"Guys, it is very hard to get to know Austrians..." A local man walks up to you, intent on starting a conversation with a foreigner, taking his right glove off preparing to shake your hand and you send him away. I get the feeling, the problem is on your end. As far as service is concerned, my guess is you simply were unlucky - or in Vienna (those arrogant pr*cks). Naturally I am Austrian (why else would I bother to comment here), and having been raised in a tourist region I can only repeat the mantra that every kid was taught there: "Always be nice and forthcoming to the tourists, because that is how we earn a living. However, when they are not around, you are free to call them all kinds of names."
+Markus Socius TRUE! Like we're kinda arrogant pricks but not really. Honestly every place is kinda arrogant because everyone's proud of their place. I love Vienna and wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but I think all of Austria is really very awesome (also, isn't hating the capital city a really big thing? It's everywhere) Grüße ausm 3. Bezirk! :D
Markus Socius YES YES YES! I was horrified when I saw that Austria was SPLIT IN HALF like ?!?!?! They're gonna be so dissatisfied and I don't even wanna know how thios is gonna affect the future
Markus Socius true. The elections were a fucking rollercoaster. Really? I don't think people actually get it. Like... humans can be incredibly dense sometimes Oh yeah sure, I totally forgot the most reliable and professional paper of Austria how could I
I've been to Austria and people are so kind. Went to several restaurants and bars and I must say the service was totally great and they serve politely with a smile. I guess this guy just bump into the wrong place at the wrong time but if you try harder you'll see they are not as difficult people as you described them.
russrtd the people (like the old man) are really nice, but the service, that is where it does not com through :) I need to refilm this on my next visit and explain better. this video is from 4 or 5 years ago so now I know how to explain myself a bit better. all the best!
+woltersworld you need to go to the smaller restaurants or to a "buschenschank" if you want good service. sometimes the owner or chef cook of a "buschenschank" will sit down with you and you can talk with him/her (of course only if you want to)
As a German I have to say there are nice people but also very grumpy people. If you are unlucky you get yelled at or ignored and you dont know why. They are not good in keeping up the optics. I always thought that they just hate Germans but now I see they treat other tourists the same. And in Salzburg and Vienna they can be very arrogant. Austrians only like Austrians.
I have lived for 9 years in Vienna and the service is different, not terrible. You only need to get the waiter's attention. If not, they will leave you alone and not pressure you into ordering more. I find it very relaxing to sit with my tea or coffee for as long as I want & then signal the waiter that I would like to pay my bill.
I went to Germany and when I was ordering burger from M some usa girl where shacking because the waiter was so freaking pissed I couldn't order so I went to the old lady to order from her
Austrian here. I have to admit, most of what you said is true (and some of the things are really odd to hear mentioned because, well, they're so usual to me). Service sucks? Ohhhh yes. The waiters, the service personnel, they're not dependent on your money. They have a salary they can exist on, anything extra is just ... well, extra. But then again the tips that are expected are not as "outrageous" as in the US. It's fine to just round up to the next Euro or, if your bill is more than 20 bucks, maybe add another Euro. Anything more than 5 Euros will probably even be considered obscene (though of course it will be taken). It's quite acceptable to tip to the tune of 5% of the total. Also, pretty much the only people who really expect a tip are waiters and cab drivers. Expensive? Well... not for Austrians. Switzerland is expensive for us, but the main reason it may seem expensive to you, even though the average pay of Austrians is probably lower than it is in the US, that our difference in salary isn't that big and hence service personnel in tourism oriented businesses (hotels, restaurants, cafes, guides, cab drivers...) is quite expensive. And hence their product is. So yes, being a tourist in Austria sure is expensive. I'd recommend getting to know someone and spending your vacation with them instead. ;) Oh, and stay away from tourist traps like the ski resorts. They're not expensive, they're a blatant rip off. Shops closing. Yes. True. 7pm and EVERYTHING resembling retail is closed. You can maybe get some stuff at gas stations (but be prepared to pay a bigger premium than you're even used to from your "convenience stores" for it). Funny enough, you can't buy bread between 7pm and 6am, but you can buy gas round the clock. Go figure what really matters to us. Friendliness. I can see where this is coming from. To understand this, you have to understand the Austrian mentality that we are very concerned with how we appear to strangers. We want to make a great first impression, and if we don't know how to do that, we can get quite insecure. And when we get insecure, we get cold and very business'y. What we adore is when someone takes the time to learn the language. Even and especially if you don't speak it well, we really, really like to see the effort. It's not really a very flattering trait of us, but we like the feeling to be in control, and if we see you struggle with the language, we do feel that we are. It also allows us to teach you something we (obviously) know, so this is nearly certain to break that ice. Politics, sorry, but no. Our FPÖ, as much as they're despicable, is not that different from the US Republicans. As much as they're despicable. Despite all this, I hope you enjoyed your stay!
***** Your German is fine. Ours isn't. :) Quite seriously, dialects are VERY rough in German. To the point where someone from Northern Germany cannot understand anyone from Bavaria when he starts talking in broad dialect. As a non-native speaker you're easily lost. And if someone from Vorarlberg (the westernmost part of Austria) starts talking in dialect, EVERYONE ELSE is totally lost, including any native speaker. They have a completely alien language on the other side of that mountain. You have to understand that "German" as a standardized language, is rather young. Maybe 150 years old. Until then, Germany didn't really exist, it was a collection of small fiefdoms, duchies and other areas (to get an idea, google for a map of Germany around the 1800s). And they didn't really like each other. And didn't talk to each other. Dialects arose that diverged heavily from one another and when Germany became more than a "geographical term" (IIRC Napoleon was the one coining that phrase), interestingly after Napoleon's defeat, it took a LONG while for the various states to grow together and develop a standard language that they could actually use generally. And yes, people are still proud of their dialects and they still use them, even though it became more and more a stigma to talk in dialect for many areas of the German speaking countries (except Switzerland, they are very proud of their variant of German). In most other areas it is considered a sign of poor education and lack of culture if you talk in deep dialect "like a peasant".
***** Well, the Swiss dialect is a very distinct variant, not really related to Bavarian or Austrian dialects (which do share a lot). What you're dealing with here has a lot to do with history and the historical makeup of Germany. Until well into the 1800s, "Germany" was, must like Italy, more a "geographic term" than one of a nation. The "holy roman empire", despite its name mostly comprised of middle Europe and mostly of Germany, which lasted from the early middle ages to 1806 when it was dissolved, was at first actually pretty coherent, but in the end nobody really gave a shit about the emperor. Germany was a collection of tiny fiefdoms, some of them the size of a US county, with a few that were more than laughable. And they all had their own "brand" of German. And that still holds today. When Germany was eventually united after the war of 1870/71, one of the difficult bits was to define a standard language. I mean, try to formulate a contract when everyone has by then started to give the same words very different meanings. The fun part about it all is now that the people who talk closest to what is considered Standard German is the people from the extreme north-west of Germany. Mostly because they had to learn German as a completely foreign language anyway since they were mostly talking in Plattdeutsch, i.e. Low German (a language that is closer to Dutch than German in many aspects). So when they learned German, they adopted the standard pretty thoroughly. Albeit with a few Platt words to spice it up (and confuse the living hell out of the Bavarians). So what you have today in Germany is the north that speaks maybe what could be considered the closest to Standard High German (provided they don't switch to Low German altogether), you have a collection of many fairly well understandable dialects through the middle of Germany down to about Frankfurt/Main, from there on and through Austria you have the Bavarian dialects, with the exception of the Austrian state Vorarlberg and the German parts of Switzerland where Alemannic German dialects prevail. And then there's the East parts of Germany where every talks like they're drunk all the time, and probably are. Saxon German is not a language, it's a serious condition of the throat, as far as I can tell. :)
Was die FPÖ anbelangt kann ich dir nicht zustimmen ("despicable", nein), ansonsten stimme ich dir voll zu. Gerade die österreichische Mentalität erklärst du sehr schön!
Of course that you should visit the country, like any other in the world there are good and negative aspects compared to our home country or others.... but, regarding Austria, I still live here and I still hate many things... although, you lean how to live with them and look at the good things instead....
I am a college professor in the US. I teach marketing. I was working in europe for 15 years so i had lots of opportunities to travel. Now not so much, but we are doing more videos in the US now (see the top 10 arizona and 5 love/hates of the southwest usa). But we still get to travel in the summers when classes are over. Heading to europe and china this summer so more fun videos to come. I am working on getting 100 pounds down so i can make a 100 lb weight loss video. thanks for the support
hullo, i'm from the usa and i've lived in austria for 12 years (or, in austrian terms, i live here since 12 years). i absolutely love the place. it was hard to get to know the austrians at first, because they're all busy in their daily lives. people work a lot around here. but the place is beautiful and safe and i have found the austrians really sweet and classy and smart once i got to know them. the service in stores and restaurants doesn't bother me at all; i don't need fake love from strangers; the coolness feels natural, and when i go home to the states, i find myself wishing the wait staff would give me more space. another advantage of austria is that you can withdraw cash from any atm: banks share atms, and there are no charges for withdrawing cash. also, they debit your credit card at the end of every month so you never rack up snowballing debts. and, and, and....
I was commenting on the service people's lack of friendliness, not the people. I thought the Austrians were fantastic people. maybe your English isn't so good so you missed that part. anyway, that was also before I knew how to edit video so everything was in one shot. thanks for watching and commenting.
