Who should pay for the first date? While dating etiquette varies, some people still expect the person who planned the date to pick up the tab. TikTok creator Chi, known as @_adoseofchi, said she had that expectation when she went on a Hinge date that took an unexpected turn.
The video has since received 1.1 million views and 2,821 comments, with TikTok users sharing plenty of opinions about what went wrong.
Chi said she had recently moved to the city where she lives and was looking to meet new people after finishing her residency. She agreed to meet a man she connected with on Hinge, and initially, things seemed promising.
He had planned to take her to a nice restaurant, and she was looking forward to the date. But at the last minute, he changed the plans.
Instead, he suggested a different restaurant followed by Dave & Buster's. Chi agreed. But when she arrived at the restaurant, she was surprised to discover that it had a drive-thru and was far more casual than the original restaurant he had chosen.
Once they were inside, the two placed their orders. Because the restaurant was Mexican and Chi speaks Spanish, she ordered for both of them.
That's when things got awkward.
Her date asked whether she wanted to pay the bill at that restaurant or wait and pay at Dave & Buster's. Chi said she was shocked by the question, and even the cashier appeared to find the situation amusing. She ultimately paid the bill.
Things didn't improve when their food was ready. According to Chi, her date refused to pick up the tray, leaving her to carry it herself. She said she did not see the man again after the date.
The experience sparked a larger conversation in the comments about first-date etiquette, paying the bill and when it's appropriate to simply walk away from a bad date.
TikTok commenters think she should have left without paying
Many commenters said Chi should have paid only for her own meal and left. “Why didn’t you just pay for your meal sister and leave,” one commenter wrote.
“Unfortunately I was waiting for the part where you left him at the register and went to The Thirsty Lion solo,” another said.
Other users focused on the cashier's reaction to the awkward exchange.
“The cashier laughing at you shoulda been enough, sis,” one commenter wrote.
Another joked that the cashier would use the incident as a cautionary tale for her family: “Auntie went home and used you as a cautionary tale to her daughters I know it.”
Some commenters couldn't understand how Chi managed to continue eating after the interaction. “My hunger would disappear so fast. How did you even manage to sit with him to EAT?!” one person asked.
Another commenter said the moment at the register should have been enough of a reason to leave. “Not the lady at the register laughing,” they wrote.
While there is no universal rule about who should pay on a first date, many commenters agreed that the way Chi's date handled the bill was a red flag. The discussion also highlighted a broader point about dating: people don't have to stay through an uncomfortable situation simply because they've already agreed to a date.
The Daily Dot was unable to independently verify the claims made in the video, which are based solely on @_adoseofchi’s account of her date shared on TikTok.
