More Bitz- Restaurant Edition
Eating out in Switzerland is a pricey endeavor. This stems from two hallmarks of the Swiss lifestyle that are related to each other.
1) Food is sourced locally whenever possible. While listing the origin of a restaurant's meat and vegetables is a relatively recent trend in the US, it's simply expected in Switzerland. The Swiss like keeping their money close, so they buy from local producers, even when limited supply means very high prices.
2) All professions are paid livable wages. Swiss farmers and ranchers are paid enough to make a living as are restaurant employees including waitstaff. In a country where everything is expensive (and just across the boarder in places like Germany and France, prices are significantly cheaper), the Swiss know the importance of paying their citizens well to keep them (and their money) within national boarders.
1) Tipping
Did I mention the waitstaff don't even get tips and they still make a decent salary? Apparently, tipping in Switzerland will typically result in embarrassing your server and is only done in the most extraordinary situations. While going out to eat at restaurants may seem really expensive it's not too different from the States.
Switz Bitz Arithmetic Blitz:
Swiss Example: 23 CHF for a small pizza with fancy toppings at a nice restaurant. The price already includes tax (and as you now know, no tipping required) so the amount you see listed on the menu is the total price you pay.
US Example: Let's work backwards and find out what the price of that pizza would have been in the States. (I'll stay in CHF for simplicity.) Assume you are a lovely and generous person (Herr Cervelat), and tip 25%. (25% of your total bill is $5.75, meaning your pizza plus tax was CHF 17.25.) Now, assume the nice restaurant is located in Philadelphia where the sales tax is 8% and there is no additional meal tax. (8% of CHF 17.25 is CHF 1.38, meaning your pizza (without tax and gratiuity) was CHF 15.87. The lowest denomination of Swiss Franc is 5 rappen, so let's call it a day at CHF 15.90 for a small pizza. Granted, CHF are valued higher than USD, but this reasoning makes that Swiss pizza with fancy toppings look a little more reasonable.
2) Seat Yourself
See a free spot at that cafe? It's yours! No free spot? This calls for vulturing the outdoor tables to get that nice two-top in the sun. Vulturing (noun)- Lying in wait near a desired object until a fellow trophic level consumer abandons the desired object. (Example desired objects include: that cafe table, last shirt in your size on the rack, hands-on exhibit at the science museum monopolized by a single child for the past 20 minutes, cookies).
3) A Side of Chocolate
Why doesn't anyone else do this? Nothing makes all that vulturing worth it more than a piece of chocolate next to your steamy beverage. They are perfect partners. The Swiss have this figured out. Nine times out of ten your coffee or tea will come with some tasty bite on the side.
Tschüss!
-Swiss Ms
Eating out in Switzerland is a pricey endeavor. This stems from two hallmarks of the Swiss lifestyle that are related to each other.
1) Food is sourced locally whenever possible. While listing the origin of a restaurant's meat and vegetables is a relatively recent trend in the US, it's simply expected in Switzerland. The Swiss like keeping their money close, so they buy from local producers, even when limited supply means very high prices.
2) All professions are paid livable wages. Swiss farmers and ranchers are paid enough to make a living as are restaurant employees including waitstaff. In a country where everything is expensive (and just across the boarder in places like Germany and France, prices are significantly cheaper), the Swiss know the importance of paying their citizens well to keep them (and their money) within national boarders.
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| Cows, cows, cows. |
1) Tipping
Did I mention the waitstaff don't even get tips and they still make a decent salary? Apparently, tipping in Switzerland will typically result in embarrassing your server and is only done in the most extraordinary situations. While going out to eat at restaurants may seem really expensive it's not too different from the States.
 |
| I made this pizza with garlic mascarpone, spinach, and egg. We already shared all of our restaurant pizza pictures, so just pretend we actually ordered this one in a restaurant... |
Switz Bitz Arithmetic Blitz:
Swiss Example: 23 CHF for a small pizza with fancy toppings at a nice restaurant. The price already includes tax (and as you now know, no tipping required) so the amount you see listed on the menu is the total price you pay.
US Example: Let's work backwards and find out what the price of that pizza would have been in the States. (I'll stay in CHF for simplicity.) Assume you are a lovely and generous person (Herr Cervelat), and tip 25%. (25% of your total bill is $5.75, meaning your pizza plus tax was CHF 17.25.) Now, assume the nice restaurant is located in Philadelphia where the sales tax is 8% and there is no additional meal tax. (8% of CHF 17.25 is CHF 1.38, meaning your pizza (without tax and gratiuity) was CHF 15.87. The lowest denomination of Swiss Franc is 5 rappen, so let's call it a day at CHF 15.90 for a small pizza. Granted, CHF are valued higher than USD, but this reasoning makes that Swiss pizza with fancy toppings look a little more reasonable.
2) Seat Yourself
 |
| Mission accomplished! |
See a free spot at that cafe? It's yours! No free spot? This calls for vulturing the outdoor tables to get that nice two-top in the sun. Vulturing (noun)- Lying in wait near a desired object until a fellow trophic level consumer abandons the desired object. (Example desired objects include: that cafe table, last shirt in your size on the rack, hands-on exhibit at the science museum monopolized by a single child for the past 20 minutes, cookies).
3) A Side of Chocolate
Why doesn't anyone else do this? Nothing makes all that vulturing worth it more than a piece of chocolate next to your steamy beverage. They are perfect partners. The Swiss have this figured out. Nine times out of ten your coffee or tea will come with some tasty bite on the side.
 |
| That chocolate says, "Come stay awhile. Relax and enjoy". Don't mind if I do, chocolate. |
-Swiss Ms
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