The age-old question of who should pay on a first date has been reignited.
A 28-year-old woman took to Reddit to share the bizarre interaction that took place on a recent first date she went on.
“We got burgers and fries to share, and I offered to cover the tip since he paid for the meal,” the single woman wrote in a post that quickly went viral, receiving over 11,000 upvotes and igniting a firestorm of reactions.
She offered to cover the tip, which he accepted and everything seemed fine — until the next morning.
“This morning, I woke up to a Venmo request for $3.25 with the note ‘half the fries,’” she wrote.
At first, she assumed it was a joke, but unfortunately, this cheapskate was serious about splitting the fries bill.
She declined the request and texted him to say it was petty, and his response only made matters worse. He then told her she was overreacting and that “it’s about fairness” and “that’s just how he is.”
Needless to say, there won’t be a second date. “Now I feel turned off and honestly insulted,” she wrote.
Commenters were quick to chime in — many of them siding with the woman, calling the Venmo request a massive dating red flag. Especially because the amount — a mere $3.25 — was seen as laughably small and something that won’t break the bank.
One user summed up the collective sentiment:
“…Anyone with a brain knows that requesting three bucks back will 100% guarantee no future date. He’s telling you the $3 is more valuable than your company.”
Another shared a similar story, linking the behavior to deeper issues around entitlement and control.
“This happened to me on a first date, too…I just wanted to share how often this type of situation happens where someone expects sex on a first date and gets petty when being rejected,” they commented.
What really unsettled many readers wasn’t just the Venmo request, but the man’s justification: “That’s just how I am.” Many pointed out that this kind of excuse is often a mask for deeper, toxic behavior.
Sadly, this cheappo isn’t the only one asking his date to split the bill with him.
A Brazilian influencer was once asked by a date to pay for half of the $8 juice tab they racked up.
“I paid my share, thanked him for the date and left, but there was no second date,” recalled Rosana Ferreira.
“If he can’t invest in a juice, how will he invest in a relationship?” she asked. “It’s not about the money; it’s about the attitude.”
