Food is a fundamental necessity for human survival and is an essential element of every society, distinguishing one culture from another. Each society or country has its own unique foods, contributing to its cultural heritage and identity. Street food has for long been a convenient option for people on the go. It has helped many tourists and travelers satisfy their hunger and experience local taste and flavour during their journeys.

In Germany, Doner Kebab is widely considered the king of street food due to its popularity, ease of preparation and consumption, and exotic taste. Doner Kebab shops can be found on numerous street corners, offering variations such as doner shawarma, durum, falafel, and doner box, among others. It is quite common to see long queues of people waiting to buy doner kebab, especially at popular doner shops scattered across many German cities.

A sandwich with a unique taste

Doner Kebab is a type of sandwich or snack that is prepared with a combination of flat bread, grilled chicken, or roasted lamb. Minced meat, marinated lamb, or chicken is placed on a vertical rotating rotisserie to grill. The slices of grilled chicken or meat, along with roasted flat bread, are then garnished with assorted spices and vegetables such as salad, tomato, onion, cabbage, cucumber, lettuce, garlic, mayonnaise, and yogurt. In some cases, it is prepared without bread but only with chicken, potatoes, assorted vegetables, and spices.

Doner Kebab is a healthy Turkish cuisine that originated in Turkey. In Turkey, Doner Kebab is served mostly with rice and without bread on a plate. However, the German version is served with bread stuffed with salad and different sauces. It can be enjoyed as a lunch or dinner, especially when one is busy and does not have time to cook at home. While there are other famous German street foods such as schnitzel and bratwurst, none can be compared to the popularity of doner kebab in Germany. In fact, many Germans are obsessed with doner kebab, and it is more or less part of the pop culture in Germany.

The dish became popular due to the influx of Turkish migrant workers into Germany in the 1960s and 1970s. They were brought in by the German government to help rebuild the post-war economy and brought with them not only their unique skills, but also their local delicacies.

The first doner kebab shop was set up by a Turkish man named Kadir Nurman in Berlin in the 1970s. From there, it became a popular street food and spread across cities in Germany. Doner kebab has grown tremendously over the years and is a major fast food business, mostly managed by Turkish immigrants in most German cities. It is very common to see a kebab shop in small cities across Germany, as most residents have become acquainted with this popular street food.

Doner has been my favorite snack since I arrived in Germany four years ago. At my favorite Sultan doner kebab shop in Kiel, I have tried different varieties of doner kebab, including durum, doner schawarma, and doner box, which is convenient to eat on the go. The recent rise in energy and wage costs due to the Russia/Ukraine war has led to an increase in the price of doner kebab across Germany, which used to be a very low-cost fast food option.

It is worth noting that four years ago, the average cost of a doner kebab was between two and three euros. However, in the last two years, inflation has driven the average cost of a single doner kebab up to between three and seven euros, depending on the city you are in. In Kiel, the average cost of doner kebab is between six and seven euros, but it could be higher in larger cities like Munich, Berlin, Hamburg, and Frankfurt. For example, I remember paying 9 euros for a doner kebab at a popular shop in Munich two months ago.

Widespread of doner shops across Europe

Doner Kebab shops can be found not only on major streets across German cities, but also in many cities across Europe. It is quite common to find a doner kebab shop in city centers across major metropolitan areas in Europe, such as London, Amsterdam, Brussels, Zurich, Mila, Venice, Vienna, and others. These doner kebab shops provide fast food for travelers and tourists on the move.

As someone who enjoys eating doner kebab, especially while traveling, I have been able to buy this cuisine during my various trips in Europe in order to experience its different tastes. I have enjoyed doner Kebab during my trips to Antwerp in Belgium, Copenhagen in Denmark, Milan and Venice in Italy, as well as Paris in France. However, none could be compared with the delicious taste of the doner kebab that I had during my visit to Paris two years ago. The exotic taste of the street food I had in Paris has been unforgettable, and it continues to evoke great memories of the time I spent there.

Doner Kebab as a symbol of multiculturalism

Germany is home to approximately three million immigrants of Turkish origin, making it the country with the largest number of immigrants of Turkish descent outside of Turkey. The doner kebab is a prime example of how culture can significantly influence society. The widespread presence of thousands of doner kebab shops in cities across Germany can be viewed as a positive outcome of immigration in the country. The doner kebab has evolved from being just a tasty sandwich to symbolizing integration and multiculturalism, as people of all races and different social backgrounds in Germany enjoy this delicacy.

It is noteworthy that there are thousands of doner kebab shops scattered across German cities, surpassing internationally recognised fast food chains such as Burger King, Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC), and McDonalds. The Association of Doner Kebab Manufacturers in Europe is the organisation responsible for regulating the activities of doner kebab shops to ensure strict adherence to standards. The proliferation of kebab shops has had a significant impact on the German economy, as the fast food business has become a billion Euro industry in Germany.

For travelers, food enthusiasts, and anyone planning to visit Germany during the summer for vacation, I highly recommend taking the time to savour the taste of the doner kebab. I am confident that the experience will be memorable and enjoyable.