First date etiquette in Singapore: Who pays?

SINGAPORE: In a recent Reddit post, a 29-year-old woman said she was curious about the dating culture in Singapore. Fortunately, when she crowdsourced for answers, there were many users on the platform who were eager to oblige.

U/the_unspoken_truth88 asked if the man typically pays for the bill on the first date, or does the couple usually split it? Also, if the woman wants to pay, will the man “actually let her”?

She also asked about how Singaporean men generally approach a woman for a first date, adding that she’d “love to hear some experiences or insights from others who have dated. What’s the vibe like?”

Finally, she wanted to know if it’s all right for a person not to give their full name during a first date.

“Does that raise any red flags, or is it just part of the casual approach here?” she asked.

Luckily, there is such a thing as the internet, and people can get a feel for what a country’s dating culture is like by doing an online search. After all, in a country that has as many expatriates as Singapore does, there are more than enough people who would presumably want to familiarise themselves with the terrain, so to speak.

A recent article on Singapore’s dating culture notes, “Traditional viewpoints are still alive and well in Singapore,” with 40% of Singaporeans still thinking that the man should pay for the first date. This number rises to over 50% among older respondents, those in the above-35 age group.

Interestingly, a Reddit user who responded to the post said that most men are prepared to meet this expectation and usually set something simple like a coffee date as the first date to limit the expense.

Another suggested that both parties should agree on splitting the bill from the get-go to set expectations.

One man wrote that a woman who agrees to a more pricey date, such as getting dinner, but does not offer to pay her share, can make men feel like they’re ATMs.

Others agreed and pointed out that coffee dates can also be kept short if the couple doesn’t seem to vibe well together.

Another man wrote, “Offering to split is a green flag,” but added, “We will still insist on paying, though.”

The featured image above is from Depositphotos and is for illustration purposes only. /TISG

Read also: Singaporeans share their most outrageous and cringe-worthy dating experiences on Reddit