German waiter attempts to break world record by carrying 31 beer glasses at once

A German waiter tried to break the world record for the number of beer glasses carried at once during a fair in Abensberg in southern Germany on Monday.

Oliver Struempfel, who works as a waiter and has trained in carrying multiple beer mugs simultaneously, loaded a tray with 31 beer glasses and set off along the route used to measure the world-record distance. He has attempted similar feats before: a 2017 effort ended with two glasses dropped and 29 glasses safely put down, according to earlier reports.

Video of the Abensberg run circulated on social media and in news outlets, showing Struempfel balancing the stacked glasses as spectators watched. Media reports described the attempt but did not cite confirmation from Guinness World Records or another official adjudicator that the attempt met all requirements to set a new record.

The current Guinness World Records benchmark for the number of beer glasses carried and the specific distance required for verification differ by category; formal recognition generally requires an official adjudicator or validated evidence such as time-stamped footage and witness statements. Organisers at local fairs often stage high-profile attempts to attract attention, but not every attempt is submitted for official certification.

Struempfel’s demonstration follows a tradition of tray-carrying challenges in beer-service culture in parts of Germany, where waiters sometimes display skill as part of regional festivals and market fairs. Such displays combine speed, balance and experience handling heavy glassware on crowded grounds.

Organisers at the Abensberg event declined to provide an immediate statement on whether paperwork for an official record attempt had been filed or whether a Guinness representative had been present. Media coverage focused on the spectacle of the run and reactions from onlookers.

Without confirmation from the record authority, the attempt remains a public stunt documented in video rather than an officially ratified world record. Requests for further comment from Struempfel and representatives of Guinness World Records were not immediately answered.