Fight for the Bill

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20 Oktober

October 20, 2009

In China, it is very common for each of the people having a meal together at the restaurant to try to pay the bill. Therefore people sometimes "fight" for the bill. It is considered good manners and a sign of generosity and consideration of others. To win the fight, they would yell at each other like real warriors, trying to snatch the bill and push away swinging arms and hands from insistent relatives or friends (sometimes the "fight" was so fierce that they ripped the bill, funny!), or act like a player, pretending to "go to the washroom", and on the way there, they go up to the waitress and give them their cards. While paying the bill makes some people feel more superior or makes them feel like they have control of the situation, others are rather fake - they "fight" regardless of whether they really want to pay for it or not. It's all for the "face".

By picking up the tab when you are out with relatives, friends, colleagues or even potential clients, you will be appreciated. They may not always show their appreciation, but in the back of their head they know who took care of them. And if you go as far as always picking up the tab, they will want to return the favor by taking care of you.

When the other party wants to return the favor, they usually will try to take you out for dinner and try to pick up the tab. But if you don't let them pick up the tab, they will start to think of creative ways to return the favor. In many cases this could be introducing you to other people that are interested in paying you for your expertise, or they may just throw you a few business deals. Whatever they do to return the favor, your return-on-investment (ROI) will be much higher than your cost of picking up the tab.

So the next time you go out with others, try to pick up the tab when you can. You may not see a direct ROI, but in the long run you will come ahead by taking care of others.

However, it is a different case in the West. Unless someone says explicitly that "I'll take/invite you to a meal", "It's on me this time" or "This is my treat", people having a meal together assume that they will "go Dutch" - each of the people having the meal together pays for his own meal and they share the total cost, called "splitting the bill".

Chinese

05:54 | In Blog aufnehmen | My Blog

Kommentare (11)

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	George zhengschrieb: man, you are a good narrator. 28 Okt.
	laygirl Pschrieb: In fact, some men may even feel insulted if a woman even thought about paying for their date! 21 Okt.
	igh Heels Hschrieb: Tradition and old fashioned chivalry say that the male should pick up the check. But there are a lot of women out there who are uncomfortable about the man paying - sometimes women think that when a man picks up the check, he's going to get more than desert at the end of the meal. 21 Okt.
	hanghai Sschrieb: In most cultures, it is very common for the guy to pay for the girl. But I think this is definitely an overstatement. I asked one of my coworkers today about it and she disagreed with the idea that guys should always pay because she is the one that is eating the food. She told me that many guys have a need to show that they can pay, that they want to be the "hero." 21 Okt.
	enzhou Wschrieb: The term mai dan is the most commonly recognised though most forms of sign language also work. 21 Okt.
	olicewoman Pschrieb: If you ask the old people you will probably hear that the man should be paying the bill on a date. But the times have changed and the second when you receive the bill, you should know how to react. 21 Okt.
	evencastles Sschrieb: At the end of a meal with your friends, you often come to a point where you must figure out how much is your share of the bill. With a different person ordering different items on the menu, it can get a little hectic sometimes. 20 Okt.
	iss Laowai Mschrieb: In this current troubled economic period, many people have had to trim their budgets to make ends meet. Many people think that eating at fancy restaurants is one activity they have to eliminate from their budget. 20 Okt.
	ongzi zschrieb: Happy Dining! 20 Okt.
	acebook Fschrieb: I try to never go out and eat with anyone who doesn't pay...lol. 20 Okt.
	ydney Sschrieb: Eating out is one of life's many pleasures most of the time. Occasionally, though, the service is poor, the price charged is not correct, or the food or drink is not up to quality standards. When this happens, you have a right to dispute the restaurant bill and possibly pay less or not at all. 20 Okt.

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