I live in Austria and I agree with most of ypur points. But I have to add something you have to know about the opening time of the shops. Shops are not allowed to open that long in Austria than in other countries in europe. (It's a law). The shops closes in the evening because the people should go home to their familues snd having dinner with them. (Family is very importantend in Austria) PS. Can you make s video where you explane the dollars - (They are all looking the same and the coins even have no numbers on it)
Graz! Love It! WTF is with blue blog art museum? that thing is cool! Graz is on our top 10 austria video (coming out in august or septmeber). please subscribe and thanks for watching and commenting!
Canada was our original summer trip for this coming summer, but work is taking me to china so we are going to be doing a bunch of china and asia travel videos. But hopefully we will get to Canada next year. My wife has told me after china she is not leaving north America for a year... so looks like Canada and mexico videos are soon to come :) I think she just smacked me because of that line :)
i like the Austrian people but just something happens to them when they are waiters... its weird. same thing happens in france too. and I am guessing our definitions of f=ing hot might be a bit different :) mine is +40 like in shanghai or savannah :) all the best. thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks for all the nice comments. I would love to come to India. I have heard a lot of great things from my friends that traveled there. One of my collegues runs a program teaching business and sustainability in various regions of India and I may be going with him in 2014, so if we can do it, I will be there :) Any advice?
As an Austrian myself, I think you are absolutely spot on with your observations, nevermind the usual youtube comment trolls. There's one thing I'd like to point out though, you're right about the far right thing. Most European democracies don't have a two party system. So if you're unhappy with the current government, there's always another party you can vote for in protest. It's interesting that Austrian protest voters always tend to vote for the right wingers, whereas in other countries protest votes tend to go to the left. So yeah, lot's of folks do (unfortunately, in my opinion) vote for the far right. However, take that with a grain of salt. Political left and right are not fixed positions. This being Europe, the US Democrats would still be considered a moderate-right wing party here. The Republicans are in many ways further to the right than any mainstream political party in Austria.
I have the lack of accesabilty as one of my hates of europe in my 5 thigns you will love and hate about europe video. there just is not a lot of accasablities. i have been debating putting together a video on the best wheelchair accesible cities in europe to help out (we have a few friends in wheelchairs as well and they have had problems getting around), but it is getting better. i will say that.
I was speaking about the Service industry & the complete disregard for customer service and still expecting a tip as well. The people are fine. I never had a problem with them outside of the service industries. SOmehting must happen when they get behind the till or in the restaurant :) thanks for watching and commenting. I lived in Vienna for a time as well & traveled a lot as a tourist throughout the country & that is where my opinions are formed. Not the only person saying it about the service
Austria is very safe. I lived in Vienna for awhile and never once felt uncomfortable. I have been to Salzburg 5 times and again, no issues what so ever. The service in the country is not very friendly and that probably would explain a lot of the not helpful language issues. you will be fine in austria do not worry :)
@Pocok4 Have been to Budapest four times and had a blast each time. I have always been amazed how much the city has changed each time I have gone, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2010. But wow has it gotten more expensive over those 10+ years. Why not shoot me an email on some cool places in hungry and things you love and hate about hte country and I can try to put something together for a future video or at least mention some good stuff on the hungarian page on my website (which i still need to add too)
My wife and I spent a little time in Austria this past September and October, and we loved it. The people were nice and the service was good. What we found interesting was that in the city of Linz, on a Saturday night, we could not find an open restaurant. So, to that end, Austrians do close up shop earlier than what I'm used to, but when you know that, you work around it.
My sister went all over Europe she said Germany was pretty but the people were not very nice but she said Austria was both pretty and the people were nice. She said Austria was her favourite country in Europe
@oXbOxr00X Yeah, i need a lot better camera and mic. the wind is really bad here. i hate that it happened. i try to keep the wind down, this was literally the least windy place i could find... sorry :( but i promise to try harder :) thanks for watching and commenting and again sorry for the sound issues
@Pocok4 Actually speak :) well, I am very good at English, German, Spanish and Portuguese. I am intermediate at Italian and a "decent" beginner level of Lithuanian. Hope all is well!
I love Austria, and this is one of the love and hate videos I feel I didn't get my love for the country across well enough, I am heading back there next year and will do a new one that better explains some of these points and some new ones :) it is a fantastic country.
The people are really friendly. I really love Austria, but something happens when they get into the restaurant service industry that changes them :) all the best!
About the negative points: 1.) Yeah, some waiters aren't just as friendly as they should be! Probably because they don't get much tip, but in the other hand they have a better salary, independent from the tip - which is pretty positive for their profession i think. 2.) Austria is not really expensive compared to countries like sweden, norway, england, japan etc. Depends on where you go, but generally it's moderate 3.) Yeah shops close at 6pm, but to me it's ok. Work ends at 4pm for most of the people, so if you have to run errands you have enough time and keep in mind, the workers of the shop also have a private life. That's only fair to me! Restaurants are used to be open at least until midnight, usually longer. So i don't get that point. Additionally the austrian eating behaviour is different to the english or american. Our main meal of the day takes place at noon. Dinner in the evening is not such a big deal for us. 4.) Yeah, you might be correct. I guess a lot of austrians, especially the older ones, aren't confident to hold conversations because they lack in speaking english. 5.) Totally true. That's a major problem. Some austrians aren't open minded concerning immigrants. Some of the immigrants aren't behaving you'd wish, though!
***** even as a german who lives in Innsbruck I found the shop closing times a bit unusual and still wish that atleast a few bigger shops had opening times till 22.00 :(
+netfischer Die meisten Geschäftsbesitzer würden gerne länger offen haben. Gerade in solchen Touristenstädten, wie Wien, Graz und Salzburg. Es sind Konflikte zwischen der Wirtschaftskammer und der Arbeiterkammer und anderen Parteien, die es seit Jahrzehnten gibt...
I'm Austrian as well and you're absolutely right about the negatives. I was laughing my ass off when you talked about the bad service. Although... I've been the US and Canada several times and service over there, and I know that might sound a bit crazy, is a bit too (phony) friendly for my taste. I hope you enjoyed your stay!
I am Austrian and live in Chicago since 2 years now and I really miss the service and quality of food in restaurants here. Other than the always smiling and happy American waiter that works for tip, Austrian waiters and waitresses are honest with you and if you are unfriendly or impolite they will be impolite to you too. Americans restaurant culture is just completely different but i guess it's ok since this video mainly addresses Americans. Also i can agree that it is very uncommon to start a conversation with a stranger in a bar while it's perfectly normal to talk to the people right next to you in any bar or restaurant or anywhere in general here in the US.
@Pocok4 holes in toilets are LT, LV, some in Italy as well. (i am just trying to "prepare" them ;) the racism thing i have gotten a few times just from my accent. For example in Portugal i was told to "go back to Brazil" multiple times as I spoke portuguese with a brazilian accent. Anyway do not worry about the "aggressive" comment. I have gotten much worse :) my personal favorite was when I was told i deserved the same fate as sadaam hussein. And he meant it...
The service in austria is not bad. Its meant this way. If we go to a restaurant the waiter should ask politely what you want, you order and it should be brought to your table as fast as possible. Besides that no chitchat is wanted and the waiter shouldnt interrupt you every 5 minutes and ask if there is something he can do cause we would consider that rude. We go to a restaurant to eat ant talk with the people who are with us not with the waiter or the chef. If you need something you give the waiter a small sign and he will come and take your order. Of course you can chat with the waiter but he will not stand a conversation himself cause most of the Austrians wouldnt want that. They are not rude its just the way here.
Your Hate and Love list is 100% correct! I live in Austria since 4 years. I agree that their service is not friendly. I was in a coffee house and the waitor came and told us that we have to go in 30 minutes because they close (and this was at 9pm). This would never happen in my country. I was in the Supermarket yesterday. I was holding a shopping basket and went to the cashier desk to pay. After placing the stuff i wanted on the cashier desk, I left the basket infront of the cashier desk as all customers usually do, the employee turned to me, looked at me badly and told me as if i did something wrong.... *THERE is the place of the baskets!!!*, showing me the corner, where they place them. My mother visited me once in 2013, for a few months. She went to the supermarket and she needed help to find a product. When she came back, she was furious. She told me, she has not met such people before in her life. She tried to ask people in the supermarket, but nobody bothered to understand what she was looking for. They were just looking at her like she was an alien and then left her. I think number 1. and number 4. in the *Hate List* are highly connected. Service has to do with how friendly somebody is! Since last year, I plan moving to another country, because i do not like the peoples mentality here. In some cases, i could even characterise it as agressive.
@Pocok4 basic european tourists dont tip their waiters or bartenders in the US (it is 15-20% of the bill, they only get paid a couple dollars an hour and make their money on tips) and the waiters and bartenders hate them (that would be my best tip for you for you heading to the US :) i have the love and hate for the US on here too and for a couple regions. thanks for watching adn commenting
I loved visiting Salzburg....I wish I could live there. I talked to many people in English and they were pleasant. Of course, I look German so I guess that helped.
woltersworld When we were there it was a major anniversary of Mozart's birth (during the summer). We did the whole Sound of Music tour and all the other tourist stuff. We stayed at a lake resort in Mondsee and drove all over the place: up to a glacier, through all sorts of beautiful little towns, went to the salt mines, Hallstadt (sp), and walked all over Salzberg. It was probably the best trip I have ever taken.
@Nightraider978 I am glad I can show you a brief view of your homeland. I hope you can get there. Austria is beautiful! Thanks for commenting and watching. please subscribe!
