The only reason to not work Oktoberfest: being pregnant or a broken leg
October 12, 2014 3:30 PM Subscribe
So, many years ago, I found myself with five friends at a bierhaus during Oktoberfest. We placed our order with a rather small waitress who returned quickly carrying six one-liter mugs of beer. We were all impressed, of course, and after she left we all took turns trying to pick up all six mugs. Not one of us could do it for more than a few seconds. I know there's technique involved, but I can't even imagine carrying twelve.
posted by Benny Andajetz at 5:14 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
posted by Benny Andajetz at 5:14 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
As someone who spent over twenty years in the service industry, I can assure this young woman that she will not remain physically able to do this for the rest of her life. Wrists, elbows, and knees all wear out in time, as does your ability to tolerate being in the midst of a drunken crowd for twelve hours a day.
posted by alltomorrowsparties at 6:35 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by alltomorrowsparties at 6:35 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
She only does it once a year, for a couple weeks. That's about all I could take of waitressing myself. It's hard work!
I like her - quite a character. It does sound like a nice life.
posted by amanda at 7:45 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I like her - quite a character. It does sound like a nice life.
posted by amanda at 7:45 PM on October 12, 2014 [2 favorites]
I assume there is no tipping? I hope the wages are good!
posted by emjaybee at 7:57 PM on October 12, 2014
posted by emjaybee at 7:57 PM on October 12, 2014
The wait staff make commission and tips, no wages.
posted by gingerest at 8:56 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by gingerest at 8:56 PM on October 12, 2014 [1 favorite]
I am now really curious about the technique. Google says a mass stein weighs 5-6 lbs when filled (I imagine the uncertainty is due to how full it is: most photographs show a good third of each stein filled with foam). Twelve steins would be 60-72 lbs. Even if I get to hold a 60 lb barbell in a front rack position, and I'm sure a bunch of beer steins would be significantly more awkward, I don't think I could walk around like that for 16 hours.
posted by d. z. wang at 9:26 PM on October 12, 2014
posted by d. z. wang at 9:26 PM on October 12, 2014
A little pointer for any Americans who might travel to Bavaria at some point in their lives and might want to drink beer while they're there:
nobody will have the slightest idea what you're talking about if you refer to "a stein". The word means "a stone", and definitely not "a glass of beer".
A one-litre beer is a Mass (what you ask the waitress for), and the vessel it's in is called a Masskrug. "Krug" is broadly equivalent to "jug". A Krug might be made out of some kind of ceramic, in which case you can call it a Steinkrug, i.e. a stone jug of unspecified volume. I presume that word got hijacked somehow on the other side of the Atlantic and came to its present usage among you folks over there.
I've seen A LOT of blank stares from Bavarian wait staff when confronted with Americans trying to order beer.
posted by illongruci at 5:07 AM on October 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
nobody will have the slightest idea what you're talking about if you refer to "a stein". The word means "a stone", and definitely not "a glass of beer".
A one-litre beer is a Mass (what you ask the waitress for), and the vessel it's in is called a Masskrug. "Krug" is broadly equivalent to "jug". A Krug might be made out of some kind of ceramic, in which case you can call it a Steinkrug, i.e. a stone jug of unspecified volume. I presume that word got hijacked somehow on the other side of the Atlantic and came to its present usage among you folks over there.
I've seen A LOT of blank stares from Bavarian wait staff when confronted with Americans trying to order beer.
posted by illongruci at 5:07 AM on October 13, 2014 [3 favorites]
I assume there is no tipping? I hope the wages are good!
FWIW, the waitresses typically make several hundred Euros and some even more than 1000 EUR in tips per day/night at the Oktoberfest.
This year I was there with a party of 20 (two tables). We came out at about 1000 EUR for the entire party (which bought us only 2-3 steins and food each) and tipped about 100 EUR. Multiply by 3 for different time slots over the day and by 3 again for the other tables that the waitress was responsible for and you'll arrive at a pretty decent bounty for one day of (admittedly hard) work.
I imagine that's one of the reasons why she wants to do this her whole life.
posted by sour cream at 6:26 AM on October 13, 2014
FWIW, the waitresses typically make several hundred Euros and some even more than 1000 EUR in tips per day/night at the Oktoberfest.
This year I was there with a party of 20 (two tables). We came out at about 1000 EUR for the entire party (which bought us only 2-3 steins and food each) and tipped about 100 EUR. Multiply by 3 for different time slots over the day and by 3 again for the other tables that the waitress was responsible for and you'll arrive at a pretty decent bounty for one day of (admittedly hard) work.
I imagine that's one of the reasons why she wants to do this her whole life.
posted by sour cream at 6:26 AM on October 13, 2014
The only reason to not work Oktoberfest is being pregnant or having a broken leg.
I must admit that I find Ms. Herpich's implied attitude to infectious disease (including nonstandard but arguably infectious conditions such as lycanthropy or pontypoolism) a little disturbing.
I've seen A LOT of blank stares from Bavarian wait staff when confronted with Americans trying to order beer.
Does "Bier, bitte!" work?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:55 AM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
I must admit that I find Ms. Herpich's implied attitude to infectious disease (including nonstandard but arguably infectious conditions such as lycanthropy or pontypoolism) a little disturbing.
I've seen A LOT of blank stares from Bavarian wait staff when confronted with Americans trying to order beer.
Does "Bier, bitte!" work?
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:55 AM on October 13, 2014 [1 favorite]
"Bier bitte" and a number of fingers for how many, yeah that's perfectly OK.
posted by illongruci at 6:58 AM on October 13, 2014
posted by illongruci at 6:58 AM on October 13, 2014
No, we're talking about Germany, and especially Munich. It's actually hard to get a job as a waitress at the Oktoberfest, because it's such a well paid (although quite exhausting) job - as long as you know what you are doing, every waitress has to pay dropped food or spilled beer (a sacrilege in Bavaria :)) from her own wages. And please, Beck's?!? There is no Beck's at the Wiesn, only proper beer.
posted by SAnderka at 1:09 PM on October 13, 2014
posted by SAnderka at 1:09 PM on October 13, 2014
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"A change is as good as a rest", as they say.
posted by hippybear at 3:56 PM on October 12, 2014 [6 favorites]