Dating couples - who pays for dinner?

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tfinch2

Lifer
Feb 3, 2004
22,114
1
0
For about the first year of our relationship I paid for everything. We've been together more than four years now and it's about 70/30.
 

cjmtfd102401

Senior member
Feb 11, 2006
502
0
0
my fiance and I have been together for 5 years, at first he would pay now it is who ever has money at the time
 

Mallow

Diamond Member
Jul 25, 2001
6,108
1
0
If you are in college and neither one of you has a job, def. split 50/50. It's the polite thing for the girl to do.

In the real world when you both have jobs... I'd say the 70/30 thing is good... or the girl gets drinks that night if you paid for a good dinner. I think girls that leech off guys are just rude.
 

Specop 007

Diamond Member
Jan 31, 2005
9,454
0
0
If we're dating, I'll grab the tab every time.

Yes, I'm a gentleman. Yes, I'm old fashioned. I'll even open the door for them.
 

49erinnc

Platinum Member
Feb 10, 2004
2,095
0
0
Originally posted by: Mallow
If you are in college and neither one of you has a job, def. split 50/50. It's the polite thing for the girl to do.

In the real world when you both have jobs... I'd say the 70/30 thing is good... or the girl gets drinks that night if you paid for a good dinner. I think girls that leech off guys are just rude.

In today's society, it's not out of the realm of possibility that the female makes more money so that 70/30 could apply to her paying for 70%, IMO. My SO has a great job and makes more than I do. We still try to stay as close to 50/50 as possible but she's more than willing to pay more than I do. I never exploit that though but she usually gets offended if I don't let her pay sometimes. I just try to make up for it with other stuff like bringing flowers to her house, watching her cats/house when she's away on business trips and treating her like a queen of course. :D
 

Aikouka

Lifer
Nov 27, 2001
30,383
912
126
Originally posted by: SirChadwick
Yup, the guy pays if he wants the lays.

It's legal prostitution.. c'mon.

Bah, last girlfriend I had.. I paid for everything and still never got that (not that I necessarily cared, but you get the idea :p).

Kind of like the other guy mentioned, I don't mind paying, but I like the girl to at least offer or mention how she may rather pay something. It's just a respectful thing to do.
 

crystal

Platinum Member
Nov 5, 1999
2,424
0
76
60% - 70% me. While the rest, SO paid. By the way, this is alternate but that was the percentage.
 

cherrytwist

Diamond Member
Apr 11, 2000
6,019
25
86
When my wife and I were still dating, we'd make a game of it. If the check ended up in the middle of the table, we'd alternate.

Most of the time, however, it ended up in front of me.

She'd get pissed and pay the check out of spite, to be sure the server recognized that she was the one paying.

To this day she gets pissed if the server brings the check directly to me ("the man".)
 

Zolty

Diamond Member
Feb 7, 2005
3,603
0
0
If she offers to pay, I ask her to pay the tip. Unless she invites me out.
 

neomits

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2001
3,228
0
76
I pay 100% of the time unless she's taking me out for my birthday or something like that. She'll pick up the tip on some "date" nights.

I don't mind. She's still working her way through school and I'm out making the $$
 

DaShen

Lifer
Dec 1, 2000
10,710
1
0
The guys does or you alternate. If the girl asks you out, then she can pay (but that usually goes with the alternating thing).

Lesson of the story, girlfriends are expensive.
 

KoolAidKid

Golden Member
Apr 29, 2002
1,932
0
76
Originally posted by: cherrytwist
When my wife and I were still dating, we'd make a game of it. If the check ended up in the middle of the table, we'd alternate.

Most of the time, however, it ended up in front of me.

She'd get pissed and pay the check out of spite, to be sure the server recognized that she was the one paying.

To this day she gets pissed if the server brings the check directly to me ("the man".)

My wife is very similar. We have either split the check or alternated for the last 9+ years.

The tradition of a guy paying for everything is a holdover from when women didn't earn nearly as much as men. While there still is an imbalance overall, the imbalance goes the other way in my case (wife makes more than me).

IMO (I know that many/most will disagree with me on this), when a man insists on paying for everything he shows a lack of respect for the woman. To me, this behavior puts the woman in the same category as a child: someone who's not capable of providing for themselves.
 

Shadowknight

Diamond Member
May 4, 2001
3,959
3
81
Thanks to the beauty of womens liberation, they now have the freedom to show their independence by paying for their own damn food. Don't be a sucker; remember the "Gap jacket guy".
 

chr6

Platinum Member
Oct 1, 2002
2,304
1
76
she almost always insists that she pays, i have no idea why.
 

maddogchen

Diamond Member
Feb 17, 2004
8,903
2
76
probably alternate...but i think the guy should end up paying more often....and if she's like poor or school and you have a good paying job...then you should really pay more often.
 

SZLiao214

Diamond Member
Sep 9, 2003
3,270
2
81
If its my idea I'll pay. If its her idea we can split it.

If she never offers to pay, then i am gone.
 

qaa541

Senior member
Jun 25, 2004
397
0
0
My girlfriend is really awesome, she likes to pay maybe 30-35% of the time. That is actually a lot since I'm working full time and she is a student with a part time job. She admits that she enjoys taking me out which just makes me mind paying for her even less. My current girlfriend has completely exceeded all of my expectations and has in my opinion reached that "unicorn" status. This one is a definite keeper and I'm not going to let her get way.

This is in stark, stark contrast to my last cheapass girlfriend who complained about buying me $1.50 coffee or a fast food lunch (while she would be buying extremely expensive handbags). I eventually broke up with her mainly because of her being selfish and very childish. Did I mention she *expected* me to pay for her to go to Japan with me when I was originally going with my best friend? I broke up with her about a week after Japan and have been much happier since!