I am Austrian and I completely agree. Customer service sucks, especially in Vienna. Viennese waiters are infamously unfriendly and unhelpful. Salzburg is very busy with lots of tourists and service staff seems to get annoyed easily as well. It's not as bad in other parts of the country. I liked the fact that a random guy started talking to you while you were explaining how hard it is to get to talk to us Austrians, haha!
Don't get scared off, he's mostly wrong about a lot of his points. I live in Austria Austrian's aren't unfriendly or rude or anything (sure, exceptions), in fact, while we are a homogenous group, once we warmed up with you a little, we are FAR more welcoming than germans. About the service, well, I think that depends on where you are. If you are in some kind of tourist trap, sure, they don't expect you to come again, in smaller sites or towns in little "Wirtshäuser" (like traditional restaurants) everyone is really nice and welcoming. They are more than often owned by the family that had the business there for generations. Shops: Yeah we close at 6-7pm so people can go home to their families and have some quality time, work-life-balance is really important for us. While in restaurants you often sit until 1 or 2 am, bars and clubs until 4 or 5 am.
i definitely don't think the service is bad. the waiter aren't going to spend time trying to talk to you or hovering by your table. they will take your order, get it to you as quickly as they can and then they will let you eat. if you need something, ask. they're not going to ask over and over again if you want anything else. and that tipping thing? i have never heard of anything like that. i live here, i'm austrian and have never stuck to a 10% tip. of course you can add a little extra to the bill, that happens a lot. but mostly it's just a few euros til the next round number
Like most students, I used to improve my pocket money working as a waiter. I think the reason people may think that the service here sucks, is that people usually like their privacy, and not want to be bothered while eating, or having drinks. It is more or less considered to be impolite to constantly offer people more drinks or desserts etc. Makes the waiter seem like a slimy salesperson in my opinion, or like a beggar trying to improve his or her tip. Just like Americans, we love our freedom and individual rights, when going out to eat with friends or a date, last thing I'd want is to be constantly bothered by a waiter. If I need something I will yell, dont worry about it, now leave me be I want to enjoy my Schnitzel in peace.
I visited Austria twice.Its a really beautiful country to Visit.Best place on Earth i have Ever seen Good things: 1. Beautiful Nature Lakes, Mountains, Glaciers etc 2. Great Infrastructure 3. Lovely People but younger generation are little Rude to talk than Older people they are really Helpful and talk respectfully 4. Great Food 5. none the less The GREAT LOCAL BEER I love it! Bad things 1. Transportation very Expensive, and less Public vehicles 2. Shops get closed after7 3. Very Expensive
I'm from Austria and I think it's crazy that in America the shops are open so late. Nobody wants to work in the evening when they could be at home with their family.
unnerum plachuta?plachuta has been losing all credibility ever since the son took over. a friend of mine was working in the kitchen in three different plachuta restaurants and all went downhill a LOT. the quality is mediocre at best, the service is good, you're right about that but the price is ridiculous for the quality of the food. there are much better places to recommend in vienna if you're going high-quality ***** "usually(!) here in austria the servants themselves are not allowed to keep the tip. they are well payed even without it." that's not the general case, no. the minimum wage for waiters is lower than anyone elses because a hypothetical average tip is taken into calculation which reduces the minimum wage. if you earn more than minimum wage, there's no reason to complain anyway. But since most waiters in your every day tourist restaurants work minimum wage, not tipping them can be very hard on them.Of course it's the industries fault and no person should be obliged to tip, but all I'm saying is, you can really help make a life better or worse when deciding whether or not to tip. especially in austria. especially when you're talking about young waiters. some places do pay well, yes. but most of the time, the tip is necessary for the livelyhood of a waiter. also I never had the case were I wasn't allowed to keep the tip. this is not usual as I've never heard of it ever before. source: I've been a waiter in vienna for 6 years and worked in many places.
There is one thing you have to understand about "quality of service" here: People in the service industry are not required to be "fake friendly" as they are in the US. If they are friendly, they really mean it. And if they have a bad they, they can show that to a certain point. And about right politicians in Austria: I don't like them too - but while they are considered "far right" in Austria, they are still considerably more left then the republican party in the US.
What you need to know in Austria there are restaurants with great service and those with bad service, you need a bit of feeling for it or know some places to find one that is good.
Insiders tip: Next time travel to Villach (Carinthia - southernmost Austrian state) very near to the Italian and Slovenian border. It is much cheaper and you can make day trips to Vienna (train connection every 2 hours), Salzburg (travel time 2.5 h), Triest, Udine, Venice (just 4! hours from Villach), Bled and the Triglav National Park and of course you can bath in Carinthia's beautifull lakes. This region (alpe adria region) is unique in europe and definitely a must see!
I've experienced that too, that thing with coffee and service... Austrians are very serious about their coffee and especially the quality. About that behavior of waiters and such... I 've heard it is suppossed to be like that... especially in Vienna. Like... it has it own special charm those grumpy waiters in coffeehouses :-)
Starsailor ??? Meinst die Össis haben schlechten Kaffee? lol Kommt drauf an wo man ihn trinkt ( und wie viel er kostet ). Österreich war ja eine der ersten europäischen Nationen, die durch die Türkenbelagerungen Kaffee zu schätzen begannen . Eines der ersten Kaffeehäuser wurde in Wien im 17Jh errichtet
Paul Mares I know very well the first coffee house started in Vienna and the habit of drinking coffee started spreading from there. Unfortunately today annus domini 2014 lots has changed and if you live in Austria outside the Vienna region and you are going for a coffee there is lots left to be desired. I am Italian and for us coffee is a serious thing too but in the modern times, starting from the country of origin of the coffee to the way its transported and roasted (see Illy for example). Half of the coffee types sold in Austria have Italian names but have very little in common with their original. The standard coffee in Austria is watered, burned tasting and with no aroma. One last thing...why you answered in German, if you like I can answer in Italian as well just to be an ass.
Starsailor Sorry, didn't think about it... don't really know why I spontaneously answered in German lol I guess what you say is true; Austrians always swoon over some Italian coffee after they've visited Italy... I don't know, but I've had both ( Italian and Austrian ) coffees and either I was lucky or I'am just not as good recognizing a good coffee, becuase both kinds tasted kinda the same and good enough. I still say that it depends WHERE you drink your Coffee. Here in Linz where I live there are some very good Coffeehouses ( like Traxlmayr for instance ) that don't have Italian names
Paul Mares Agreed, it much depends where you order the coffee. I have the bad habit of drinking coffee during work so in those cases I need to drink whats available. Here in Austria I had a hard time finding a good coffee machine so far. I would say in Italy decent coffee is a standard, like even in the worst case you case something that I would call drinkable, but the coffee in restaurants is normally always excellent.
Customer service in many European countries is same - lousy, slow and not very attentive. No warm greetings, so small talks or anything. Just straight, cold & all business. They'd sit you down and then for minutes there will be no one coming by to attend. Serving the order takes at least half hour to 45 mins and once they've brought you the food, they hardly ever come by to check if everything is fine, need something etc. This is the stark difference I noticed right away after moving from US to NL and having visited few neighboring countries.
I am Austrian and the way I perceive it is that (especially in Vienna) it it considered polite to give people their space and leave them to themselves a little... A waiter who comes up to you and asks you if everything is fine can already be considered an overly zealous overachiever sucking up to you...
@Pocok4 all of my waiter friends are very happy :) its funny as waiters will literally fight NOT to have foreigners at their tables because of the lack of tips. Its rather interesting to hear them talk about it. And you are right, racism is everywhere even if it is hidden or not talked about it is out there. I just had a hard time actually finding five things to actually "hate" or even dislike about Austria, so had to go to the political side. I do appreciate your watching and commenting
About the service here in Austria... People working in bars or restaurants that are rude is of course unprofessional, you should never let the customer see if you don't feel happy. But the background in many cases is, that many customers are rude, as well. It's not rare for the workers having to serve (or having to be in contact with) a rude guest or even more during the day. And after a while that can pull you down. I'm sure it's not the case for every worker, but for a few (more?) of them.
Imo Austria's service doesn't suck but the service in the States is just over the top, sometimes almost too much tbh! I think it's all about the salary of the waiters and the tip difference. Waiters in the States really need that tip while a waiter in Austria doesn't expect much anyway. Their salary is way better. That's probably one reason why the Americans are so friendly when you sit down at their restaurant. Well, that was my impression when i visited NY 2,5 years ago. But anyway... Great videos mister! ;)
I am Austrian. And I will ever be. AND OUR SERVICE IS GREAT!!! But it really can happen that anyone chats you up just for fun. We do this very often :D
Hate #1 : I didn't find people in supermarkets/restaurants etc. to be THAT unfriendly, honestly. There are SOME people I didn't find very friendly, but it certainly had something to do with me not being used to them or not understanding Austrian German with my limited knowledge of "standard" German. Hate #2. Agreed. Public transport actually isn't too expensive, but that's an exception. Austria is not a cheap country. Hate #3 : It is true the opening times are a bit limited in Austria, but I can live with them. The only thing I don't like is the 6 PM closing time on Saturdays, which I find a bit too early. Hate #4 : It is true again, but I don't mind it at all. I don't like small talk either, so I'm a bit like them. Hate #5 : Yes, there is a nationalistic vote in Austria, and it may shock some people out there, but I find this a GOOD thing. Let Austria remain Austria. As for the loves, I agree with all of them 100%.
