as our submitter peter points out, the residents of berlin — with their trademark berliner schnauze — are not known for mincing words. but this sign, found at a coffee shop of sorts in the u-bahn station kottbusser tor, takes that characteristic berliner directness one step further.
peter’s rough translation: “anyone who doesn’t buy anything PLEASE leave the store!!! thanks.” (that’s at least one request we haven’t seen at a starbucks…yet.)
related: danke!!! [for the sarcasm]
98 responses so far ↓
#1
unholyghost2003
I think the real difference between this place and Starbucks is that THIS sign says “Please” and “Thank You”
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:22 pm rating: +4
#2
RunBarbara
this doesnt strike me as particularly passive or aggressive. i think it is polite, to the point and magnificent as a young show pony! in fact, i am going to post that sign every where i go. unless you intend to buy something you shouldn’t go into a shop. that classifies you as riff-raff and, as you all know, i have no patience for riff-raff! i also have no patience for hippies as they smell like a fake leg full of fish sticks.
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:26 pm rating: +18
#3
TC
…except David Hasselhoff. He can loiter all day and buy nichts!
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:27 pm rating: +4
#4
GhostWriter
…and just like that, all the German baristi walked out of the shop.
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:29 pm rating: +4
#5
zchamu
This could be applied to numerous situations. Unless you plan to give me money PLEASE LEAVE MY HOUSE! Unless you plan to mow my lawn PLEASE GET OFF MY PROPERTY! Unless you plan to give me sparkly presents PLEASE GET OUT OF MY SIGHT!
I’m going to start using this.
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:29 pm rating: +23
#6
zombieBlanco
✔ Block letters
✔ Hasty underlining
✔ Extra exclamation marks
Passive-aggressive = the universal language
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:31 pm rating: +23
#7
GhostWriter
“Please, Bin Laden- Thank You! ”
Those Germans can never be counted on in our War on Terror.
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:33 pm rating: +2
#8
GhostWriter
Is it my imagination, or does the photographer reflected in the window have a huge Herman Munster-like head?
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:36 pm rating: 0
#9
Mishee
“Hurry up and buy!!”
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:38 pm rating: +2
#10
Kev Orng
WENN SIE DICH DIE MONGOLEI POTLUCK SORGEN MÖCHTEN, HOLEN SIE BITTE 5 EURO ZU CASEY IM PERSONAL FÜR IHREN HUT.
DNK SANDRA
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:43 pm rating: +48
#11
Canthz_B
Scram you dirty browser!
What do you mean you’re looking for the perfect gift?
Figure it out and come back when you know!
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:45 pm rating: +8
#12
paranoiagirl
I love that “please” is the only lowercase word, as if they’re dragging it out slowly and quietly before exploding into “LEAVE THE STORE! Scheiße!”
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:46 pm rating: +3
#13
Quite Contrary
So, in PAN land, does this mean I need to leave the bathroom if I’m not going to do drugs there?
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:47 pm rating: 0
#14
Mishee
ooh, I see on the menu that they have chocolade…
Well, it is the Land of Chocolate, after all!
Jun 19, 2008 at 12:53 pm rating: +2
#15
claw71
Germans are very efficient people. There’s no such thing as shopping to them, only purchasing. Shopping is for the French and it is why the French were defenseless in WW2.
Jun 19, 2008 at 1:04 pm rating: +17
#16
claw71
or
You learn something new everyday.
Who would have thought that there are Korean store owners in Germany too?
Jun 19, 2008 at 1:06 pm rating: +5
#17
Ana
Where is that café anyway? Everything’s so cheap! A sandwich for 15 Cents?! How great is that? I wouldn’t even mind the rude sign…
Ana, Leipzig
Jun 19, 2008 at 1:47 pm rating: 0
#18
ErikaBlare
Vee haf ovens een ze back for people who loiter.
Jun 19, 2008 at 2:23 pm rating: +3
#19
Brad
I prefer the Babel Fish translation:
“WHO ANYTHING DOES NOT BUY REFRESHES request the SHOP!! THANKS”
Jun 19, 2008 at 2:29 pm rating: +6
#20
Ewan
Surely it is impossible to get into the shop if you have to buy something before you can enter.
Jun 19, 2008 at 4:44 pm rating: +1
#21
amazon
My (German) boyfriend sent me this link yesterday.
http://german.about.com/library/weekly/aa080299.htm
Apparently politeness is just plain trifling and nasty in Germany.
Jun 19, 2008 at 5:05 pm rating: 0
#22
Cricket
oh, you crazy Germans.
Jun 19, 2008 at 6:50 pm rating: +1
#23
Stylewalker
Here is something about the location of this shop. In this very metro station there are tons of people hanging out there ALL the time. Selling stuff, doing drugs maybe, drinking. Nothing harmful but just hanging there all the time. I can understand that shop owners only want to have REAL clients in there store and not all the rest of the usual hanging out people.
Jun 20, 2008 at 4:55 am rating: 0
#24
Andre
You know, where I come from (i.e. the Internet) “WIE” stands for “wiener/willy in email”.
Women are sometimes bitter after recieving WIE.
Not mine, you understand.
Jun 20, 2008 at 10:04 am rating: +1
#25
Ana
I am SO glad I don’t live in Germany anymore.
Germans are the crankiest people I have ever met…ugh
Jun 20, 2008 at 3:34 pm rating: 0
#26
SavageCarmina
I worked in a large bookstore chain that has one of those LOVELY Starbucks-esque cafes. Every night at closing, one of the managers would make the closing announcements over the intercom starting at 30 minutes before closing time. Without fail, one manager in particular would announce, “If you are not making any purchases, please exit the store at this time. Thank you!” Not the same as making a sign and posting it, but the same general effect.
Jun 23, 2008 at 10:20 am rating: 0
#27
that girl
Well! Enschulegen!
Jun 23, 2008 at 5:53 pm rating: 0
#28
foobar
dunno if someone said it already, but this is normal language use in german. no idea what’s supposed to be special about this sign.
Jun 24, 2008 at 7:13 pm rating: 0
#29
mathias
For everyone that has never been to that station:
Kotbusser Tor is full of drug-dealers and yunkees that just linger around everywhere. I guess, the store-keepers just want to keep them out.
Aug 4, 2008 at 12:47 pm rating: 0
Leave a Comment