Getting the bill and paying for it
 

Hmm, not sure if I should post in here, or in the Relationship & Gender Discussion forum, but I guess you don't have to be in a relationship for this scenario.

You want to treat your buddy/gf/client to a meal. How do you pay for the bill without causing a scene?

Thanks!

say your going to the washroom and pay for it sincerely without the drama.

^ /thread

Ok fine, that's the tried, tested and true method... Any more ingenious methods?

Not the greatest and most efficient method but I like to show up early, provide my credit card in advance to the hostess/wait staff prior to meeting any business associates/clients. Once dinner is concluded, the bill is taken care of. Nice and smooth.

Similar but requires more stealth, you can let your buddy/client/gf lead the way to the table and you hang around in the back and pass your CC to the waitress or hostess and ask them to charge the bill on your CC.

"You hungry? Want to go for a bite? My treat."

Wanna be my friend? :D

just be very kind and talk to the waitress that you want to ensure the bill goes to you.
you can do that anytime during the dinner before or after dinner WITHOUT giving them ur credit card yet.
just say MAKE sure it gets to you and you'll be fine.

If you're Chinese, you are OBLIGATED to make a scene about paying the bill. That's the tradition!

There's no way you would get as much face being all ninja about it. Put up a fight!

^lol so true

best part of annual family gathering is fighting for the bill

Another way would be to call the server over, and instead of asking for the bill, hand her your credit card.

Really?
I think the best part of the family gathering is when all the aunties and uncles fight for the bill, only to be trumped by the silent uncle with a big ass grin on his face.

Cause he passed the credit card to the manager/owner on his way to the washroom 15 minutes in the meal.

I love it when the look of all the aunties/uncles when they find out:

Most Chinese families have wizened to the "Oh, I have to go the bathroom." stuff by now. Either make a scene or ninja that shit.

Hotbaby's suggestion is a good one.

hotbaby = bcrdukes, I'm assuming?

My family doesn't do the Chinese way of settling the bill, anymore. It's not every day that you get to give, so if someone wants that privilege, they let 'em. Most of the time, it's already understood who's taking up the bill, anyways.

even funnier is when the familys fight for who pays for a 3 dollar smoothie
(i worked there LOL)

Once had someone fight for the bill... only for his credit card to be rejected.
Shieeettttttt.......

With friends, I catch the server aside to pay before she has the chance to give us the bill.

With family, it's usually who can play hungry hungry hippos with bill the fastest that pays it.

pay it when u say u wanna use washroom or sth, but make sure this person will be happy for ur treat lol

For business dinners I've actually given the server my card ahead of time and then when the 'bill' comes it's just the receipt, everything's done and taken care of already.

do you guys also tell how much % of tip you are going to leave when you pass your card to the waiter/waitress?

I have. It really depends on the situation.

The places that I routinely use for business lunches (there's a handful of them close to my office), they know what I'll leave for a tip and just add it in. I think in a lot of cases it's a courtesy to business guests on the wait staff's part to make as little fuss about stuff as possible and while it may not mean the most massive tips it does mean a lot of repeat business in a slow part of the day.

Before I even go to eat with friends/gf/family etc. I tell them straight up before we even go that the meal is on me. And of course the favour is returned back and forth.