I'm off out on my date in London tonight. I'm pretty much at ease with the whole thing (and a little bit excited!), but I just need your advice on one little detail.
If a guy asks a woman out, can she expect that he intends to foot the bill? i.e. we'll be eating at some point, and I don't mind going 'Dutch' at all, but don't quite know the polite way is of addressing this. Any ideas?
I wouldn't address it at all Ham, if he asked you out then you can reasonably assume he's footing the bill. Are you going for drinks 1st? If so- offer to pay for them and see what he says.
Above all, don't stress about about this piddling little problem, enjoy yourself and have a ball (not literally- obviously!)
If it is the bloke who I am thinking of he will expect you to pay.
As a suggestion I would offer to go halves and if he is a true gentlman he should refuse. If a lady asked me out (very rare these days) I wouldn't expect her to pay - are you lot ^^^ living in the dark ages??
I've had this problem before - I've always gone to get my purse out of my handbag when it comes to paying the bill and seen what the response is. 9 times out of 10 the bloke will say 'it's on me' or similiar. If they don't then I'm afraid I wouldn't see them again unless I got on like a house on fire with them - I like a bit of chivalry and if someone asks me out, although I would always offer to split the bill, I'd be slightly taken a back if they accepted.
When I take a lady out, I take a lady out, she does not pay, she does not open doors, she does not pull her own chair out when we eat, I am a bit old fashioned I suppose, and all I want in return is to get my leg over, only kidding, I would not want that on a first date either, have a great time champers, if you like just offer to buy a drink, but if he is a gent, he will pay for the rest, and my two sons were brought up to do the same, and they are 31 and 28, so blokes still do it.
Champagne, please relax and don't get into a tizzy!. I've got meself a good job (I'm a life guard in a drive-thru carwash), and of course money is no object. You can have as many wobbly-pops as you want and all-you-can-eat fish and chips. by the way, could you pick me up around 7ish: my bikes got a flat.........see ya. (Bring money just in case)
Kate, I hear what you're saying, but I would feel that would be a bit like shooting myself in the foot. So I won't offer, but I will buy a couple of drinks beforehand and gauge his reaction on that. I won't offer to pay for dinner, so if he is expecting me to go halves then he can simply ask, in which case I won't see him again.
Whiffey, what kind of shop are you taking yourbike to: the Butchers? By the way, do you remember when the Butchers Shop had sawdust on the floor? I do (ouch, years ago).