From German Girls Genealogy (Teresa Steinkamp McMillin & Debra A. Hoffman):

 

Never a Bad Meal

 

I (Debra) have now taken two research trips to Germany; the first trip in April of 2024 and the second trip in January 2025. I have never had a bad meal … not once!

 

That does not mean that I did not have to get used to the differences in cultural options for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. A typical breakfast in Germany consists of sliced meats, cheeses, vegetables, and fresh breads. That is not what I would typically eat in America. Basically, sandwich fixings. A typical breakfast for me is oatmeal. I found oatmeal offered at some hotels and restaurants, but it was not typical. I had to get used to the different offerings. The food was fresh and delicious, so it was not hard!

 

Lunches in Germany presented the typical offerings of soups, salads, sandwiches, or a hot entrée. Americans do not normally think of salads as German food; however, I would encourage travelers to order a salad. I had some incredible salads in Germany. They are abundant and delicious. Teresa is known for ordering salads on our research trips together.

 

In Germany, their dinner options are what we might expect to order in America. I was not expecting the wide variety of restaurants because I had my heart set on good typical German fare of wurst and sauerkraut or schnitzel. But you can find Greek, Indian, Italian, and Mexican restaurants and we happily tried them all!

 

Some other differences to keep in mind when eating out is that you will not receive your bill [rechnung] until you ask for it. Dining out is about good food and socializing, so they do not rush you. Also, tipping is different. There is not the traditional tipping structure in Germany that there is in America. You can certainly leave a tip, and we did, but it is not customary or expected like it is in America. 

 

Luckily, in between researching at repositories and dining out, we did a lot of walking, which helped to ensure I did not gain weight after enjoying all the wonderful meals on the trip! Guten Appetit!