I don't agree most of claims: 1st: My wife is Austrian (I'm A Finn). 2nd: I never met any bad service or unpolite Austrians in Steyr. I made lot's of good friends there. 3rd: In Steyr was made Messerschmitt 109 G2/G6 Motors, assembled in Vienna, Those planes helped to save independence of Finland! :).
If you do decide to put a video together of the best wheelchair accessible cities in Europe that would really be helpful. Even wheelchair accessible cities in the US would be helpful too. My family just came back from Savannah GA and it was not very accessible because of the cobblestone streets and getting on and off the trolley tours.
I think people who have contradictory view and opinions are correct as is the man in this video. The reason for this is because travel is subjective by nature, it is down to chance at times but people's comments plus this video are MEANT to be ANECDOTAL. My personal opinion is that Austria is physically very beautiful and scenic as is Bavaria. Salzburg is IN MY OPINION one of the most attractive cities I have visited in EUROPE. In a restaurant however, a woman serving in our restaurant up by the fortress said what do you want with a funny look on her face after I had nodded my head and said 'ok' as she walked past just out of politness and friendliness. She wanted to do as little as possible and still expected a tip like in the video. On the other hand, I asked in German the prices of some chocolates and the lady in this shop was really friendly and because I spoke in German and made an effort she threw in some free chocolate as a gift when I bought some souvenirs. I guess that there are friendly and not so friendly people in every country of the world. I definately do recommend Austria though!
Hallo Wolter! I am for a few days in Villach and just got back from a daytrip to Venice. By the way our journey time was just 2.30 h (not 4 h) by car. Villach is also a great place to base yourself for daytrips or weekend getaways to Istria beaches in Kroatia (3 h ca. 250 km - you just have to transit Slovenia via Ljubljana) or Lignano/Bibione beaches in Italy (188 km ca. 2 h). So if your looking for a base to explore europe's great cultural diversity the south of Austria is the place!
Well, when you visit India, make sure you visit North and South India, because North India is completely different from South India in terms of the language we speak, the food we eat, the customs we follow, the way we dress, the terrain and the climate. Major cities in the South are Bangalore and Chennai, and major cities in the North are Mumbai and Delhi. If you can spend more time, make sure you spend at least a couple of weeks to get a good view about India. There are a lot of places to visit
He is absolutely right. The Austrians are cold like the weather and they don't care about the trouble that customer has to go through because of their negligence/ignorance. Sundays in Vienna are even worse than lives with dracula. Been there, done that in several parts of Austria - Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. Seen the nature & buildings but shall never return.
as an Austrian i had to lough a little bit about your comment, we see our country as one of the savest worldwide, well you can't compare it to japan, but you really don't need to worry about that, like woltersworld said... About the language, i think Austria is not bad at all, normal the elder people can't speak english (60+), but for the rest, you can communicate with basic english and i think there are a bunch of people who can speak english very well - so i think there won't be problems^^
@woltersworld :) u should try to remux (resync) the Audio like the tv show did it.. if u need help by doing it or how u can add Subbtiles fell free to ask!
Austrian groups may be homogenous, but not Austria. The regional differences are big. And a Tourist from Vienna will have quite the same trouble to avoid staying outside the group in Salzburg or Tyrol, as you had. Definitely our "Bundesländer" also means different groups, and sometimes there are more groups even in one Bundesland. Moving from Styria to Tyrol or vice versa will definitely make you a "zuagrasta" (one which moved to the new region but does not belong here) for a long while. Its more open in the larger towns, but in the countryside the said words are true for all regions.
@Codylangaugesblog Das war perfekt. Ich hatte gleich gesagt dass die oesterreicher nicht so gute service haben, und dann ein netter kehr kommt vorbei :) Aber die salzburger sind am nettesten oesterreicher, (meine ich).
Well, the thing about getting to know Austrians is, that they are by far not as superficial and exaggerated as Americans are. Once Austrians make friends with you they actually mean it like that. And if they ask you how you are, it is not just a daily greeting, they are actually really interested in HOW you are doing and expect you to answer accordingly.
I have two videos on chicago. top 10 chicago and 5 things you will love and hate about chicago :) check them out we would appreciate it. thanks for watching and commenting. hope you will subscribe and like the videos!
I'd say that there's a difference between the eastern part of Austria (Vienna) and the western part: Living is cheaper in the east, there is a bigger cultural variety and you could get to know people easier. People there favour wine (instead of beer) and also speak a more "germanic" german, which makes it easier for exchange students to get into the language. On the other side, the western part of Austria is more modern, people appear to be more warm hearted (unlike in Vienna, you can go out alone at night - and be confident of getting to know a group you can hang out with), also the cultural events are more related to traditions (Perchtenlauf, Maibaumstehlen, Unruhnacht etc.) as well as people rather like to wear Dirndl & Lederhosen and to drink beer (instead of wine). Btw, Austria isn't only consisting of Vienna, Salzburg and Graz. Places which are always worth visiting are e.g.: Innsbruck, Linz, Außerfern, Bad Ischl (Salzkammergut), Bregenz and Wachau.
you are 100% right about austrians just like austrians! it's very hard to find a austrian friend! they don't get along with foreigners especially when you came from eastern countries... I've been here for 3 straight years as a student and I've made many friends from different nationalities (germans, serbs, bosnian, chinese, arabs, turks and ...) but not a single austrian! believe me they are very nice and polite peoples but absolutely not friendly!
I cant agree more with what you say. 3 years I spent in Austria and I have made friends from every other part of the world, including germany, but not a single Austrian guy I can call a friend. I have this ugly feeling that there is a big xenophobic/racist problem with the people here.
Starsailor Depends where u come from. You have to see Austria is at the border to the slavic states and had to fight two times in his history against the turks ( muslim) So a lot of austrians do not want to see that more and more turks come to our contry.
Hast leider recht. Mit der FPÖ im Palament und vielen Zeitungen(Krone, Österreich, Heute) die nur Angst verbreiten und über Räuber & Mörder berichten, die natürlich immer Ausländer sind, haben wir ein echtes Problem in Österreich. Wir sind so ein reiches Land, aber die Menschen sind unglücklich, geizig und gehässig. Ich war gerade für ein Monat in Russland und da lernt man mit dem zu leben was man hat und die Leute dort sind viel glücklicher, aufgeschlossener und freundlicher! Darf ich fragen aus welchem Land du bist? :)
in austria, most in vienna, the waiters are the bosses, cause they can spit you in your food ;) in vienna we call the Waiter "meister" or "Chef" if you want to order. anything more to say? :D
peerless I'm from Vienna and I never called a waiter "meister" nor "chef" I don't know anyone who does and wasn't ever called that way myself (worked as a waiter myself), some may do that, but it's far from being common.
I think, in the U.S the service is better, or the people are more friendly because they get alot more tip there. They really live from the tip. In Austria it is different. The tip is maybe 5-15% of their salary. So they dont need to be friendly, but of course they should be. Another problem is, that the most waiters cant speak english well, and that makes them very unconfident, speaking with english speaking people. p.s i am from austria :) see you soon in vienna ;)
I love Austria. I hope to live there at some point in my life,but... Vienna is not built for the elderly. Well parts aren't. The cobble stones tripped my grandpa a few times and that's not fun for anyone. okay Auf wiedersehen! Reise jetzt nach Österreich!
"Guys, it is very hard to get to know Austrians..."
A local man walks up to you, intent on starting a conversation with a foreigner, taking his right glove off preparing to shake your hand and you send him away.
I get the feeling, the problem is on your end.
As far as service is concerned, my guess is you simply were unlucky - or in Vienna (those arrogant pr*cks). Naturally I am Austrian (why else would I bother to comment here), and having been raised in a tourist region I can only repeat the mantra that every kid was taught there: "Always be nice and forthcoming to the tourists, because that is how we earn a living. However, when they are not around, you are free to call them all kinds of names."
+Unit Root Agreed
Pretty damn right !!
+Markus Socius TRUE! Like we're kinda arrogant pricks but not really. Honestly every place is kinda arrogant because everyone's proud of their place. I love Vienna and wouldn't want to live anywhere else, but I think all of Austria is really very awesome (also, isn't hating the capital city a really big thing? It's everywhere) Grüße ausm 3. Bezirk! :D
Markus Socius YES YES YES! I was horrified when I saw that Austria was SPLIT IN HALF like ?!?!?! They're gonna be so dissatisfied and I don't even wanna know how thios is gonna affect the future
Markus Socius true. The elections were a fucking rollercoaster. Really? I don't think people actually get it. Like... humans can be incredibly dense sometimes
Oh yeah sure, I totally forgot the most reliable and professional paper of Austria how could I
I've been to Austria and people are so kind. Went to several restaurants and bars and I must say the service was totally great and they serve politely with a smile. I guess this guy just bump into the wrong place at the wrong time but if you try harder you'll see they are not as difficult people as you described them.
russrtd the people (like the old man) are really nice, but the service, that is where it does not com through :) I need to refilm this on my next visit and explain better. this video is from 4 or 5 years ago so now I know how to explain myself a bit better. all the best!
+woltersworld you need to go to the smaller restaurants or to a "buschenschank" if you want good service. sometimes the owner or chef cook of a "buschenschank" will sit down with you and you can talk with him/her (of course only if you want to)
Artdi been there 9 times my cousins live there
As a German I have to say there are nice people but also very grumpy people. If you are unlucky you get yelled at or ignored and you dont know why. They are not good in keeping up the optics. I always thought that they just hate Germans but now I see they treat other tourists the same. And in Salzburg and Vienna they can be very arrogant. Austrians only like Austrians.
