Who Should Pay on a First Date?

The question of who should pay on a first date is surprisingly divisive as there are a five options to consider.

1. The person who proposed the date pays – The traditional way of working out who pays is to consider who suggested the date idea. However this option may seem unfair as not only has the person been brave enough to make the first move, they now have to foot the bill.
2. The man pays – A poll that we carried out in 2012 found that 75% of our members (both male and female) thought that the man should pay on a first date. However, women should not expect a man to pay on a first date and should offer to pay even if their date is a fan of traditional dating etiquette.
3. Split the bill evenly – Splitting the bill evenly means no arguments about who should pay and is the fairest option for both people. It also means that neither party feels guilty if things don’t work out.
4. One person pays for one part, the other person pays for another – If there are two opportunities to pay during your date, for example entrance fee and tea shop, you could each pay for one part. This is a nice way to split things if they cost similar amounts. It’s also an option if your date has insisted upon paying for the main cost of your date.
5. Calculate your share – This is the only option that we would rule out. It really doesn’t show good etiquette if you’re sitting calculating the exact amount that you need to pay. If you’re both accountants or just love sums,  it might just be excusable.

We’d love to know what you think. Are you shocked that so many people think that a man should pay the cost of a date? Get in touch on Facebook or Twitter.