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Record Prices and Luxury Dishes at Oktoberfest Draw Scrutiny Over Access, Safety and Sustainability

Soaring prices with showpiece menus are reshaping perceptions of what the Wiesn represents.

Overview

  • Beer now costs roughly €14.50–€15.80 per liter, with many large tents at about €15.40, and some soft drinks exceed €15 as premium beverage lists stretch to 1.5‑liter champagne bottles near €500.
  • Käfer Wiesn‑Schänke lists a €410, 1.2‑kilogram Wagyu steak and a €298 Maine lobster, while Bräurosl offers a 1.3‑kilogram Tomahawk for €179 or €229 with truffle.
  • Crowds remain intense with millions on site by mid‑festival, feeding complaints about packed tents and long waits alongside the higher costs.
  • Security concerns feature prominently as police report cases ranging from a suspected rape investigation to a drug offense that led to a €40,000 payment, with Munich pointing to its layered security plan.
  • Air Partner cites a sharp rise in private‑jet charters to Munich, fueling climate criticism as organizers highlight green power and recycling against an energy use comparable to a medium‑sized town.