So, it’s that tasty time of the night.
You know, the part where you’ve pushed through all of the awkward first or second date-conversation, and are either a) thrilled to be getting out the door and away from this looney tune, or b) seriously excited to see if the cute boy across from you is going to follow up this amazeballs dinner with some seriously sumptuous kisses.
The waiter brings your bill to the table and you dashing date swoops it up, checks down the piece of paper and mutters “Oh, only $35 each!” and places a crisp $20, $10 and $5 note down one the table. To which your cue to do the same follows – plus a few dollars for the tip.
Okay. Before I expand on this scenario further, I know what you’re going to say. No really, I do.
Women say we want equality. We want equal rights and the chance to experience the same rights as that of a man. And it’s true – we do want those things. But like all of the cheeky creatures that walk this earth – we want our cake and to eat it too. We want a guy to act as if he were truly blessed to be in our presence, so much so that the very least he can do is pick up the bill. It may sound extremely old fashioned, and you may just banish me to Pride and Prejudice-type-depths, but a man picking up the bill kind of makes him seem mature, able, like he’d be able to take care of us – and our brood of babies – okay, too far, too far. Why do girls always think so far ahead?
Picking up the bill at the end of an evening shows us that it was a real date, a date that he found immense pleasure in being a part of. It shows his giving side, it’s a gesture that shows the recipient that he likes to treat her – and that he is definitely interested in more than just a friendship – or one night jig between the sheets.
So I know this sounds all wonderful and merry and completely love monkey-ed up, but tell me, what if he does want to split the bill post-dinner date? It can mean a few things…
- are you guys friends? If you are, and you’ve done these kinds of meals before, you need to be sure that you’re both on the same page now that you’ve stepped into a more romantic style of ‘ship (the weird line between friendship and relationship I mean. Maybe you need to ensure you both know it’s a date, and perhaps if he splits the bill, it just means he doesn’t want to seem eager to change things too much, too quickly.
- Maybe he’s genuinely low on cash? In which case he should have suggested a movie in or something. Though I always think the girl should offer to pay her half – if a guy likes this girl, he shouldn’t really take it (at least not for the first few dates!) After which dates things can become more even, and she can spoil him! (Disclaimer: this view may not make me popular peeps, but it’s what will put you ahead with the ladies – just sayin’.)
- It could just be that in fact, he’s just not that into you. It happens girls, to the best of us. Not everyone can be in love with us you know? (As long as the ones that matter do – how can we complain?) Now I’m not saying that he shouldn’t still do the the gentlemanly thing and get the bill – but it could just be his way of trying to hint that he’s not all that into you – by trying to put you off him.
… and let me guess, it kind of worked, didn’t it?
NQC x
What do you think about bill-splitting?
Is there a certain point in the relationship that this should start?
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