Mild in May 2016

That's certainly interesting. I think I have only seen a few Biergärten on a lawn here. Gravel is the most common in bavarian Biergärten. I'm always saying bavarian because that is where you find the highest density of them by far, though also outside-only drinking establishments are becoming more and more popular throughout the country- very often they are even bavarian themed, even if they are located far up north.
Another key differences, as I think I already implied- variety of choice. I mean esp. with outside-only Biergärten, you'll really have no variety to choose from. 1,2 beers, maybe 3 if your are lucky. A few soft drinks. Often no wine.
All this makes me wonder where those differences come from..

 

Interesting. Well, it might also be worth noting that in UK pubs unless you're dining you won't get table service. Rather, one goes inside to the bar. Question, do you eat snacks when you drink in Germany? We tend not to. In a lot of countries though a drinking session is almost unimaginable to go to a bar and not eat. Obligatory in some countries.

Sorry for hijacking your thread Marquis!

 

Service in Biergärten is also not there all the time, esp. With bigger ones. Sometimes you have food- or drink stalls where you stand in line to get your stuff, or sometimes food is service,drinks are not. It depends on size and location of the operation.
With food- yeah. It is very common to eat, though you are not unwelcome as a group when you don't. But esp. with older people, I feel they only go to the Biergarten or Wirtshaus to consume food.Funny thing is in franconia, meals like "Brotzeit" or Sausages aren't even seen as proper food. You'll often hear "No, we don't have food. Only Sausages/Brotzeiten"....And the portions are huge. A Brotzeit, which is seen as a snack, may contain of a dozen of cold cuts of meat, some cheese, several big slices of heavily spiced bread and so on. I personally as a non-meat eating person only eat while drinking when I can bring my own stuff, vegetarian and vegan options are still lacking, but improving, even in traditional establishments.

I'm sorry for hijacking as well, but somehow those cultural differences really interest me.

 

Oh, and I forgott something. Sorry for doubleposting:
Again, what I wrote was from a bavarian perspective. I grew up in the larger cologne area, where things are a bit different. There, corner pubs which only serve beer and no food at all are common , and people also go to some pubs only to drink.. Although stuff as a roll with cheese (halver hahn) or meat balls with mustard are seen as "local food" there, they are somehow more for tourists and far more uncommon than Brotzeitplatten in bavaria...