I have lived for 9 years in Vienna and the service is different, not terrible. You only need to get the waiter's attention. If not, they will leave you alone and not pressure you into ordering more. I find it very relaxing to sit with my tea or coffee for as long as I want & then signal the waiter that I would like to pay my bill.
Same in Mexico
i'm an austrian, and all i can tell is: we are better than germany! :D
:)
I went to Germany and when I was ordering burger from M some usa girl where shacking because the waiter was so freaking pissed I couldn't order so I went to the old lady to order from her
Pffff
Thanks for the tips with the distances that does help a lot. Big hug of thanks!
Austrian here.
I have to admit, most of what you said is true (and some of the things are really odd to hear mentioned because, well, they're so usual to me).
Service sucks? Ohhhh yes. The waiters, the service personnel, they're not dependent on your money. They have a salary they can exist on, anything extra is just ... well, extra. But then again the tips that are expected are not as "outrageous" as in the US. It's fine to just round up to the next Euro or, if your bill is more than 20 bucks, maybe add another Euro. Anything more than 5 Euros will probably even be considered obscene (though of course it will be taken). It's quite acceptable to tip to the tune of 5% of the total. Also, pretty much the only people who really expect a tip are waiters and cab drivers.
Expensive? Well... not for Austrians. Switzerland is expensive for us, but the main reason it may seem expensive to you, even though the average pay of Austrians is probably lower than it is in the US, that our difference in salary isn't that big and hence service personnel in tourism oriented businesses (hotels, restaurants, cafes, guides, cab drivers...) is quite expensive. And hence their product is. So yes, being a tourist in Austria sure is expensive. I'd recommend getting to know someone and spending your vacation with them instead. ;) Oh, and stay away from tourist traps like the ski resorts. They're not expensive, they're a blatant rip off.
Shops closing. Yes. True. 7pm and EVERYTHING resembling retail is closed. You can maybe get some stuff at gas stations (but be prepared to pay a bigger premium than you're even used to from your "convenience stores" for it). Funny enough, you can't buy bread between 7pm and 6am, but you can buy gas round the clock. Go figure what really matters to us.
Friendliness. I can see where this is coming from. To understand this, you have to understand the Austrian mentality that we are very concerned with how we appear to strangers. We want to make a great first impression, and if we don't know how to do that, we can get quite insecure. And when we get insecure, we get cold and very business'y. What we adore is when someone takes the time to learn the language. Even and especially if you don't speak it well, we really, really like to see the effort. It's not really a very flattering trait of us, but we like the feeling to be in control, and if we see you struggle with the language, we do feel that we are. It also allows us to teach you something we (obviously) know, so this is nearly certain to break that ice.
Politics, sorry, but no. Our FPÖ, as much as they're despicable, is not that different from the US Republicans. As much as they're despicable.
Despite all this, I hope you enjoyed your stay!
***** Your German is fine. Ours isn't. :)
Quite seriously, dialects are VERY rough in German. To the point where someone from Northern Germany cannot understand anyone from Bavaria when he starts talking in broad dialect. As a non-native speaker you're easily lost.
And if someone from Vorarlberg (the westernmost part of Austria) starts talking in dialect, EVERYONE ELSE is totally lost, including any native speaker. They have a completely alien language on the other side of that mountain.
You have to understand that "German" as a standardized language, is rather young. Maybe 150 years old. Until then, Germany didn't really exist, it was a collection of small fiefdoms, duchies and other areas (to get an idea, google for a map of Germany around the 1800s). And they didn't really like each other. And didn't talk to each other. Dialects arose that diverged heavily from one another and when Germany became more than a "geographical term" (IIRC Napoleon was the one coining that phrase), interestingly after Napoleon's defeat, it took a LONG while for the various states to grow together and develop a standard language that they could actually use generally.
And yes, people are still proud of their dialects and they still use them, even though it became more and more a stigma to talk in dialect for many areas of the German speaking countries (except Switzerland, they are very proud of their variant of German). In most other areas it is considered a sign of poor education and lack of culture if you talk in deep dialect "like a peasant".
+Denis
yes, I guess he expects to get his butt kissed verbally more or less.
***** Well, the Swiss dialect is a very distinct variant, not really related to Bavarian or Austrian dialects (which do share a lot).
What you're dealing with here has a lot to do with history and the historical makeup of Germany. Until well into the 1800s, "Germany" was, must like Italy, more a "geographic term" than one of a nation. The "holy roman empire", despite its name mostly comprised of middle Europe and mostly of Germany, which lasted from the early middle ages to 1806 when it was dissolved, was at first actually pretty coherent, but in the end nobody really gave a shit about the emperor. Germany was a collection of tiny fiefdoms, some of them the size of a US county, with a few that were more than laughable.
And they all had their own "brand" of German. And that still holds today. When Germany was eventually united after the war of 1870/71, one of the difficult bits was to define a standard language. I mean, try to formulate a contract when everyone has by then started to give the same words very different meanings.
The fun part about it all is now that the people who talk closest to what is considered Standard German is the people from the extreme north-west of Germany. Mostly because they had to learn German as a completely foreign language anyway since they were mostly talking in Plattdeutsch, i.e. Low German (a language that is closer to Dutch than German in many aspects). So when they learned German, they adopted the standard pretty thoroughly. Albeit with a few Platt words to spice it up (and confuse the living hell out of the Bavarians).
So what you have today in Germany is the north that speaks maybe what could be considered the closest to Standard High German (provided they don't switch to Low German altogether), you have a collection of many fairly well understandable dialects through the middle of Germany down to about Frankfurt/Main, from there on and through Austria you have the Bavarian dialects, with the exception of the Austrian state Vorarlberg and the German parts of Switzerland where Alemannic German dialects prevail.
And then there's the East parts of Germany where every talks like they're drunk all the time, and probably are. Saxon German is not a language, it's a serious condition of the throat, as far as I can tell. :)
Was die FPÖ anbelangt kann ich dir nicht zustimmen ("despicable", nein), ansonsten stimme ich dir voll zu. Gerade die österreichische Mentalität erklärst du sehr schön!
0x777 is it true that Austrians don't like Germans?
I live in Austria.....This guy is completely correct about the negative points......
Dryadwoods Thanks for the comment. Great travels to you and have a great weekend!
Dryadwoods ok so basically I should not visit ?! You made it sound like hell
Dryadwoods ok so basically I should not visit ?! You made it sound like hell
Of course that you should visit the country, like any other in the world there are good and negative aspects compared to our home country or others.... but, regarding Austria, I still live here and I still hate many things... although, you lean how to live with them and look at the good things instead....
No, that is not what I said....
I am a college professor in the US. I teach marketing. I was working in europe for 15 years so i had lots of opportunities to travel. Now not so much, but we are doing more videos in the US now (see the top 10 arizona and 5 love/hates of the southwest usa). But we still get to travel in the summers when classes are over. Heading to europe and china this summer so more fun videos to come. I am working on getting 100 pounds down so i can make a 100 lb weight loss video. thanks for the support
hullo, i'm from the usa and i've lived in austria for 12 years (or, in austrian terms, i live here since 12 years). i absolutely love the place. it was hard to get to know the austrians at first, because they're all busy in their daily lives. people work a lot around here. but the place is beautiful and safe and i have found the austrians really sweet and classy and smart once i got to know them. the service in stores and restaurants doesn't bother me at all; i don't need fake love from strangers; the coolness feels natural, and when i go home to the states, i find myself wishing the wait staff would give me more space. another advantage of austria is that you can withdraw cash from any atm: banks share atms, and there are no charges for withdrawing cash. also, they debit your credit card at the end of every month so you never rack up snowballing debts. and, and, and....
I was commenting on the service people's lack of friendliness, not the people. I thought the Austrians were fantastic people. maybe your English isn't so good so you missed that part. anyway, that was also before I knew how to edit video so everything was in one shot. thanks for watching and commenting.
I live in Austria and I agree with most of ypur points.
But I have to add something you have to know about the opening time of the shops.
Shops are not allowed to open that long in Austria than in other countries in europe. (It's a law). The shops closes in the evening because the people should go home to their familues snd having dinner with them. (Family is very importantend in Austria)
PS. Can you make s video where you explane the dollars - (They are all looking the same and the coins even have no numbers on it)
Graz! Love It! WTF is with blue blog art museum? that thing is cool! Graz is on our top 10 austria video (coming out in august or septmeber). please subscribe and thanks for watching and commenting!
Canada was our original summer trip for this coming summer, but work is taking me to china so we are going to be doing a bunch of china and asia travel videos. But hopefully we will get to Canada next year. My wife has told me after china she is not leaving north America for a year... so looks like Canada and mexico videos are soon to come :)
I think she just smacked me because of that line :)
The service only sucks in the big tourist cities like Salzburg or Vienna. It's fine elsewhere.
i like the Austrian people but just something happens to them when they are waiters... its weird. same thing happens in france too. and I am guessing our definitions of f=ing hot might be a bit different :) mine is +40 like in shanghai or savannah :)
all the best. thanks for watching and commenting.
Thanks for all the nice comments. I would love to come to India. I have heard a lot of great things from my friends that traveled there. One of my collegues runs a program teaching business and sustainability in various regions of India and I may be going with him in 2014, so if we can do it, I will be there :) Any advice?
I am from Austria and this is hilarious to watch because I totaly see myself in all of those points. Absolutely amazing. :-)
As an Austrian myself, I think you are absolutely spot on with your observations, nevermind the usual youtube comment trolls.
