round to €24 or €25. Many locals will at least round to the nearest 5 euro increment for decent service. Tipping 10% is generous and certainly appreciated for good service. Going much above 10% is usually only for exceptional service or in high-end restaurants (even 15% would be considered a very high tip in Germany, not a standard amount).

• How to give the tip: The important difference in Germany is how you hand over the tip. Don’t leave your tip on the table, as you might in the US. Instead, you include it in the transaction when paying the bill directly to the server. There are a couple common ways to do this:

  • If paying with cash, tell the waiter the total amount you want to pay (including the tip) as you hand over the money. For example, if the bill is €18.50 and you give a €20 note, you could say “machen Sie 20 draus” or “20 Euro, bitte”, indicating they should keep €1.50 as tip. The phrase “machen Sie X draus” literally means “make it X” – a handy expression when instructing the server to round up the total to the amount you state. Alternatively, you might hand over €20 and say “Stimmt so, danke.” which means “That’s fine, thanks.” or “keep the change.” This tells the server that no change is needed and they can keep the difference as a tip. Saying “Stimmt so” is very common when tipping with cash.

  • If paying by card, the tipping process is similar, though some card machines won’t have a tip option where you can input a tip – so you still verbally tell the server how much to charge total. For example, the server brings the card reader and tells you the bill is €30; you can say “Bitte machen Sie 33 Euro” if you want to tip €3 (so they will charge €33 on the card). The server will input €33 as the charge and usually confirm by repeating the total. If the machine does allow tip entry, you can add it, but often it’s simpler to just tell them the final amount or say “33 Euro, bitte” as you insert your card. Either way, the principle is: you tell them the total including tip, or say “Stimmt so” once they have the payment so they know they can keep the remainder.

• What does “Trinkgeld” mean? The German word for tip, Trinkgeld, literally translates to “drink money”. Historically, it implied giving the server enough for them to buy themselves a drink. It’s a fun term to know, and you might even hear a waiter say “Danke fürs Trinkgeld!” (“Thank you for the tip!”) if you’ve been especially generous.

• Tipping in other situations: If you’re at a very casual spot like a bar or street-food stall where you pay upfront or at a counter, tipping is often just dropping some coins in a Trinkgeld jar near the register (if one is present). Throwing in €0.50 or €1 for a beer or a snack is a nice gesture, but not obligatory. In cafés, rounding the total up to the next euro or so is common. And for other services (taxis, hotel staff, etc.), the customs vary – for example, taxi drivers might get a euro or two extra, hotel porters a euro per bag, etc. But at restaurants, remember to tip your waiter directly before you leave. They’ll appreciate it!

Quick recap of tipping etiquette:

• Aim for ~5-10% tip or at least round up a few euros for good service. No need to overdo it; tipping is more low-key than in the US.

• Give the tip directly to the server as part of the payment interaction – don’t just walk out, leaving cash on the table.

• Use phrases like “Stimmt so” (keep the change) or state the total with tip included (“Zwanzig Euro, bitte”) to communicate your tip.

• If paying by card, be ready to say the total including tip for the charge (or tip in cash separately if you prefer).

• It’s wise to have some cash handy for tips and in case cards aren’t accepted. Small bills and coins are useful.

By following these guidelines, you’ll handle the end of your meal like a pro, and your server will know you appreciated their service.

Example Dialogues: Asking for the Bill in German

To put it all together, here are a couple of realistic dialogue scenarios demonstrating how asking for the bill and paying might happen in Germany. These role-play examples include the German phrases in context, along with their English translations, so you can see how the interaction flows.

Dialogue 1: At a Restaurant – Paying the Bill (with Tip)

Two diners have finished their meal at a restaurant. They catch the waiter’s attention to pay.

Customer: "Entschuldigung, die Rechnung bitte." (Excuse me, the bill, please.) Waiter: "Ja, natürlich. Einen Moment, bitte." (Certainly. One moment, please.)

...[The waiter brings the printed bill and perhaps says the total aloud]...

Waiter: "Das macht 23,40 €." (That comes to 23 euros 40.) Customer: "Hier sind 25 €. Stimmt so, danke." (Here is 25 euros. Keep the change, thanks.) Waiter: "Vielen Dank! Einen schönen Tag noch." (Thank you very much! Have a nice rest of your day.)

Notice in this example, the customer said “Stimmt so” when handing over €25 for a €23.40 bill – leaving a tip by telling the waiter to keep the change.

Dialogue 2: Splitting the Bill – Paying Separately

Two friends are finishing lunch. The waiter comes to settle the bill, and they prefer to pay separately.

Waiter: "Möchten Sie zusammen oder getrennt zahlen?" (Would you like to pay together or separately?) Friend A: "Getrennt, bitte." (Separate, please.)

Waiter: "Alles klar. Dann zuerst für Sie: Das macht 18,00 € bei Ihnen." (All right. First for you: that comes to 18 euros for you.) Friend A: "Kann ich mit Karte zahlen?" (Can I pay by card?) Waiter: "Gerne, kein Problem." (Sure, no problem.)

... [Friend A inserts their card] ...

Friend A: "Ich mache 20 €, bitte." (I’ll make it 20 euros, please.)(Friend A tells the waiter to charge €20 on the card – effectively adding a €2 tip.)Waiter: "Vielen Dank, das passt. Und für Sie?" (Thank you very much, that’s all set. And for you?)

Waiter: "Bei Ihnen sind es 12,50 €." (For you, it’s €12.50.) Friend B: "Alles klar. Hier sind 15 €. Stimmt so." (All right. Here’s €15. That’s fine (keep the change).) Waiter: "Super, danke schön. Ich wünsche Ihnen noch einen schönen Tag!" (Great, thank you very much. Have a nice rest of your day!)

In this second dialogue, the waiter explicitly asked “zusammen oder getrennt”, and the friends replied “getrennt” to indicate separate bills. Friend A paid by card and added a tip by saying a higher total (20 €) before the transaction was processed, while Friend B paid cash and said “Stimmt so” to let the waiter keep the change. These are exactly the kinds of interactions you’ll encounter in German restaurants.

Practice Your German for Travel with Olesen Tuition

Mastering these bill-related phrases and etiquette will make your dining experiences in Germany much smoother. If you want to build confidence in conversational German – from useful travel phrases to cultural know-how – consider practising with a tutor or exploring more resources. Olesen Tuition offers personalised German tutoring, small group classes, and an extensive language blog full of practical tips (like ordering food, shopping phrases, and more) to help you prepare for real-life situations. Our experienced instructors can role-play scenarios with you (such as dining out, asking for the bill, buying tickets, etc.) and ensure you’re speaking naturally and politely.

Whether you’re a total beginner (A1) or brushing up at B1 level, Olesen Tuition can help you learn German phrases for travel and culture, so you feel at ease on your trip. From saying “Die Rechnung, bitte” with the right pronunciation to understanding local customs, a little practice goes a long way. Get in touch with Olesen Tuition or visit our German language blog for more guides like this one – and make your next restaurant visit in Germany a confident and enjoyable experience. Guten Appetit and viel Spaß (have fun) on your German learning journey!