teatimeabroadEssential tips for enjoying Oktoberfest in Munich, including beer tent etiquette, what to bring, and what to avoid.
Oktoberfest can be overwhelming, especially if it’s your first time visiting Munich’s famous beer festival. From getting into the beer tents to knowing when to tip, there are a few unwritten rules that can make your experience much easier—and a few mistakes that can get you kicked out.
Oktoberfest DOs
Bring Cash to Oktoberfest
Most of the Oktoberfest tents and stalls only accept cash. There are ATMs throughout the festival grounds, but they can be tricky to find or run out of money. Withdrawing before you arrive will save time and effort.
Tip Your Beer Server in the Tents
It is important to tip in the Oktoberfest beer tents. Tipping your beer server is an important part of Oktoberfest etiquette and can go a long way toward getting their attention when you need another round.
It is good practice to tip €1-2 on each beer, especially on the first round. You want to be on your server’s good side to have time to order another round. Otherwise, there’s a good chance the server won’t return.
*My advice: tip €3-5 on the first round to get your server’s attention and a big smile, then you can drop from there on the following rounds. They will usually race back to your table to ask if you need anything else before you’ve even finished.
Prioritize the Beer Tents
If you attend the festival specifically to drink local beer in beautifully decorated tents and DON’T have a table reservation, get into a tent before doing anything else on arrival. Oktoberfest gets bigger and bigger every year. Last year, 2025, they even had to close off the grounds for a few hours on a Saturday because of overcrowding.
Weekends are especially crazy. Get to the grounds before noon, or after 8 pm for your best chance of squeezing into a shared table without reservations. The fairgrounds are typically open to the public at all times, but the tents have a capacity limit. The later in the day it is, the less likely your chances are of getting in without spending a lot of time waiting outside.
Check Oktoberfest Tent Menus in Advance
Every tent has its own menu and pricing. One Maß (1 liter) of beer costs about €15 for Oktoberfest 2026. The larger tents publish their offerings online. Check this out before you go to determine how much cash to withdraw.
My advice: If you are urgently hungry, order Käsespätzle (noodles with cheese) or a Hendl (half a chicken). These are staple food items and typically prepped in bulk. They arrive faster at the table than other orders. The fastest snack option is a giant pretzel. Just flag down the person walking around the tents with a basket and waving a pretzel in the air.
Bring a plastic water bottle
Non-alcoholic drinks are available everywhere during Oktoberfest, but if you want to save a little money and stay hydrated, bring your own. You can bring a reusable, non-glass water bottle onto the general Oktoberfest festival grounds.
Just finish it before going inside the tent. You cannot bring outside beverages or filled bottles inside. This is best for enjoying the carnival on hot days.
Plan Your Moves Ahead of Time
The last round of beer is served around 10:30 pm, and the tents close strictly at 11 pm.
The exception to this is the wine tent (Weinzelt), which is open until 2 am.
No matter where you end up, try to leave before the tents close for the night. The crowd can be rowdy and chaotic. Imagine leaving any sporting match and it will be something like that. For a smoother exit, leave 30 minutes before closing.
Make Eye Contact to Cheers
The German word for cheers is “Prost!” It is good manners to clink glasses with everyone around you before drinking.
More importantly, German superstition threatens seven years of bad sex to those who do not make eye contact when clinking glasses!
Visit the Teufelsrad (Devil’s Wheel)
When you’ve had your fun in the beer tents, head over to the Teufelsrad. This iconic Bavarian attraction is hilarious to watch, no matter how much you’ve had to drink. It’s €5 for adults and €1 for kids to enter the audience area.
Imagine a spinning top, then add people to it. Now add two employees trying to wrangle the spinning people off with rope or knock them down with inflatable balls. That’s the Teufelsrad. Anyone can participate, and the rounds are categorized by age and sometimes gender. There is no additional cost to join the madness.
Oktoberfest DON’TS
DON’T Stand on the Table
The rules can be confusing when it seems like everyone is breaking them. So here they are:
You may NOT stand on the tables. If you’re caught doing this, security will escort you out. I’ve heard of people successfully sneaking back in during busy periods, but it’s not a risk I’d recommend.
You also may NOT chug a beer standing on the table. Even though you will see videos of people doing this on social media to thunderous cheers from the crowd, the videos miss a key detail. Those people were escorted out a moment later. If you want to chug your beer with your friends, keep it tame and definitely don’t stand on a table to do it for the fans.
You MAY stand on the benches. You will see people doing this for popular songs, especially in the evenings. It is also ok to place one foot on the table to stabilize yourself as long as it isn’t where you are putting most of your weight.
My advice: I typically stand with one foot on the bench, the other on the table, and my beer balanced on my bent knee. A liter of beer gets really heavy when standing for long periods of time. This also helps to avoid bending over frequently and unbalancing the bench when straightening up.
An easy rule to remember:
Tables are for Drinks.
Benches are for People.
DON’T Sit on the End of an Empty Bench.
A beer bench is long and unstable. You want to be seated within the insides of the legs when possible. If you sit on the end without a counterbalance of other people, the bench will fall over.
My advice: Be considerate of the people sharing the bench with you
Warn the person or people at the end if your group is getting up. This gives them a chance to also stand up or shift their weight to avoid tipping onto the floor.
DON’T Wait to go to the Bathroom
This mostly applies to the ladies, but can be the case for the men’s bathroom too. Bathroom lines are often out the door. The moment you think you might need to go, you should line up.
There are bathroom workers who keep the bathroom clean and stocked. They always have a tray out for coin tips. This is a voluntary payment, not mandatory. If you have some change to spare, €0.50-€1 is generous. This applies to the public bathrooms around the grounds as well. Unless a sign announces a required cost, it is always optional to tip.
DON’T Keep All Your Important Information in One Place
Oktoberfest is the largest beer festival in the world. Just like in any festival, things can go wrong. Take precautions to make sure your wallet and phone are secured in your purse or pockets. Leave important documents like a passport in your hotel.
Write your address somewhere besides your phone in case it is lost or stolen. If you don’t have a few phone numbers memorized, also write down an emergency contact somewhere on your person. I’ve lost my phone and watched friends lose everything imaginable at Oktoberfest, including phones, wallets, passports, jackets, and each other.
To avoid being completely stranded, have a few back-up plans and meeting points. Prepare for the worst.
DON’T Smoke or Vape Inside the Tents
Vaping, e-cigarettes, and heated tobacco products are completely prohibited inside all beer tents and enclosed spaces. There are plenty of designated smoking areas all throughout the grounds.
DON’T Bring Large Bags
You are certainly allowed to bring in small purses and bags, but check the size restrictions in advance.
2026 allowances: 20 cm x 15 cm x 10 cm (approx. 8 in x 6 in x 4 in).
For larger items, there are storage areas located around the grounds. For more information about items you can and cannot bring, plus storage options, check the official site here.
HAVE FUN!!
Oktoberfest is more than just beer. Take a ride on the giant Ferris wheel, ride a roller coaster, or earn prizes at one of the many carnival games. Oktoberfest draws travelers from around the world and locals from all corners of the city. There is a little something for all ages!
As a local to Munich, it is my favorite festival of the year!