There's one thing I'd like to point out though, you're right about the far right thing. Most European democracies don't have a two party system. So if you're unhappy with the current government, there's always another party you can vote for in protest. It's interesting that Austrian protest voters always tend to vote for the right wingers, whereas in other countries protest votes tend to go to the left. So yeah, lot's of folks do (unfortunately, in my opinion) vote for the far right.
However, take that with a grain of salt. Political left and right are not fixed positions. This being Europe, the US Democrats would still be considered a moderate-right wing party here. The Republicans are in many ways further to the right than any mainstream political party in Austria.
I have the lack of accesabilty as one of my hates of europe in my 5 thigns you will love and hate about europe video. there just is not a lot of accasablities. i have been debating putting together a video on the best wheelchair accesible cities in europe to help out (we have a few friends in wheelchairs as well and they have had problems getting around), but it is getting better. i will say that.
I was speaking about the Service industry & the complete disregard for customer service and still expecting a tip as well. The people are fine. I never had a problem with them outside of the service industries. SOmehting must happen when they get behind the till or in the restaurant :) thanks for watching and commenting. I lived in Vienna for a time as well & traveled a lot as a tourist throughout the country & that is where my opinions are formed. Not the only person saying it about the service
Austria is very safe. I lived in Vienna for awhile and never once felt uncomfortable. I have been to Salzburg 5 times and again, no issues what so ever. The service in the country is not very friendly and that probably would explain a lot of the not helpful language issues.
you will be fine in austria do not worry :)
@Pocok4 Have been to Budapest four times and had a blast each time. I have always been amazed how much the city has changed each time I have gone, 1997, 2000, 2005, 2010. But wow has it gotten more expensive over those 10+ years. Why not shoot me an email on some cool places in hungry and things you love and hate about hte country and I can try to put something together for a future video or at least mention some good stuff on the hungarian page on my website (which i still need to add too)
My wife and I spent a little time in Austria this past September and October, and we loved it. The people were nice and the service was good. What we found interesting was that in the city of Linz, on a Saturday night, we could not find an open restaurant. So, to that end, Austrians do close up shop earlier than what I'm used to, but when you know that, you work around it.
My sister went all over Europe she said Germany was pretty but the people were not very nice but she said Austria was both pretty and the people were nice. She said Austria was her favourite country in Europe
@oXbOxr00X Yeah, i need a lot better camera and mic. the wind is really bad here. i hate that it happened. i try to keep the wind down, this was literally the least windy place i could find... sorry :( but i promise to try harder :)
thanks for watching and commenting and again sorry for the sound issues
@Pocok4 Actually speak :) well, I am very good at English, German, Spanish and Portuguese. I am intermediate at Italian and a "decent" beginner level of Lithuanian. Hope all is well!
It is a great city. especially in the summer... a bit too cold in the winter though ;)
I love Austria, and this is one of the love and hate videos I feel I didn't get my love for the country across well enough, I am heading back there next year and will do a new one that better explains some of these points and some new ones :) it is a fantastic country.
The people are really friendly. I really love Austria, but something happens when they get into the restaurant service industry that changes them :) all the best!
Great, thanks for advertising our country. Please, do come back and make sure to enjoy your Salzburger Nockerl and everything! ;)
I like the grumpy service :-)
( Austran, guaranteed not rightwing, Pete)
i live since 33 years in austria and woltersworld is RIGHT
@Pocok4 why don't you let me know how you really feel? :) Thanks for watching and commenting.
About the negative points:
1.) Yeah, some waiters aren't just as friendly as they should be! Probably because they don't get much tip, but in the other hand they have a better salary, independent from the tip - which is pretty positive for their profession i think.
2.) Austria is not really expensive compared to countries like sweden, norway, england, japan etc.
Depends on where you go, but generally it's moderate
3.) Yeah shops close at 6pm, but to me it's ok. Work ends at 4pm for most of the people, so if you have to run errands you have enough time and keep in mind, the workers of the shop also have a private life. That's only fair to me! Restaurants are used to be open at least until midnight, usually longer. So i don't get that point. Additionally the austrian eating behaviour is different to the english or american. Our main meal of the day takes place at noon. Dinner in the evening is not such a big deal for us.
4.) Yeah, you might be correct. I guess a lot of austrians, especially the older ones, aren't confident to hold conversations because they lack in speaking english.
5.) Totally true. That's a major problem. Some austrians aren't open minded concerning immigrants. Some of the immigrants aren't behaving you'd wish, though!
***** even as a german who lives in Innsbruck I found the shop closing times a bit unusual and still wish that atleast a few bigger shops had opening times till 22.00 :(
+netfischer Die meisten Geschäftsbesitzer würden gerne länger offen haben. Gerade in solchen Touristenstädten, wie Wien, Graz und Salzburg. Es sind Konflikte zwischen der Wirtschaftskammer und der Arbeiterkammer und anderen Parteien, die es seit Jahrzehnten gibt...
we always say: "it's not a real austrian coffee house unless the service is bad" :D
I'm Austrian as well and you're absolutely right about the negatives. I was laughing my ass off when you talked about the bad service. Although... I've been the US and Canada several times and service over there, and I know that might sound a bit crazy, is a bit too (phony) friendly for my taste. I hope you enjoyed your stay!
I am Austrian and live in Chicago since 2 years now and I really miss the service and quality of food in restaurants here. Other than the always smiling and happy American waiter that works for tip, Austrian waiters and waitresses are honest with you and if you are unfriendly or impolite they will be impolite to you too. Americans restaurant culture is just completely different but i guess it's ok since this video mainly addresses Americans.
Also i can agree that it is very uncommon to start a conversation with a stranger in a bar while it's perfectly normal to talk to the people right next to you in any bar or restaurant or anywhere in general here in the US.
@Pocok4 holes in toilets are LT, LV, some in Italy as well. (i am just trying to "prepare" them ;)
the racism thing i have gotten a few times just from my accent. For example in Portugal i was told to "go back to Brazil" multiple times as I spoke portuguese with a brazilian accent. Anyway do not worry about the "aggressive" comment. I have gotten much worse :) my personal favorite was when I was told i deserved the same fate as sadaam hussein. And he meant it...
The service in austria is not bad. Its meant this way. If we go to a restaurant the waiter should ask politely what you want, you order and it should be brought to your table as fast as possible. Besides that no chitchat is wanted and the waiter shouldnt interrupt you every 5 minutes and ask if there is something he can do cause we would consider that rude. We go to a restaurant to eat ant talk with the people who are with us not with the waiter or the chef. If you need something you give the waiter a small sign and he will come and take your order. Of course you can chat with the waiter but he will not stand a conversation himself cause most of the Austrians wouldnt want that. They are not rude its just the way here.
Your Hate and Love list is 100% correct!
I live in Austria since 4 years.
I agree that their service is not friendly.
I was in a coffee house and the waitor came and told us that we have to go in 30 minutes because they close (and this was at 9pm). This would never happen in my country.
I was in the Supermarket yesterday. I was holding a shopping basket and went to the cashier desk to pay. After placing the stuff i wanted on the cashier desk, I left the basket infront of the cashier desk as all customers usually do, the employee turned to me, looked at me badly and told me as if i did something wrong.... *THERE is the place of the baskets!!!*, showing me the corner, where they place them.
My mother visited me once in 2013, for a few months. She went to the supermarket and she needed help to find a product. When she came back, she was furious. She told me, she has not met such people before in her life. She tried to ask people in the supermarket, but nobody bothered to understand what she was looking for. They were just looking at her like she was an alien and then left her.
I think number 1. and number 4. in the *Hate List* are highly connected. Service has to do with how friendly somebody is!
Since last year, I plan moving to another country, because i do not like the peoples mentality here. In some cases, i could even characterise it as agressive.
@Pocok4 basic european tourists dont tip their waiters or bartenders in the US (it is 15-20% of the bill, they only get paid a couple dollars an hour and make their money on tips)
and the waiters and bartenders hate them (that would be my best tip for you for you heading to the US :)
i have the love and hate for the US on here too and for a couple regions. thanks for watching adn commenting
I do like Austria. I studied there in university and really enjoyed it
It's kool that theguy said hey, I'd like to see you do some interviews with natives, that would be awesome! Happy Holidays!
I loved visiting Salzburg....I wish I could live there. I talked to many people in English and they were pleasant. Of course, I look German so I guess that helped.
Laura Opper i have always enjoyed Salzburg. i am heading back there this summer. fun time
woltersworld When we were there it was a major anniversary of Mozart's birth (during the summer). We did the whole Sound of Music tour and all the other tourist stuff. We stayed at a lake resort in Mondsee and drove all over the place: up to a glacier, through all sorts of beautiful little towns, went to the salt mines, Hallstadt (sp), and walked all over Salzberg. It was probably the best trip I have ever taken.
I live in Salzburg, and i love it there:)
+Celina Brüderl thats cool
I live in Salzburg
@Nightraider978 I am glad I can show you a brief view of your homeland. I hope you can get there. Austria is beautiful! Thanks for commenting and watching. please subscribe!
I've lived in Austria. As an American I found it to be an AWESOME experience. Can't wait to go back.
I like how you mentioned the accessibility. Whenever I travel I always have to worry about if it is accessible because I am in a wheelchair.
@Pocok4 thanks!
I am Austrian and I completely agree. Customer service sucks, especially in Vienna. Viennese waiters are infamously unfriendly and unhelpful. Salzburg is very busy with lots of tourists and service staff seems to get annoyed easily as well. It's not as bad in other parts of the country.
