Her date asked to 'split the bill' — only for the waitress to pull the ultimate girl's girl move

In a viral TikTok post, skincare content creator @simplyskincare shared how her nearly successful date took a sharp turn — right around the finish line. Research on lame excuses for leaving an ongoing date shows that it takes about 25 minutes to decide if a date is going well, and around 51 minutes to stage a fake exit. For the creator, however, things unfolded in a strange pattern. The conversation flowed easily, there was chemistry, and there were no signs of discomfort that could potentially trigger an emergency exit. But just as the night seemed to wrap, after the pair had shared four margaritas, her date’s suggestion of splitting the bill lulled her momentarily. And, that’s when their server stepped in and subtly stood up for @simplyskincare — turning what could have been a disappointing ending into a small act of solidarity.

The five-second video went viral, where the creator recounts that her date asked their server to split the cheque between the two of them. Instead of just running the request, the waitress, Victoria, made a stunning move. She comped @simplyinskincare's portion and brought a 0.01-cent bill to the table, as the receipt mentioned the content creator's name in the top left corner below the restaurant's name, The Highlight Room. The moment was captioned as “4 martinis in & leaving a 3000% tip,” which amounted to $30 as she later clarified. Victoria’s act of generosity in this situation became a statement of a broader cultural issue of whether the bills should be split or not. 

CBS News cited a study conducted by OnePoll, which surveyed 2,000 Americans who have or had at one point been in a relationship. 56% wish the bill to be split equally on the first date, while 68% expect the other to at least "offer" to pay. However, it doesn't seem to be societal norms that are causing this shift, nor the death of chivalry. It's the global economic condition that is weighing on individuals in the dating pool, with 66% claiming they have meagre disposable income when they're in a relationship.

Another study also emphasized communicating first before setting up a date. “It’s totally normal to stress over the financial side of dating, like who pays for what, or whether to split things 50/50. These debates aren’t disappearing any time soon, but my advice is to always be upfront with yourself about your expectations and limits, and make sure to communicate them,” said Dr Caroline West, a sex and relationship expert for the dating app Bumble, in an interview with The Guardian. By comping the meal, Victoria created a returning customer out of an unsatisfied one, which is the primary reason why restaurant managers pursue comping, according to Toast. People were quick to share their opinions in the comment section. Girls were very vocal about not having to split the bill on the first date, whereas a few contrary views also flooded the space. 

Viewers shocked over the powerful act by the server, hailed her for supporting the TikTok influencer. "As a server — I’m stealing this idea for next time a guy tells me to split the bill," said @roxm89. While some shared, "With the lack of context all I see is a waitress not following instructions," commented @zaimonus. "I’ll have to ask to be seated at Victoria section when my friends and I go," wrote @kristianne1406. "Funny how you all want equality but still expect the man to pay — I thought we were in a gender neutral world — apparently only when it doesn’t involve money," remarked @woodguy53. Some also compared it to a woman doing chores at home. "The expectation for men to pay for dinner is the same as the expectation for women to cook dinner," wrote @moremindlessdistractions.

You can follow @simplyskincare on Tiktok where she makes content on women and skin care.