I Asked 27 Torontonians Who Should Pay On A First Date & The Answer May Surprise You (VIDEO)

Who should pay on a first date?

If you asked this question in the '50s, I'm sure the resounding answer would be the man should always pay, but the answer isn't so clear in 2023.

Women, men and non-binary folk have fought for equality among all genders and continue to do so, and as we evolve as a society, gender roles have become less important and rigid.

Nowadays, there are more college-educated women over 25 in the U.S. workforce than there are men, according to a report from Pew Research Center, so it's not just men going out and making money.

Women aged 25 to 54 are still making $0.89 for every dollar earned by a man, according to a 2021 report from Statistics Canada and that number is even lower for women of colour.

So who should pay on a first date? Chivalry and traditional values would suggest the man, but a lot of dates don't even involve a man in 2023 with queer and non-binary couples, so what's the rule of thumb?

Narcity took to the streets of Toronto and spoke with 27 random people and asked them who should pay on a first date.

Nine people said the man should pay. Six people said that whoever asked should pay, and six people said you should split the bill, while the remaining six had more complicated answers.

One person said, "Anyone can pay," regardless of gender and that the key is just to not be weird about it.

Others suggested that whoever makes more money should pay or whoever gets the card to the server first.

Another person thought that whoever asked should pay or a couple should just split the bill.

"I feel like it is nice when the guy pays, but I don't know if that's just because I'm cheap, though. If it goes poorly, then I will definitely set the tone by being like, I insist we split," said one person.

Another person said men should pay, but that's no longer the status quo.

"I'm old school. I do, as a man, pay for the dates. I think nowadays sometimes you might have to pay both."

What's clear is that there isn't one golden rule, and it all comes down to individual preference.

On the other hand, Narcity recently spoke with an etiquette expert about the rules of modern dating, and she said the proper way to go about the bill is that whoever asked the person should pay.

But proper etiquette and public opinion may differ — so do what's best for you!

This article's cover image was used for illustrative purposes only.