I liked the fact that a random guy started talking to you while you were explaining how hard it is to get to talk to us Austrians, haha!
Wow thank you for your honesty. I was considering going there next year but I don’t want to now. Im sure it will be great for other people.
Don't get scared off, he's mostly wrong about a lot of his points.
I live in Austria
Austrian's aren't unfriendly or rude or anything (sure, exceptions), in fact, while we are a homogenous group, once we warmed up with you a little, we are FAR more welcoming than germans.
About the service, well, I think that depends on where you are. If you are in some kind of tourist trap, sure, they don't expect you to come again, in smaller sites or towns in little "Wirtshäuser" (like traditional restaurants) everyone is really nice and welcoming. They are more than often owned by the family that had the business there for generations.
Shops: Yeah we close at 6-7pm so people can go home to their families and have some quality time, work-life-balance is really important for us. While in restaurants you often sit until 1 or 2 am, bars and clubs until 4 or 5 am.
i definitely don't think the service is bad. the waiter aren't going to spend time trying to talk to you or hovering by your table. they will take your order, get it to you as quickly as they can and then they will let you eat. if you need something, ask. they're not going to ask over and over again if you want anything else. and that tipping thing? i have never heard of anything like that. i live here, i'm austrian and have never stuck to a 10% tip. of course you can add a little extra to the bill, that happens a lot. but mostly it's just a few euros til the next round number
Like most students, I used to improve my pocket money working as a waiter. I think the reason people may think that the service here sucks, is that people usually like their privacy, and not want to be bothered while eating, or having drinks. It is more or less considered to be impolite to constantly offer people more drinks or desserts etc. Makes the waiter seem like a slimy salesperson in my opinion, or like a beggar trying to improve his or her tip. Just like Americans, we love our freedom and individual rights, when going out to eat with friends or a date, last thing I'd want is to be constantly bothered by a waiter. If I need something I will yell, dont worry about it, now leave me be I want to enjoy my Schnitzel in peace.
I visited Austria twice.Its a really beautiful country to Visit.Best place on Earth i have Ever seen
Good things:
1. Beautiful Nature Lakes, Mountains, Glaciers etc
2. Great Infrastructure
3. Lovely People but younger generation are little Rude to talk than Older people they are really Helpful and talk respectfully
4. Great Food
5. none the less The GREAT LOCAL BEER I love it!
Bad things
1. Transportation very Expensive, and less Public vehicles
2. Shops get closed after7
3. Very Expensive
I'm from Austria and I think it's crazy that in America the shops are open so late. Nobody wants to work in the evening when they could be at home with their family.
Glad to see that you enjoyed yout stay(s) in Austria. And don't take those insults by Internet and RUclips trolls too seriously! Cheers!
If the service was shit, don't tipp those people. End of story, especially since Austrians don't tipp that much anyway.
in austria tipping is not common. You do tip, but not that much. The waiters earn more though making up for less tips
No idea what high quality restaurants you go to in Vienna, but that is certainly bollocks unless you consider places like Brandauer's high quality.
Sacher is a rip-off and tourist trap. Try places like Plachuta and you'll see that genuine high-quality restaurants do offer a proper service.
unnerum plachuta?plachuta has been losing all credibility ever since the son took over.
a friend of mine was working in the kitchen in three different plachuta restaurants and all went downhill a LOT. the quality is mediocre at best, the service is good, you're right about that but the price is ridiculous for the quality of the food.
there are much better places to recommend in vienna if you're going high-quality
*****
"usually(!) here in austria the servants themselves are not allowed to keep the tip.
they are well payed even without it."
that's not the general case, no. the minimum wage for waiters is lower than anyone elses because a hypothetical average tip is taken into calculation which reduces the minimum wage. if you earn more than minimum wage, there's no reason to complain anyway. But since most waiters in your every day tourist restaurants work minimum wage, not tipping them can be very hard on them.Of course it's the industries fault and no person should be obliged to tip, but all I'm saying is, you can really help make a life better or worse when deciding whether or not to tip. especially in austria. especially when you're talking about young waiters.
some places do pay well, yes. but most of the time, the tip is necessary for the livelyhood of a waiter.
also I never had the case were I wasn't allowed to keep the tip. this is not usual as I've never heard of it ever before.
source: I've been a waiter in vienna for 6 years and worked in many places.
***** Dann müssen wir uns mal da über den Weg laufen!
There is one thing you have to understand about "quality of service" here: People in the service industry are not required to be "fake friendly" as they are in the US. If they are friendly, they really mean it. And if they have a bad they, they can show that to a certain point.
And about right politicians in Austria: I don't like them too - but while they are considered "far right" in Austria, they are still considerably more left then the republican party in the US.
@venzon2 Thanks Venzon2. Hope you will subscribe too!
What you need to know in Austria there are restaurants with great service and those with bad service, you need a bit of feeling for it or know some places to find one that is good.
Will you ever do Canada? That would be really helpful because my family is planning on going there. Thanks.
Insiders tip: Next time travel to Villach (Carinthia - southernmost Austrian state) very near to the Italian and Slovenian border. It is much cheaper and you can make day trips to Vienna (train connection every 2 hours), Salzburg (travel time 2.5 h), Triest, Udine, Venice (just 4! hours from Villach), Bled and the Triglav National Park and of course you can bath in Carinthia's beautifull lakes. This region (alpe adria region) is unique in europe and definitely a must see!
I've experienced that too, that thing with coffee and service... Austrians are very serious about their coffee and especially the quality.
About that behavior of waiters and such... I 've heard it is suppossed to be like that... especially in Vienna. Like... it has it own special charm those grumpy waiters in coffeehouses :-)
Quality of Austrian coffee... *cough cough* I have to bite my tongue.
Starsailor
??? Meinst die Össis haben schlechten Kaffee? lol
Kommt drauf an wo man ihn trinkt ( und wie viel er kostet ).
Österreich war ja eine der ersten europäischen Nationen, die durch die Türkenbelagerungen Kaffee zu schätzen begannen
. Eines der ersten Kaffeehäuser wurde in Wien im 17Jh errichtet
Paul Mares I know very well the first coffee house started in Vienna and the habit of drinking coffee started spreading from there. Unfortunately today annus domini 2014 lots has changed and if you live in Austria outside the Vienna region and you are going for a coffee there is lots left to be desired. I am Italian and for us coffee is a serious thing too but in the modern times, starting from the country of origin of the coffee to the way its transported and roasted (see Illy for example). Half of the coffee types sold in Austria have Italian names but have very little in common with their original. The standard coffee in Austria is watered, burned tasting and with no aroma. One last thing...why you answered in German, if you like I can answer in Italian as well just to be an ass.
Starsailor
Sorry, didn't think about it... don't really know why I spontaneously answered in German lol
I guess what you say is true; Austrians always swoon over some Italian coffee after they've visited Italy... I don't know, but I've had both ( Italian and Austrian ) coffees and either I was lucky or I'am just not as good recognizing a good coffee, becuase both kinds tasted kinda the same and good enough. I still say that it depends WHERE you drink your Coffee. Here in Linz where I live there are some very good Coffeehouses ( like Traxlmayr for instance ) that don't have Italian names
Paul Mares Agreed, it much depends where you order the coffee. I have the bad habit of drinking coffee during work so in those cases I need to drink whats available. Here in Austria I had a hard time finding a good coffee machine so far. I would say in Italy decent coffee is a standard, like even in the worst case you case something that I would call drinkable, but the coffee in restaurants is normally always excellent.
Hey Wolter what is your profession ? It must be nice to be able to travel all the time! Great videos please add some more of your weigh loss . Thanks!
Customer service in many European countries is same - lousy, slow and not very attentive. No warm greetings, so small talks or anything. Just straight, cold & all business. They'd sit you down and then for minutes there will be no one coming by to attend. Serving the order takes at least half hour to 45 mins and once they've brought you the food, they hardly ever come by to check if everything is fine, need something etc. This is the stark difference I noticed right away after moving from US to NL and having visited few neighboring countries.
I am Austrian and the way I perceive it is that (especially in Vienna) it it considered polite to give people their space and leave them to themselves a little... A waiter who comes up to you and asks you if everything is fine can already be considered an overly zealous overachiever sucking up to you...
@Pocok4 all of my waiter friends are very happy :) its funny as waiters will literally fight NOT to have foreigners at their tables because of the lack of tips. Its rather interesting to hear them talk about it. And you are right, racism is everywhere even if it is hidden or not talked about it is out there. I just had a hard time actually finding five things to actually "hate" or even dislike about Austria, so had to go to the political side. I do appreciate your watching and commenting
About the service here in Austria... People working in bars or restaurants that are rude is of course unprofessional, you should never let the customer see if you don't feel happy. But the background in many cases is, that many customers are rude, as well. It's not rare for the workers having to serve (or having to be in contact with) a rude guest or even more during the day. And after a while that can pull you down. I'm sure it's not the case for every worker, but for a few (more?) of them.
Imo Austria's service doesn't suck but the service in the States is just over the top, sometimes almost too much tbh! I think it's all about the salary of the waiters and the tip difference. Waiters in the States really need that tip while a waiter in Austria doesn't expect much anyway. Their salary is way better. That's probably one reason why the Americans are so friendly when you sit down at their restaurant. Well, that was my impression when i visited NY 2,5 years ago.
But anyway... Great videos mister! ;)
Oh ok, I have always wondered what it would be like in Asia, so those will do. Thanks for the information.
I am Austrian. And I will ever be. AND OUR SERVICE IS GREAT!!!
