Woman’s date says he’ll pay for dinner and a movie. Then he tells her what she’s allowed to eat and drink: ‘I’m not paying for that’
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Offering to pay for a first date is a nice gesture. However, one woman discovered that her date’s generosity came with unexpected rules.
First dates can already be awkward, especially when unexpected payment arrangements enter the picture. This woman soon learned that her date’s offer wasn’t as generous as it sounded.
TikTok creator Atlantis (@lostinatlantis1) shared her experience in a video titled “Worst First Date Ever.” She recalled that the man promised to pay but ended up deciding what she could eat and drink.
That offer came with strings attached
Atlantis explained that the man had offered to pay before their first date. “By the way, I’m gonna cover it,” he reportedly told her.
She appreciated the gesture and expected a pleasant evening. In her view, someone who invites another person out and offers to pay should be willing to let them choose what they want.
However, dinner started awkwardly. Instead of asking Atlantis what she wanted, the man ordered one meal and announced they would share it. “That’s all I’m ordering we can split it,” he allegedly told her.
Atlantis was stunned that he hadn’t even asked whether she was comfortable with the arrangement. He had simply decided what both of them would eat.
Still, she tried giving him the benefit of the doubt. Perhaps he wasn’t particularly hungry. She decided to continue the date rather than question his decision. However, his next instruction was harder to overlook.
While they were still eating, the man brought up their plans to see a movie. He reportedly warned her not to order any snacks or beverages because he wouldn’t cover those expenses.
“I just want you to know do not order anything to eat or drink okay because I’m not paying for that,” she recalled him saying.
Atlantis found the warning unnecessary. She hadn’t intended to buy anything at the theater anyway. What bothered her was being told what she could order by someone who had offered to pay. She described his behavior as “so tacky.”
Things became even stranger once they reached the movie theater. The man announced that he couldn’t sit through an entire movie without a drink, so he decided to purchase himself a soda.
Instead of asking whether Atlantis wanted something, he offered to share his drink. “You, I’ll share it with you,” he reportedly said.
That suggestion didn’t appeal to her. They had only just met, and she wasn’t comfortable sharing a straw with someone she barely knew. She explained that she doesn’t even share drinks with her best friend.
Besides, she doesn’t drink soda. “You’re not even gonna ask me if I need a bottle of water or anything?” she questioned.
By the end of the evening, Atlantis said the man had paid $12 for her movie ticket. They shared one meal, and he hadn’t purchased her a separate drink. “Is this really dating in today’s day and age? Is this normal?” she asked viewers.
Her experience highlighted how promises to pay for a date can create uncomfortable expectations. Viewers were particularly surprised that she continued the date.
“I’m too GenX for this. I would have walked out when he said you could share the meal,” one commenter wrote.
Another agreed, writing, “As soon as he ordered that meal I would’ve gotten up and excused myself and walked out.” A third suggested, “I would have ordered my own meal asked for a separate check and bailed on the movie.”
Another viewer questioned why Atlantis stayed, writing, “Why did you stay? I would have left at dinner.” Someone else summed up the experience: “Yeah, that wasn’t a first date that was a last date.”
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