'Beer is essential to life': German fans tested by World Cup refreshment prices

[p]Hundreds of German fans arrived in Toronto via Houston on Friday ‌to join fan parties ahead of Saturday's game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/G2FRjBgn/"]Ivory Coast[/a] in Group E.[/p][p]Fans were ‌seen queuing up outside pubs in downtown Toronto, some with their ‌suitcases having arrived straight from the airport while others made their way after ‌a visit to Niagara Falls.[/p][p]Though the mood among German fans was ‌upbeat, when asked about the price of Toronto pints they were quick to criticize.[/p][p]"[b]I have to tell you the beer prices in Canada and the U.S. are much ‌more expensive than in Germany,[/b]" said Mats Kauer, ⁠47.[/p][p]"In Germany, we pay about $6-$7 for ‌a pint, but there it is about $10 to $14, and in the stadium, it ​is $17. That is ridiculous.[/p][p]"[b]You have to make it cheaper because beer is essential to life.[/b]"[/p][p]Anne-Marie Seessle, the president of Toronto's Bayern Munich Fan ​Club, said that while higher beer prices are to be expected when you travel for a World Cup, the ticket prices for games ⁠were "insane".[/p][p]"[b]Here in the city, the ​ticket prices have been crazy. I myself paid C$1,000 (US$706) for my ticket,[/b]" she added.[/p][embed guid="2f5bfd79-c67d-462d-a605-7cf53f18bdc0" url="https://x.com/Amelie1227075/status/2068150263257464871" social-type="twitter" /][p]Canada has one of the highest food inflation rates among G7 countries. And while the exchange rate against the U.S. dollar and the euro makes [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/canada/x4toKORL/"]‌Canada[/a] relatively cheaper, the addition of tax and tips can inflate prices quickly.[/p][p]In Toronto bars and restaurants, servers expect tips between 12% and 20%, while 13% tax is also added to the bill.[/p][p]For 61-year-old Heiner from Berlin, who is planning to follow all of Germany's matches at the World Cup, Toronto has been an enjoyable destination to take in the atmosphere.[/p][p]"[b]But the beer prices here is what we pay in Munich during Oktoberfest,[/b]" he said, adding that a litre costs 50% more.[/p][p]Toronto pubs defended ‌their prices, saying they are comparable to Europe. The biggest issue may ​be meeting demand.[/p][p]Cesar Mesen, 44, the owner of Pint Public House, ‌is making sure his taps do not run dry for German fans during the game.[/p][p]"[b]We have right now 16 kegs getting nice and cold,[/b]" Mesen said.[/p][p]"Each keg is 30 litres, so that makes 500 litres of beer and that is about 1,200 pints.[/p][p]"[b]So we are ⁠expecting a little bit more ⁠activity tomorrow, but we are ‌ready for it.[/b]"[/p]