But it really can happen that anyone chats you up just for fun. We do this very often :D
If you want good service you have to learn the customs, never let the menu open if you want to take an order for example
i am austrian and i have to say the nightlife here is amazing if you know where to go. many good places are kind of hidden.
Hate #1 : I didn't find people in supermarkets/restaurants etc. to be THAT unfriendly, honestly. There are SOME people I didn't find very friendly, but it certainly had something to do with me not being used to them or not understanding Austrian German with my limited knowledge of "standard" German.
Hate #2. Agreed. Public transport actually isn't too expensive, but that's an exception. Austria is not a cheap country.
Hate #3 : It is true the opening times are a bit limited in Austria, but I can live with them. The only thing I don't like is the 6 PM closing time on Saturdays, which I find a bit too early.
Hate #4 : It is true again, but I don't mind it at all. I don't like small talk either, so I'm a bit like them.
Hate #5 : Yes, there is a nationalistic vote in Austria, and it may shock some people out there, but I find this a GOOD thing. Let Austria remain Austria.
As for the loves, I agree with all of them 100%.
I don't agree most of claims: 1st: My wife is Austrian (I'm A Finn). 2nd: I never met any bad service or unpolite Austrians in Steyr. I made lot's of good friends there. 3rd: In Steyr was made Messerschmitt 109 G2/G6 Motors, assembled in Vienna, Those planes helped to save independence of Finland! :).
4:09 is the best..that's why I like my country;) old granddad wants to be part of the video:D
Why you didnt visit Linz ? Much more to see then Graz
If you do decide to put a video together of the best wheelchair accessible cities in Europe that would really be helpful. Even wheelchair accessible cities in the US would be helpful too. My family just came back from Savannah GA and it was not very accessible because of the cobblestone streets and getting on and off the trolley tours.
I think people who have contradictory view and opinions are correct as is the man in this video. The reason for this is because travel is subjective by nature, it is down to chance at times but people's comments plus this video are MEANT to be ANECDOTAL. My personal opinion is that Austria is physically very beautiful and scenic as is Bavaria. Salzburg is IN MY OPINION one of the most attractive cities I have visited in EUROPE. In a restaurant however, a woman serving in our restaurant up by the fortress said what do you want with a funny look on her face after I had nodded my head and said 'ok' as she walked past just out of politness and friendliness. She wanted to do as little as possible and still expected a tip like in the video. On the other hand, I asked in German the prices of some chocolates and the lady in this shop was really friendly and because I spoke in German and made an effort she threw in some free chocolate as a gift when I bought some souvenirs.
I guess that there are friendly and not so friendly people in every country of the world. I definately do recommend Austria though!
Hallo Wolter! I am for a few days in Villach and just got back from a daytrip to Venice. By the way our journey time was just 2.30 h (not 4 h) by car. Villach is also a great place to base yourself for daytrips or weekend getaways to Istria beaches in Kroatia (3 h ca. 250 km - you just have to transit Slovenia via Ljubljana) or Lignano/Bibione beaches in Italy (188 km ca. 2 h). So if your looking for a base to explore europe's great cultural diversity the south of Austria is the place!
Hardly to find English on menu, on street or public area except in Vienna, weird for me somehow. :)
Well, when you visit India, make sure you visit North and South India, because North India is completely different from South India in terms of the language we speak, the food we eat, the customs we follow, the way we dress, the terrain and the climate. Major cities in the South are Bangalore and Chennai, and major cities in the North are Mumbai and Delhi. If you can spend more time, make sure you spend at least a couple of weeks to get a good view about India. There are a lot of places to visit
He is absolutely right. The Austrians are cold like the weather and they don't care about the trouble that customer has to go through because of their negligence/ignorance. Sundays in Vienna are even worse than lives with dracula. Been there, done that in several parts of Austria - Innsbruck, Salzburg and Vienna. Seen the nature & buildings but shall never return.
as an Austrian i had to lough a little bit about your comment, we see our country as one of the savest worldwide, well you can't compare it to japan, but you really don't need to worry about that, like woltersworld said...
About the language, i think Austria is not bad at all, normal the elder people can't speak english (60+), but for the rest, you can communicate with basic english and i think there are a bunch of people who can speak english very well - so i think there won't be problems^^
@woltersworld :) u should try to remux (resync) the Audio like the tv show did it.. if u need help by doing it or how u can add Subbtiles fell free to ask!
hi i have a question for you
what so expensive is to visit austria travelling from latin american ?
can you tell me how will be it in dollars please?
Austrian groups may be homogenous, but not Austria. The regional differences are big. And a Tourist from Vienna will have quite the same trouble to avoid staying outside the group in Salzburg or Tyrol, as you had. Definitely our "Bundesländer" also means different groups, and sometimes there are more groups even in one Bundesland. Moving from Styria to Tyrol or vice versa will definitely make you a "zuagrasta" (one which moved to the new region but does not belong here) for a long while. Its more open in the larger towns, but in the countryside the said words are true for all regions.
@Codylangaugesblog Das war perfekt. Ich hatte gleich gesagt dass die oesterreicher nicht so gute service haben, und dann ein netter kehr kommt vorbei :) Aber die salzburger sind am nettesten oesterreicher, (meine ich).
We are stationed in Germany, a few hours from fussen. My wife really wants to go. I just hate the three hr drive
Well, the thing about getting to know Austrians is, that they are by far not as superficial and exaggerated as Americans are. Once Austrians make friends with you they actually mean it like that. And if they ask you how you are, it is not just a daily greeting, they are actually really interested in HOW you are doing and expect you to answer accordingly.
I wouldn't say Americans are superficial , Americans truly are friendly about it, the problem I have with them is that they are too friendly sometimes
Compared to Germany how would you rate the people?
Wieso hat keiner ihn in die Salzach geworfen?
I have two videos on chicago. top 10 chicago and 5 things you will love and hate about chicago :) check them out we would appreciate it. thanks for watching and commenting. hope you will subscribe and like the videos!
Very true. The service in Austria is just as poor as across the border in Slovakia.
I'd say that there's a difference between the eastern part of Austria (Vienna) and the western part:
Living is cheaper in the east, there is a bigger cultural variety and you could get to know people easier. People there favour wine (instead of beer) and also speak a more "germanic" german, which makes it easier for exchange students to get into the language.
On the other side, the western part of Austria is more modern, people appear to be more warm hearted (unlike in Vienna, you can go out alone at night - and be confident of getting to know a group you can hang out with), also the cultural events are more related to traditions (Perchtenlauf, Maibaumstehlen, Unruhnacht etc.) as well as people rather like to wear Dirndl & Lederhosen and to drink beer (instead of wine).
Btw, Austria isn't only consisting of Vienna, Salzburg and Graz. Places which are always worth visiting are e.g.: Innsbruck, Linz, Außerfern, Bad Ischl (Salzkammergut), Bregenz and Wachau.
Erwin Wiesinger Western part of Austria is more modern XD
You sir are hilarious.
you are 100% right about austrians just like austrians! it's very hard to find a austrian friend! they don't get along with foreigners especially when you came from eastern countries... I've been here for 3 straight years as a student and I've made many friends from different nationalities (germans, serbs, bosnian, chinese, arabs, turks and ...) but not a single austrian! believe me they are very nice and polite peoples but absolutely not friendly!
I cant agree more with what you say. 3 years I spent in Austria and I have made friends from every other part of the world, including germany, but not a single Austrian guy I can call a friend. I have this ugly feeling that there is a big xenophobic/racist problem with the people here.
Starsailor Depends where u come from. You have to see Austria is at the border to the slavic states and had to fight two times in his history against the turks ( muslim) So a lot of austrians do not want to see that more and more turks come to our contry.
Hast leider recht. Mit der FPÖ im Palament und vielen Zeitungen(Krone, Österreich, Heute) die nur Angst verbreiten und über Räuber & Mörder berichten, die natürlich immer Ausländer sind, haben wir ein echtes Problem in Österreich.
Wir sind so ein reiches Land, aber die Menschen sind unglücklich, geizig und gehässig.
Ich war gerade für ein Monat in Russland und da lernt man mit dem zu leben was man hat und die Leute dort sind viel glücklicher, aufgeschlossener und freundlicher!
Darf ich fragen aus welchem Land du bist? :)
philst96 Aus dem Iran :)
Tehran Batman Interessant! :)
in austria, most in vienna, the waiters are the bosses, cause they can spit you in your food ;)
in vienna we call the Waiter "meister" or "Chef" if you want to order. anything more to say? :D
peerless I'm from Vienna and I never called a waiter "meister" nor "chef" I don't know anyone who does and wasn't ever called that way myself (worked as a waiter myself), some may do that, but it's far from being common.
If you want to eat good and cheap visit a Buschenschank. You get homemade food for a good price.
@doppeldeluxe Great tip! Thank you so much!
I think, in the U.S the service is better, or the people are more friendly because they get alot more tip there. They really live from the tip. In Austria it is different. The tip is maybe 5-15% of their salary. So they dont need to be friendly, but of course they should be. Another problem is, that the most waiters cant speak english well, and that makes them very unconfident, speaking with english speaking people. p.s i am from austria :) see you soon in vienna ;)
This is a great video!
I love Austria. I hope to live there at some point in my life,but... Vienna is not built for the elderly. Well parts aren't. The cobble stones tripped my grandpa a few times and that's not fun for anyone. okay Auf wiedersehen! Reise jetzt nach Österreich!
Sean Knowles what? there are so many old people here, it's insane