First Dates, Who Pays?

First Dates, Who Pays?

As if first dates aren't nerve-wracking enough without having to worry about who is going to pay the bill at the end of the night! Would you suggest halving the total cost? Do you expect him to pay or would you like to pay for the total cost of the evening?

Many Australians (especially men) believe that a male should pay on a first date; whilst most women will offer to pay, their offer is often declined and the male pays or they go halves. Whether this is an old-fashioned scenario or we're caught up in a world of romcoms, it is clear that the world of dating is evolving with many respondents agreeing that whoever asked the other out on the date, should in fact, pay for the night; with one female mentioning 'generally a guy should pay especially if he initiated the date; however the female could pay for the movie or the next date".

If the bill is shared or the female picks up the tab on a first date it's not a deal breaker for the modern couple. Many males did however concur that even if a female asked them out, they'd like to contribute to the bill 'even if she insisted on paying for the meal, I'd pick up the tab for the drinks and dessert".

The majority of men agreed that they should pay for the first date however they were content with splitting the costs of the second and third unless it was a special occasion. Whilst females are extremely grateful for the offer most believe that dating practice has evolved for the better and that on a second and third date they wanted to pay or believed the cost of the entire evening should be shared.

It is evident that the dating world is ever-changing and although first date tradition is frequently being upheld most couples and individuals no longer feel the need to follow further tradition and with that are choosing to develop a dating etiquette that suits them best.