A woman told a restaurant her date would cover the bill and tip 30 percent, then walked out before he returned

A woman’s dinner date took an unexpected turn after the man who initiated the date reportedly refused to pay the bill, leading her to leave the restaurant while he was in the bathroom. As reported by the Daily Dot, the situation was shared on TikTok by creator @nashalantmusic and has drawn hundreds of thousands of likes.

The creator said the evening started out well. The man picked her up in his own car and had already made reservations without asking for her input, which she said she appreciated. She described the date as one of the best she had been on, saying they enjoyed drinks, appetizers, and good conversation, and she found him cute, funny, and seemingly well off.

The mood reportedly shifted when the bill arrived. According to her account, the man went quiet, and she said she waited roughly 15 minutes for him to address the check before he announced he was heading to the bathroom. When she asked how he planned to handle the bill, she said he told her, “I thought this was on you.”

She says he made it clear he wasn’t paying

The creator said she pointed out that he had picked her up, chosen the restaurant, and initiated the date, and that she felt the bill should have been his responsibility. She alleged he doubled down, claiming he only took her out because she wanted him to, and made a disparaging remark about the kind of women he takes on dates. When she began looking at her phone, she said he asked what she was doing, and she told him she was transferring funds to cover the bill, a claim that reflects a pattern in other viral dating disputes.

According to the creator, she was not actually paying the bill. Instead, she said she booked an Uber, told restaurant staff her date would be covering the check with a 30 percent tip, and left before he returned from the bathroom.

The story reignited debate over who should pay on a first date. A survey from NerdWallet found that more than 70 percent of Americans believe men should pay on the first date in heterosexual relationships, and while 68 percent of women expect their date to cover the bill, 78 percent of men place that expectation on themselves.

According to CBS News, etiquette expert Diane Gottsman has said the person who extends the invitation should typically be the one to pay, though she also notes it is acceptable to offer to cover your own portion if the date isn’t going well. Gottsman recommends being upfront with the server about splitting the check to avoid confusion.

The video drew largely supportive reactions from commenters, with several saying the man’s behavior made it unlikely there would be a second date at all.