Just when we thought every kind of dating site had already been thought up- here comes HiDine.com. HiDine works like this- women go on and post their favorite restaurants and the guys can then extend the invitation of a date to one of her selections, with the understanding that he picks up the check. It’s marketed as a site for foodies and a place where women can go for a free meal- well, it doesn’t say that it so many words, it just implies it.
Women can browse the profiles of men as well, looking for guys who share their tastes in cuisine- however other than sending a signal of interest like a wink; he is the one who has to do the asking. He also pays the site on a per date basis- which averages about $5 and this is taken from a deposit he plunks down when he joins. Women never pay for anything.
Kyle McGinnis (28) of Los Angeles thought up this idea when he was visiting a friend in France. He sees it as a great way to meet a woman in a strange city and take her out on a nice date. The site is focusing on the U.S. right now but has attracted users around the globe and is set to launch any day now.
One can only imagine the reaction to such a site- sexist, backward, encouraging stereotypes, etc. However, shouldn’t it be up to potential users to decide what is right for them? It sounds like a great deal for women, however, the guys get to do all the asking- so waiting by the phone or tablet will apply. Yes, some women could end up with many nice free meals with little or no investment- kind of like an escort service, but no fee is provided, just the meal.
So for anyone out there who misses the old days of dating when he did the asking and picked up the tab, at least for the first date- this could be the site for you. Also, if you find yourself alone and in a strange city- what the heck- all it will cost you is some time and if you are a guy, the cost of a nice meal for two.
