Anyone who’s been on the merry-go-round of dating knows how expensive taking multiple people you’re interested in seeing for a night out can be. The New York Times reported that despite the narrowing of the gender wage gap between women and men, males are, 90 percent of the time, footing the bill whenever they’re going on potentially romantic outings with members of the opposite sex.
But there’s something about grabbing a coupon to use in a restaurant while on a first date that gives some people the ick, at least, according to this TikToker. But viewers who commented on the creator’s video about utilizing a coupon to save some money thought otherwise.
Allison (@allisonblondi) uploaded a viral video of her seated at what looks like a P.F. Chang’s restaurant. In the 6-second clip, she shows off a dish of lettuce wraps along with a cocktail as the meal. The chatter of various diners can be heard in the background.
“On a first date and he asked if it’s okay if he goes back to his car to get a coupon…help,” she writes in a text overlay of the video.
Commenters seemed to have one of two responses to the clip. Some thought she meant her date went out to the car and ditched her, leaving her to foot the bill herself because he wasn’t having a good time on their date.
“YALL I think he straight up ditched her,” one wrote.
“I think she might mean that hes not coming back,” someone else said.
Several others mentioned that if he showed back up then that was a positive sign—and not just because he wasn’t ditching her.
“If he comes back then it’s good if he doesn’t – he prob stood u up,” one TikTok user replied.
“I’m confused, I thought the coupon was an excuse for him to ditch her not save money,” someone else wrote.
But one TikTok user remarked, “If he comes back, keeper.”
Several commenters argued that his decision to grab a coupon, if that’s what he was really doing, was a green flag.
“Nah, they are about to build you one crazy savings account. Keeper,” they said.
“A coupon is a green flag! Fiscally responsible!” someone else penned.
Some were convinced she was attempting to insult the man simply because he wanted to save some money by taking a short jaunt to the parking lot.
“Girl run!! That’s a good man right there and you don’t deserve him!” one user said.
Another commenter said their husband’s penchant for coupons could certainly be a bit annoying, but they have more money in their account because of it. “My husband is a coupon clipper. It can be annoying but right now we have a full bank account, and the house and cars paid off,” they said.
@allisonblondi ♬ original sound – allison
A further user noted that they went on a first date 31 years ago with someone who used a coupon. They’re now married and have been for a long time. They wrote, “My husband used a coupon our first date. He’s a surgeon and we’ve been happily married for 31 years.”
One TikTok user replied that they, too, didn’t think there was anything wrong with someone using a coupon, as they make a good amount of money and would do the same exact thing: “I made over $500k in the Midwest last year and would 100% use a coupon to pay for a meal I’m buying. I don’t get rich spending it all.”
In a follow-up video, Allison shared with users the outcome of her date. She did say that while she believed there was a chance he was going to ditch her after he walked out to the car, he did ultimately come back. However, there were other things he did, in addition to the coupon, that seemed to rub her the wrong way.
@allisonblondi Replying to @ally.baby.531 ♬ original sound – allison
“So not gonna lie, there was a chance I thought he was leaving and I didn’t know which was funnier, him leaving or him paying with a coupon, but, he ended up coming back,” she says in the clip.
While she acknowledged that the coupon was a mild turn-off, she says there were other red flags on the date.
“I think if the coupon thing was the only odd thing I would’ve let it slide, but, he was just not what I was expecting at all and I feel like his profile was really misleading,” she says. “Before the date, he said that this was his last chance for Bumble, and if it didn’t work out that he was gonna delete it and that he’s had a problem with girls not looking like their pictures in the past. So when we get to the restaurant, he’s like, ‘I’m really happy that you look like your pictures.’ But it’s not like he complimented me on my outfit or anything. And I’m just like, ‘Well, I’m really happy that you’re wearing a hat and a coat through the entire date.’”
“So I don’t know where I went wrong, maybe it was when he said he was a graffiti artist,” she concludes.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Allison via TikTok comment for further information.
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