Practise the thinking. Keep the judgement.
ごちそうさま — Thanks for the meal
ごちそうさま
gochisousama
Meaning
Thanks for the meal
Original example
食事の後に、ごちそうさまと伝えました。
After eating, I expressed thanks for the meal.
Cultural context and nuance
ごちそうさまでした is a polite, common full form. It may acknowledge the food and effort, whether or not someone else paid.