Meet the Other Phone. A phone that grows with your child.

Meet the Other Phone.
A phone that grows with your child.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Aibu to think he should go and order me a coffee on first date?

411 replies

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 20:23

I've found this a bit rude. I've been on a couple of coffee dates lately (first dates) where the guy has already been at the coffee shop when I arrive and is sitting with his coffee. When I arrive , they greet me , but don't offer to go and order me a coffee so they just let me go up and order it and pay for it myself.
Call me old fashioned but this bothers me and I just find it rude. Would this annoy anyone else or is it just me?

OP posts:
Comedycook · 13/02/2024 21:13

When a woman goes on a date, particularly with someone she's never met before, she's actually taking a risk with her personal safety. Yes you meet in a public place to minimise that risk, but still, you still have to hope he's not a violent, crazy person. Therefore dating is not equal....and if a man doesn't even think that risk you've taken is worth him buying you a cup of coffee, well he can fuck right off.

coldcallerbaiter · 13/02/2024 21:13

You are not a couple. I would treat it as a first date and buy my own.
if he was gorgeous, I bet you would have overlooked the coffee.

Intheshadowofthemountain · 13/02/2024 21:13

SoupDragon · 13/02/2024 20:52

So you don't believe in equality? You think a woman is a delicate little flower who needs to be looked after by a big strong man?

dear god... it's 2024 FFS!

Exactly. The sexism at play with 'the man should pay', 'it's gentlemanly' etc is depressing. Women of my generation, and several before, fought for so long to be considered equal.

Interested in this thread?

Then you might like threads about these subjects:

10ThousandSpoons · 13/02/2024 21:13

Icantbedoingwithit · 13/02/2024 21:09

I guess depended on how packed it is.

True

Dacadactyl · 13/02/2024 21:13

A man can buy you coffee and still see you as an equal you know.

TeachesOfPeaches · 13/02/2024 21:14

Meowandthen · 13/02/2024 21:01

He probably didn’t offer as he wanted to find out if you were one of those women who expects men to pay for everything even though this is 2024 and we are not hopeless little creatures not permitted to earn money.

Many men do not want to be taken for a ride by gold diggers. Sadly too many of those around so he may have been testing you.

A true gold digger would never accept a coffee date invitation. Don't think there is much gold to be dug in a £3 latte

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:14

@SoupDragon there is no way I am going to ask him if he wants anything when he didn't have the thought to ask me if I wanted anything

OP posts:
10ThousandSpoons · 13/02/2024 21:15

Comedycook · 13/02/2024 21:13

When a woman goes on a date, particularly with someone she's never met before, she's actually taking a risk with her personal safety. Yes you meet in a public place to minimise that risk, but still, you still have to hope he's not a violent, crazy person. Therefore dating is not equal....and if a man doesn't even think that risk you've taken is worth him buying you a cup of coffee, well he can fuck right off.

Or he could drug the coffee.

No I agree each pay for their own coffee but there needs to be that social dance of "would you like a coffee" "no that's OK ill get my own" from who ever is there first.

Scarydinosaurs · 13/02/2024 21:15

You are a near stranger and it’s a first date. Dating can be really expensive. There is just no need to be bought coffee. Buy your own, chat, see if you get on.

I think it’s sensible and wouldn’t bother me at all.

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:15

@coldcallerbaiter yes if I fancied him I probably would have met him again but I definitely wouldn't have liked the not offering me a coffee bit.

OP posts:
10ThousandSpoons · 13/02/2024 21:16

Where is everyone going that a latte is only £3 or are you all having the small size?

Icantbedoingwithit · 13/02/2024 21:16

Put it this way, if a man posted and said he was going on a first date and arrived and the woman was already sitting there waiting with a cup of coffee and then complained and called her a tightwad because she didn’t get up to get him one while she sat down.
He would be slaughtered.

