Thought I share this - it's too funny and should be a fun topic for discussion of "Would you have stayed? (if you are a man) and Would you do that? (if you are a woman). ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ A man in China ended up in a legal battle after walking out on a blind date who expected him to pay for her and 23 of her relatives. Some uninvited guests: The man, identified in local reports as Mr. Liu, found his prospective partner, Ms. Zhang, through a matchmaker and arranged to meet her at a popular restaurant in Jilin province. To Liu’s surprise, Zhang arrived at the restaurant accompanied by 23 relatives, who joined them on their date. A very expensive date: The restaurant staff later informed Liu that the woman's family ordered a significant amount of expensive cigarettes and premium alcoholic beverages. When Liu was handed the bill amounting to nearly 20,000 yuan (approximately $2,812), he decided to promptly leave the restaurant and have Zhang and her relatives settle the cost. While Zhang did settle the bill, she still demanded that Liu contribute at least half of the amount. Liu agreed only to reimburse a fraction of the total cost, offering 4,000 yuan (approximately $562), forcing Zhang to ask her relatives to pay for their share of the total bill. A day in court: Angered by Liu’s offer, Zhang's family decided to take the matter to court, filing a lawsuit against Liu to force him to pay up. The court, however, ruled in Liu's favor, stating that he should only cover the cost of his own and Zhang's meal, which was approximately 1,400 yuan (approximately $197). Social media reaction: The incident garnered attention on Chinese social media and prompted discussions regarding the boundaries of social etiquette during blind dates, with many taking Liu's side. Legal experts argued that the presence of 23 relatives during what was supposed to be a blind date surpassed far beyond generally accepted norms. Many also pointed out that the other individuals present should bear responsibility for what they consumed during the meal, absolving Liu of any obligation to cover their expenses. Source: https://nextshark.com/china-blind-date-relatives-lawsuit
I agree with the court's decision, and that is being generous. I would've just paid for my own portion and left. Paying for the "date" portion to avoid legal matters and "within social norms", but paying for the +23 is ridiculous. Even if on a date, if your date is also ordering additional food (takeout for another meal, takeout for family) and expecting you to pay, that is a huge red flag as well.
This is just a date. So it's normal that each party should pay his or her own portion. Even if in a relationship, paying over 23 unrelated meals are unethical.
