By continuing you agree to eChinacities's Privacy Policy .
Sign up with Google
Sign up with Facebook
Q: What tactics could you use to get out of going to dinner?
I've often fantasized about how to ensure I wouldn't be invited back to dinner. I've always wanted to try excusing myself to use the restroom (WC) during dinner and then upon returning, grab the round swiveling table with both hands and spin it violently! Do you think that would work?
Bring a bucket of KFC, tell them you are not a fan of local cuisine and chow down. That'll get ya banned from future invites.
I used to have this problem, too, but I grew a pair and told them I couldn't make it/didn't want to go.
Free food is generally a perk to me...especially free food and beer.
Who the hell's going through and thumb's downing everybody? Bad day?
I tell everyone I am allergic to 'almost' everything: That I despise drinking alcohol (The German in me in laughing!): And that I am an extreme vegan. Friends/Colleagues/Etc.. tell people that tell people all of this- so I RARELY get invited ANYWHERE.
I admire Hulk for being ballsy enough to say it the way it is, I just couldn't do that. So, instead, I just tell everyone I eat salad with non-dairy based dressings, almonds and other mixed nuts for protein, and drink water when thirsty. It works~ 
Hulk:
I actually refused to drink alcohol. People would try their hardest to get me to do it, and I would continually refuse while they sat there losing face endlessly. They thought if they'd ask me enough, I'd do it.
No. I drank water. Lots of water.
I say "No thank you" when invited. seems to work.
RiriRiri:
You just blew 1/6 of the planet's minds. You have a couple of minutes heads up til they realize you hurt their feelings...
Scandinavian:
It is actually difficult to do in China. People will keep saying "but if you are not doing anything else why don't you want to come", saying "I am going mountain climbing with random western celebrities, because all westerner know each other, for two days while eating some pretty big burgers" is a better excuse. Yet I prefer the truth, and I have a need for some "home time" and if a lot of stuff is on the same week, I will decline based on order of invitation, first come first server, no matter the quality of the events/dinners
I just refuse 100% of the time. Unless i know them well. Then ill ask what they are eating and when i get the answer, i say fuck that.
If i am already with them and were going for a group dinner or something and its something i want no part of. I ask where the bathroom is. Head to my car and drive to Mcdicks. When they send me a message asking where i am, i send a pic of my real food. They know the deal now. If mike has to pee hell be back in half an hour.
When in Rome, do as the Chinese do. Here are the classic local excuses for refusing something
1. I have something to do
2. I have no time
3. I have to go to my hometown.
Use of any of these will receive the reply "Oh, ok" and end the conversation in 99% of situations. You will seldom be asked for further details......if this occurs play the sick loved one card immediately.
I gan bei everyone with 55% bei jiu, hoping that I will be seen as an unhealthy person to be around.
Hopefully, the wives will ask if Scots is going to the meal, then remembering the state their husbands got into last time, they will say they are not going if I go.
Great idea, but totally flawed. Their husbands lost too much face to me and the wives are determined that their husbands drink me under the table to get the face back.
The day I go tee total is the day the invites stop 
I just got invited out today... for lunch and they wanted to all drink a ton. I told them foreigners don't drink heavily during lunch... we are not used to it. They sort of accepted that answer and know I can drink when I want to... but I had things to do as well... so I didn't want to drink myself into a drunken stupor.
The annoying thing is sometimes your Chinese friends y invite a ton of random friends of theirs.
These guys get all excited and want to "gan bei" with the foreigner. So it's like 10-12 guys are taking pot shots at you. Here are some tips from my experiences:
- Chinese drink with foreigners like they would fight them (and in their way it is kind of the same thing)... they gang up on you and take turns until your are done. So DEMAND when you drink... everyone drinks... if they don't... you refuse (just say in your country... everyone drinks together)... Most Chinese men have big mouths but can't drink much compared to Westerners (partially due to genetics)... BUT you will run into one or two that can smash you.
Chinese men are very repressed and believe they can only see each other's true colors and express themselves when they get drunk. They don't drink for pleasure... they drink fast to get drunk and try to show off. They also act kind of homosexual when drunk... hold each other's arms and show much more affection.
- If you don't want to go to dinner, follow Hulk's advice. Flat out refuse for whatever reason or just say you are too busy. Most Chinese use "dinners" as a way to do one of a few things:
1) Pay back a favor or use it to gain a favor
2) Use the dinner to gain face or build "guan xi"
3) If it involves a foreigner they are MOST likely using you for free English lessons, using you to show off to friends (usually this) for face
4) Trying to make a fool of the foreigner for their own lame entertainment
5) For business contacts or "guan xi"
They almost ALWAYS order WAY TOO much food and smoke a ton too...
Not much to gain from these dinners unless those Chinese are your good friends (and know drinking is a contest) or you are businessman setting up contacts.
My experiences on that and I have been to enough of these to know EXACTLY from start to finish what is going to happen.
Easy..... Show up to dinner with a dry board and setup it up on a tripod. Start drawing circles and ask the other guests if they have heard of "Amway".
Be a man and not a bitch. If you don't want to go - don't go! Who runs your life?
WCG:
The original post was a little tongue-in-cheek humor. I don't understand why you missed it. How about trying a little humor instead?
Be a man and not a bitch. If you don't want to go - don't go! Who runs your life?
WCG:
The original post was a little tongue-in-cheek humor. I don't understand why you missed it. How about trying a little humor instead?
