Should Men Pay?

This week, the dating programme First Dates (which is surprisingly good at creating matches), hit the headlines when one woman showed disgust at being asked to split the cost of the bill.

Mary and Brian were paired up together and it appeared that they were having a good time together until the waitress asked if they were going to split the bill and Brian said ‘yes’.

Mary was seen to say, ‘Not to offer and say I’ll pay, and then wait for me to say we’ll go halves… I was absolutely fuming. Fuming’ in her first date interview.

So… was Mary right to say what she said and what is the best option?

Splitting the bill

Splitting the bill seems like the fairest option in a modern society where both men and women work. Both people should take along enough money to pay the whole bill and ought to be willing to split the bill if the other person suggests it.

Splitting the bill also allows you to go your separate ways without feeling guilty for not paying your way, or feeling resentful that the other person was looking for a ‘free meal’.

Alternate

If you are keen to see one another for a second date, you could offer to pay for the next date, or suggest that your date pays next time if you have offered to pay the whole bill.

When should the man pay?

If you are a traditional man and would like to pay the full bill, then it is your prerogative and a lot of women will enjoy the gesture. Also, if you are a man who is dating a woman who says that she ‘would like to meet a traditional gentleman’, it is a good sign that she will expect you to pay.

Choosing a free first date

To save any discussion about who pays, you could opt for a free option like meeting up at a country park, or visiting a free museum.

We’d love to know what you think about who should pay the bill on a first date. Head to our Facebook page to let us know what you think.