More than half of singles have been giving up on dating due to the current financial situation. But have the expectations of gender roles in dating changed in Cardiff accordingly?
The expectations behind who should pay for the first date have always been divided between tradition and equality between both sexes. Yet men might struggle to keep up this gesture in this changing economy.
A study done last year has shown that more than half of single people avoid dates due to the financial situation nowadays. Prices have risen up by 30% since 2021 making it harder to pay for two.
Yet, with fully booked restaurants each week, who is expected to pick up the bill after the wine and dine is done?
That is why we went to Cardiff streets to find out what people preferred, and the answers did not disappoint.
Clio, 41
“The man. Its always the man. If I asked him out then I think the bill should be split evenly, but if he asked me out then I think he should be the one. It makes me think that he showed an effort. It’s not just about the money … [But] If he expects to treat me with Burger King that won’t fly.”
Glenn, 33
“What if one earns 10 times the amount of the other? Presumably, that person should pay, I can’t say whether that’s gonna be the man or woman, or the man and the other man … [So] I think if you’re picking up the bill and not expecting anything in return and you just wanna do that because it’s a nice thing to do then I think that’s cool, but I certainly wouldn’t expect that of myself or anyone else.”
Renate, 90
“If you have the old-fashioned value, I think it is expected. When I was dating it was always the men who paid. Nowadays it is a bit different, I would always split the bill. You feel slightly in debt. When a man pays you feel obliged to thank him in another way for it. That is the reason I prefer to pick my own bill.”
Gareth, 40
“I’d split the bill. It depends how keen you are really, what sort of message you wanna give … If somebody is quite traditional and you wanna impress them then you pick up the bill. I suppose if it’s not going well and you wanna put them off, just split the bill.”
Harriet, 37
“It depends how much you like them I suppose. I don’t mind paying. It doesn’t make a difference to me. Because at some point if you end up together, everything is joined so you end up putting your money together so it doesn’t make that much of a difference.”
Fin, 33
“Split it. I think splitting because you’ve both gone on the date and you’re both testing the waters. It’s not a thing of I’m treating you, you’re treating me. We’re doing this as a mutual thing. Let’s split it and where it goes from there, it can change in the future.”
Sara, 18
“I think in relationships the men are supposed to be the providers and women are usually expected to do so much in relationships and I feel like men should put the effort to make sure a woman is like happy and stuff. So … for a woman to pay on the first date just sets the bar that it’s like a 50/50 relationship which I don’t believe in.”