One thing which always seems to shock people when they come to Germany is having to pay for ketchup and mayonnaise to go with their fries. I know it sounds like a simple thing, but it rankles so many.
How many of you have ordered in a burger bar and sat down only to find that no condiments on the tray? I bet you then had a gut-wrenching feeling as you are asked to pay for every sachet when you return to the counter to get some ketchup to go with your fries? Worse still, you purchased the meal from a drive-through and ended up eating dry fries?
I have lived in several countries over the years, but Germany has been the only one that does this. To me, it is a huge culture shock. For heaven’s sake, even in Lebanon you can help yourself to ketchup or barbecue sauce from pump action dispensers! And it is not only the fast food chains that are charging for a dollop of ketchup or a splodge of mayo – I have even had to pay extra in some of the more upmarket places.
So, if you like a lot of sauce with your fries, be prepared to pay a bit extra to actually get it.
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