I'll pay. No! I'll pay. No I'll pay!

If you have been to enough Chinese restaurants in China, you may have noticed people pushing and quarreling with money in their hands. Don't worry, it's not a fight; It's a ritual of being the fastest hand to pay the bill, although I do wonder if the intent to pay is genuine or just a show. Remember, cash is king over here. I think it is called 抢单 (qiang dan).

I was shocked the first time I experienced it first-hand. I didn't know what all of the fuss was about. I was like, "What the?" It went on for quite a while.

It is common for the invitee to pay the bill at a restaurant, but I still face the pushing and shoving with cash or some kind of covert operation to pay before asking for the bill. Now, we (my wife or I) either slip out and pay after ordering, pay a few minutes before getting up to leave, or pay via an app, which is so common over here in China.

So, when you invite friends for dinner, call their bluff and say "okay, pay" if they start shoving money at you or the waiter. "What? I'm a foreigner. What do I know?"

One thing; you should also make the offer to pay when invited for a meal. Make it look good, and try to give money several times.