Shanghai and many other Chinese cities encourage consumers to ask for 发票 from shops or restaurants by printing 发票 with scratch-off lucky draw. I kenna a few times RMB5.00 and this amount up to RMB50.00 one can claim directly from the shop. One time when with my wife eating in 新天地 I scratched and I kenna RMB 1,000. My Chinese very bad and its written in like old Chinese character for numbers. I saw it strange and asked my wife what's that she screamed and many people came and see it no one believe it because none thought there is such a big prize. This prize need to claim from tax office so I asked my driver to go collect it for me. Damn heng ah.
Your version of 发票 is different from mine. When I first went to PRC, my hosts (army and police friends, highest ranking Lta. only, lower than Cpt. GMS), brought me to a plush Pearl Riveside seafood restaurant and told me to order all the lobster, crab, sharkfin, abalone and alcohol I want. I was a bit worried but they said don't worry, later sign 发票 can already, no need to pay. You know my type, 输人输面不输阵。I guessed I have enough cash and credit cards anyway.
Bloody hell! I didn't know there were so many of them tagging along. Four tables of grandiose seafood and Chinese wine (maotai). I acted cool and enjoyed it anyway, what else could I do? At billing time, pleasant surprise! They didn't bluff me. The Lta. just signed there and I just countersigned on the 发票, no need to pay!