What Japanese women say when they want their meal paid for

Sometimes you’re dragged into a situation where you’re stuck listening to complaints or are asked for opinions for a long period of time, and you feel that you deserve a free meal — but it’s best to tread carefully, not letting them know of your intentions. So what exactly does a Japanese woman do when they want a free meal in exchange for her time? A survey asked 550 women what their bulletproof strategies were.

Q: What do you say when you definitely want them to pay that day?

  1. Thank you for the meal   22.0%
  2. How much do I have to pay?   17.6%
  3. I wouldn’t be able to come to a place like this on my own   17.6%
  4. I’ll pay   11.5%
  5. I’ll pay next time   11.2%

Thank you for the food today

  • “When I get asked by a supervisor I don’t like or a person I think is a waste of my time, I casually thank them for the meal” (30)
  • “Men apparently have no choice when they hear these words” (26)
  • “I make the first move. Those with money will pay without any resistance” (27)

Bonus! Pretend that you’re willing to pay

  • “If I tell them that I usually don’t have the opportunity to dine at such a nice place, they’ll happily pay for me” (26)
  • “If I ask how much I should contribute, they usually say that they can cover for me” (30)
  • “I don’t take my purse with me” (29)

When women are dead set on getting a free meal, the most popular phrase was “thank you for the meal.” Many women reported their success stories, so it seems that men are quite vulnerable when they hear these magic words.

Also, even when women offer to pay or split the bill, many men end up offering to pay the entire bill. Sadly for men, it seems that there aren’t many opportunities where they don’t end up paying.

Mynavi News

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