A Sydney man who demanded a woman pay him back the $6 he spent on her coffee during a date has exposed why modern relationships are doomed.
After approaching British expat Emily, 29, at a beach and inviting her out for a drink, she agreed to meet him and the pair later went for a coffee.
But after their date, Emily admitted she felt “there was no spark” between them, prompting him to do the unexpected: demand she pay for her hot beverage.
While Emily was horrified by his petty response, Melbourne psychologist Carly Dober said the man’s reaction was tragically common and warned it is an “unhealthy approach to dating and relationships.”
“Men can behave like this in part because they feel entitled to a woman’s time and romantic or sexual investment if they have spent their time and any financial resources on the date,” Dober told news.com.au.
“It is very normal to be hurt and upset if you are rejected, and rejection is a very normal part of dating in the broader human experience, however this also demonstrates low emotional intelligence and/or low emotional regulation skills.”
“A response as his would be expected among someone who has misogynistic views about women, or whose broader societal and cultural surroundings have informed him that women are obliged to give you their time and energy.”
Emily appears to share this sentiment in her viral video which has been viewed over 85,000 times since it was posted Monday.
“Oh my God I actually can’t believe this just happened to me,” she begins in the TikTok clip.
“I’ve just been on a date with this guy who asked me to go out after I met him at the beach… We went for a coffee, decided to keep it super chill.”
After returning home, Emily explained she didn’t feel a romantic connection with her date, so decided to text him with the hopes they could still be friends.
“I thought I would be decent and send him a message and to not ghost him,” she explained, before sharing the text.
It read: “Thanks so much for organizing the picnic, shame about the weather. Was lovely to get to know you but I didn’t feel there was a spark there, but will probably see you around. Hope you enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
She finished the message with a smiley face emoji.
However, it wasn’t well received, with the man quickly responding and asking her to reimburse him for the coffee he bought her.
“Hey! I agree – we are too different. Wish you the best. PS. Your coffee was $6.”
He concluded by sharing his Payid number so Emily could transfer him the money.
“Six dollars? He asked me to send him six dollars for my coffee,” she shared on TikTok.
She replied, explaining she had “never heard of someone asking a girl out then asking for the money.” In her video, she stated she had no plans to stump up the cash.
The exchange wasn’t over yet, with the mystery man claiming he had “no intention” of pursuing her romantically and “would appreciate it if you could cover your part.”
“Keeping such a small amount doesn’t reflect well on you,” he finished, in a final jab.
Dober, who works at Melbourne’s Enriching Lives Psychology clinic, said lashing out after rejection is more common among men and actually hinders the dater’s chances at finding love.
“If a relationship or intimacy is what they want, behaving in this way will make this far less accessible for them,” she shared.
“It can also make it difficult for women to find the motivation to go on dates with other males if this is what they’ve experienced, and they might be far less open to meeting new people and going on dates if they feel like they owe men something for a simple coffee.
“The end results in people being lonelier, it doesn’t result in respectful and joyful connection.”
News.com.au has contacted Emily for further comment.
