看人下菜碟

看人下菜碟

Literally means:

provide different dishes for different people

Actually means:

treat people in a snobbish way

It means treating different people in different attitudes by the criterion of one's own interest. It is usually used to refer to flattering or fawning either the rich and powerful or those who are useful while snubbing those who are to the contrary. Usually derogatory.

以自己的利益为根据，对不同的人采取不同的态度，给予予不同的待遇。多表示对有钱有势的或对自己有利的人就欢迎、讨好，对没钱没势的，不能给自己带来好处的人，则十分冷淡。多具有贬义色彩。