Strapped for cash because of his ex-wife's monetary demands, the unemployed Andreas (Roland Dueringer) decides to hold up a Vienna supermarket just before Christmas in order to raise some necessary funding. At the last minute he bows out and wanders into a tailor's shop across the street, where he impulsively takes Boeckel (Joachim Bissmeier), the owner, hostage. Before Andreas burst in, Boeckel had been in the process of fitting Franz (Josef Hader), a tiresome regular customer, and now the three men are trapped together as the police surround the store. Various power plays ensue until all become united in getting Andreas his money