Ilovelurchers · 13/02/2024 21:16

Comedycook · 13/02/2024 21:10

And actually I think men should be paying on the first date and a single cup of coffee is hardly asking the world. Scary how low the bar is for some women.

A woman actively wanting to pay her way on dates does not mean her bar is low. It means she does not want to confirm to patriarchal stereotypes that see men as "providers", with all the control/dominance this (often) entails.

I would not want a man who assumed he should pay on the first date because he has a penis and I don't. That attitude makes me feel patronised and belittled, and my bar is higher than that.

Perhaps our bars aren't at different heights. More they are across entirely different gateways

My idea of a great prospective life partner is entirely different from yours and from OPs. And that's cool. It would be a tricky world if we were all attracted to the same person.

PlipPlopChoo · 13/02/2024 21:17

There is an easy way to avoid this problem. Next time a man asks you out for coffee you should reply and ask them to confirm if that means they will be paying for your drink.

ps good luck with that

SouthLondonMum22 · 13/02/2024 21:17

Dacadactyl · 13/02/2024 21:13

A man can buy you coffee and still see you as an equal you know.

If he's buying me a coffee because he believes that's what a man should do on the first date then I'd be wondering about how old fashioned he may be in other areas, especially if he insisted on buying me a coffee.

Not the type of relationship I'd be looking for at all.

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:18

@Icantbedoingwithit actually I would have probably replied to him and said that it would have been nice of her to offer seeing as she got there first.

OP posts:
Wictc · 13/02/2024 21:18

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:05

@Icantbedoingwithit I did pay for the coffee evidently, maybe that's why he's still single because he doesn't

You realise you are also still single? Looks like you both aren’t attracting the partner you want. Both of you can either keep searching or change your attitude (obviously I am talking about you both meeting other people, you clearly aren’t suited), but then that would involve a compromise you may be unhappy with in the long term.

Neither of you are wrong. Personally I don’t think he’s ‘ungentlemanly’ or ‘stingy’, and I also don’t think you are demanding. You both have different expectations and it’s great you’ve found out over a coffee rather than an expensive meal.

Your claim that his behaviour is resulting in him being single also applies to you though.

Ilovelurchers · 13/02/2024 21:18

All of that said, I do think the person already there on the date should offer to go and order the drink for the later arrival, to give them time to get settled, coat off etc. i'd do that for a friend or for a date. It's polite and kind, regardless of gender.

If OP was first I think she should have done this. And I think the fella should have done this for her in this case. But not because he's the one with the penis.

socialdilemmawhattodo · 13/02/2024 21:18

I think the initial social niceties are important. That dance of 1st person there stands up, greets, exclaims how lovely this all is, can I get you a drink; the 2nd replies no I'll get mine, you drink yours whilst hot. Can I get you anything else whilst I'm up? No thank you the reply. So each buys their own. Its Round 2 that is interesting.

WandaWonder · 13/02/2024 21:18

man offers to buy coffee - OMG it is the 21st C what is he living in the dark ages, has he ever heard of equality it is a red flag

man does not offer to buy coffee - he is a stingy and will take you for all your money, how could he do this to you it is a red flag

coldcallerbaiter · 13/02/2024 21:19

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:05

@Icantbedoingwithit I did pay for the coffee evidently, maybe that's why he's still single because he doesn't

You are still single too …

Icantbedoingwithit · 13/02/2024 21:19

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:18

@Icantbedoingwithit actually I would have probably replied to him and said that it would have been nice of her to offer seeing as she got there first.

So you would have done the same had you been there first? I doubt it.

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:20

I think it's manners to be honest, just lack of good manners

OP posts:
WandaWonder · 13/02/2024 21:21

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:20

I think it's manners to be honest, just lack of good manners

Wouldnt it be easier to send potential dates a list of what you find accetable or not?

Icantbedoingwithit · 13/02/2024 21:21

Coffeedate · 13/02/2024 21:20

I think it's manners to be honest, just lack of good manners

Answer the question. Would YOU have got up and got him one?