They have grown up with crap like that happening on a regular basis. I think they just get used to it so much that it doesn't matter to them anymore. 

I know what you mean, GF seems to accept things when they aren't right, but complains about me. And I'm not supposed to get mad when things aren't right, she won't listen. She procrastinates about every thing, reading english, visa application, just went thru another evening of tomorrow, the clocks tickng, if it gets closer to my leaving, then I'll just go without her. I hear I'm impulsive because I want things done now, yet I don't call her lazy. Its I don't understand Chinese, and its something totally illogical, like having windows open in winter. I have hair on my arms not like China man. Do I make a big deal that she wears a padded bra, no. But have some thing wrong made right no way. I had problems with my new scooter, no don't take it back to get fixed. When I complain about cages of puppies being mistreated I can't even get a response. I've just have to learn to not give a s*it about anything, nothing matters. 

You have no idea how many times my girlfriend and I have had something we should complain about, but she keeps her mouth shut everytime.  I wish I didn't live in a Cantonese town, it would be much easier for me to stand up for her.  It has happened twice where she was given the wrong food, but she sits there knowing she does not like what was given and doesn't say a word.  If it was me and I knew enough Chinese I'd be up by the kitchen handing it back till I got the correct food.

Another common instance was looking for a house and the agent tried to trick us into seeing some house that was nothing like the photos we saw online.  I told her once we were outside the crummy building to not walk up the 10 flights of stairs (it had no elevator), and told her lets just stop and go without looking or force the agent to show what we wanted to see, but she ignored me and followed the agent.  She said it was impolite to not look, lol.  Once inside of course the house was crap, it was just a trap for gullible Chinese who have no standards of living and to afraid to say the house looks like horse sh**.  She spent forever looking in each room while I stood by the doorway giving the agent an evil stare.  She never complained once to the agent, but had no problem telling me how bad it was on our way back to the Metro.

Wow, I faced a similar situation as dude...but on a less drastic scale obviously.  Went to Papa John's.  One of the toppings I requested was jalapenos.  I have no idea what the chinese word was...something "jiao".  So I just pointed to the jalapenos in the menu and said "yao zhege lajiao".  Instead of getting jalapeno peppers...they decided it would be ok to just sprinkle some black pepper instead?  WTF?

I asked my friend to help me complain....she refused.  "Just eat it, it's ok".  God.  So I just chalk it up to the standard excuse of "5000 years cultural history, must save face at all costs".

In retrospect, much better than the plastic topping

this is china. they are taught to take it up the ass and like it. it has to with the gov. if people complain about everyday things like your situation it would lead to complaining about the gov. so people are essentially taught to have 0 expectations of anything. which is one of the ways chinese are holding back chinese. 

Guess no one has been to the airport when heavy delays have happened. They know how to voice complaints and taking it overboard.

mei ban fa

I think the simplest answer is most of the time, most Chinese don't give a f**k about anything. No one hardly ever 'complains' about anything.

Some simple, yet drastic, examples.

Drive with brights on blinding others. No complaints.

Speed through intersection against red light.  No complaints.

Drive down sidewalks or wrong way on one-way street.  No complaints.

Have toddler urinate on floor in an up-scale mall.  No complaints.

Race ebike down sidewalk at night no lights.  No complaints.

Make grossest noise and spit phlegm wherever.  No complaints.

Talk super loudly anywhere, anytime.  No complaints.

Park bike direct in footpath or at entrance to shop.  No complaints.

I have asked my Chinese gf a million times why Chinese engage in seemingly anti-social behavior. She shrugs. At most she says they are 'uneducated'.

A friend who studies Chinese history tried to explain it to me, 

he said Uncle M told everyone to act as a peasant. So, the more you acted like a peasant, the more 'face' you got?  Something like that. I mean didn't they execute people during the CR for being 'educated' ?

Wow not sure where you've been but I've seen complaints across the board everywhere. There was a lady that didn't have her receipt only the yellow copy the guy at the store said she couldn't return it because she needed her receipt. 

I've seen a lot of nitpicking here too so complaints are typical here. Although this is china home to billions of citizens I've only actually seen a couple of complaints myself. 

Your Chinese GF''s reactions would be totally opposite to what my Chinese husband's would be. There is no way he would put up with that crap. Especially the pizza drama..

If my life was put in danger by someone else's stupidity or lack of standards, he would be probably have made the waitress or chef cry. Well, maybe not that bad, but he would'nt have kept shtum about it. If someone is rude to him or me or trying to cheat us, he would definitely not stand for this. Sometimes, I dont even want him to complain about something and he will. There are a few things he won't complain about, if it's something common and knows theres not much can be done about it because it affects alot of people. Thats the mei banfa moment.

So don't make generalizations that all Chinese don't like complaining.  

i think they got more patience than us ...........i am not sure but i think so ,may be i am wrong but i think it this way

No one complain when they have no power to complain.but time do not stay at one platform may be then we will not complain and they will complain more.

this is more of a "face" thing than a complain case.....maybe your GF did not want people to think that your table complains just to get a free pizza or something.....but I can ensure you most Chinese would complain when come to food matters.....and the restaurant will always make it up in some ways or forms....

They don't??? Please say that to all the Chinese complains I receive daily. 

Complaints aren't harmonious.

Maybe my Chinese girlfriend is different. She'll complain about EVERYTHING.

At restaurant. Wrong food comes out? She sends it back. Not cooked the way she thinks it should be? Send it back, or at least try to make them redo it. Milkshake was too watery? Don't want it anymore. Can't return it? Then fix it.

I'm glad she doesn't take shit, but sometimes I wonder if these Chinese chefs/waiters are like their American counterparts, and occasionally "doctor" food that is sent back or complained about. She is a 北京闺女 so she could be different from other Chinse girls.

I was in a 新疆 restaurant a few nights ago. There was a Beijing guy and his girlfriend sitting at the table next to ours. He was convinced what he was eating was not beef. First bitched at the waiter, then bitched at the owner when he came out to see what the deal was. The owner said it was definitely fucking beef. The guy said 行了行了, and when the owner walked away he dumped the meat onto the table and only ate the rice and vegetables.

His girlfriend looked mortified. 

this is when i appreciate my family,friends,country...freedom of expression.If someone acted this polite where i am from,it wud make people uncomfortable

THANKS I AM NOT GOING THEIR NOW

I think what was said was right about growing up with that crap.  Sometimes I really feel like there are no standards in restaurants and no one to be held accountable.  So you let it go every time you find a hair, piece of plastic, undercooked item etc. in your dinner.  It sucks major, and I guess criticism is the way to go in China unfortunately.