Dates for Fine Food
Alright serious eaters be honest, have any of you been on dates with people you just weren't that into to get a nice (free) meal out of it?
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28 Comments:
This question is perplexing. I lost the plot. Please Alex can I get some prepositions for 200. Maybe a pronoun.
JerzeeTomato at 1:44PM on 03/10/09
NOOOO...granted, the last person I dated was my husband 20 years ago, but I can fix a nice meal myself, or don't mind dining out alone. The pay off isn't great enough for me to do that.
Karencooks at 2:20PM on 03/10/09
NO!! - after two dates with a super sweet but totally wrong for me guy, I decided that I would let him down easy by bascially telling him that I thought he was cool, but I couldn't let him keep buying me dinner if I knew it wasn't going somewhere that he was probably trying to go. When I decided to give him a chance in the first place, I figured he wasn't my type, but since I hadn't dated much, I figured there wasn't much to lose other than a potentially unpleasant evening over a free meal with a nice guy. The evenings weren't unpleasant, but even in my poor college days, I couldn't lie to the poor guy just to get free food.
joyyy at 3:05PM on 03/10/09
I've considered it but felt guilty at the thought, so no.
CanadianFoodieGirl at 4:29PM on 03/10/09
@Jerzee....LOL!!! My guess is probably not so much.
ChelleyD01 at 4:36PM on 03/10/09
Nope, I'm too easily bored and have better things to do with my time...
yumcat at 4:43PM on 03/10/09
Never done it, but I probably would if the guy was at least somewhat interesting and I knew he was rich enough to spend the dough without feeling bad. The same goes for any guy with a cute dog. I guess I'm pretty shameless!
Embackus at 4:50PM on 03/10/09
Isn't that the same thing as prostitution?
izatryt at 4:53PM on 03/10/09
@iz - pretty much, yes.
brooke29 at 5:03PM on 03/10/09
Now that you mention it, Iz, the prostitutes that frequented our restaurant (it was *colorful* neighborhood) ate very well: steaks, seafood, lobster. They worked hard for the money, and knew how to spend it!
hungryinhouston at 5:06PM on 03/10/09
I guess most prostitutes are not really "that into" their dates. Maybe I like the term "Hooker" better.
izatryt at 5:09PM on 03/10/09
Well... AFTER I went on the date to the really nice and fancy place I learned that I really did not like the guy all that much. So I have the nice and fancy place at least to console me after a not so promising date.
MadelynRodriguez at 5:24PM on 03/10/09
Ok the question was would you go on a date with said person, not would you sleep with him/her. There's a big difference. Frankly, I don't think it's any different than dining out with an annoying relative/boss/colleague/classmate for the free meal, which I'm sure more you of have done than you admit.
Embackus at 5:30PM on 03/10/09
@ Embackus...who said anything about sleeping with anyone? I believe Iz used the term prostitution meaning trading your "company" for dinner. I prefer the word "pandering", which basically is the same thing.
Will I hang out with someone that I know at some point grates on my nerves like knuckles on a microplane? Depends on how many stars the restaurant gets and how much wine I will have to drink to make the grating stop.
There. I said it. I will happily be the shallow, self-absorbed bitch of the entire group...but make it clear, I am not pandering or prostituting. Im just hungry. HAHAHAH!
ChelleyD01 at 5:54PM on 03/10/09
hhheeee hheeeee. this is to funny.
dearrie at 5:57PM on 03/10/09
Yes. I have. A few times. On occasion I might not have realized at the time I wasn't into the person, but I've definitely gone on dates for the food (and good wine).
Allison Hemler at 5:58PM on 03/10/09
@Chell ~ You can be my Hooker! Let's go Bitch, we are going to get us some 5 star grub!!
izatryt at 6:02PM on 03/10/09
@Embackus - actually, no, I haven't done that either. That is not to say that I don't dine out with annoying relatives - but it's certainly not for the free meal, it's just because I have no way of getting out of that (and trust me, if I could, I would actually pay in order to skip that free meal). I realise that it's just me, but I can only truly appreciate a great meal if I enjoy the company. If I don't, I usually don't have much of an appetite. And by the way, I'm not judging anyone - frankly, I couldn't care less how other people choose their dining companions. It's simply not for me.
brooke29 at 6:19PM on 03/10/09
@ Iz...do you think we can con some fool into French Laundry? I also kinda have a thing for that miserable prick Gordon Ramsay and would love a prix fixe including wine at ANY of his restos, so that can be in the cards too.
You know how the gaggle rolls.
ChelleyD01 at 6:20PM on 03/10/09
@brooke29--oh gosh, you don't know how many times I've been 'treated' to a meal with my family at a restaurant that I hate, wondering 'if only I could be allowed to pay for the meal and not to go.'
re: dating--I'm a double dutch kinda gal, even when I'm interested.
HeartofGlass at 7:10PM on 03/10/09
@Heart - I sure can imagine!
brooke29 at 8:00PM on 03/10/09
If the food, drink, conversation and manners are great, he gets another chance. If only the food and drink are good, I might go there with another contender. :-)
PerkyMac at 12:17AM on 03/11/09
I can't say it was for the food because we only ended up going to Wendy's afterwards (though their chicken sandwiches are super tasty), but I did go on a date with a guy I knew I didn't like in order to see the Black Rider- it was so worth it.
PumpkinBear at 3:36AM on 03/11/09
Not food but drinking yes. But I explain that I am not interested in dating anyone at this time due to whatever and I would enjoy a friendship for now. If he's understanding then the next time I buy.
pjracz10 at 6:07AM on 03/11/09
I think that's how I survived my early 20s...I went out with every guy that asked just to get a free meal and drinks...I didn't put out, so I'm no hooker...I was just hungry!!!
KateRuby at 10:42AM on 03/11/09
I've heard stories of young women "dating for dinner" during the Great Depression.
Kerosena at 11:56AM on 03/11/09
no way. here's why:
1. i won't do more than drinks for the first date. a two-hour meal is waaay too long to spend with someone you don't like/don't know if you like.
2. it's awkward - there's A LOT of ground to cover on a first date and taking a big bite and then being asked a question is just embarassing for everyone.
3. karma is a bitch.
anniedra at 3:29PM on 03/20/09
For sure...I studied abroad in Italy and was a broke college student who wanted to eat any kind of Italian food possible...it worked out just fine
ens173 at 4:03PM on 03/20/09