New data highlights the growing normalization of splitting the bill on first dates. Seeking is challenging a dating culture that seems to have forgotten the art of courtship.
If you’ve ever been asked to split the bill 50/50 on a date, you know the feeling—and it’s definitely not butterflies.
Seeking just launched the Anti 50/50 Campaign, built on the belief that dates weren’t meant to be split 50/50. It’s more than a stance: we’ve created a $50,000 fund to reimburse singles who unexpectedly split the bill on a first date, offering up to $50 a person.
What sparked this?
More than ever, we’re hearing conversations discussing whether dating should be 50/50. The expectation in previous eras of dating was that one person took care of the check. As dating continues to evolve, new norms and mindsets continue to challenge “old-school” practices.
Seeking is challenging these modern-dating shifts. Personally, we see them more as a decline in generosity and effort.
How much is really changing?
Our public survey revealed that 61% of Gen Z women have been asked to split on a first date, more than double the rate of Boomer women (27%), a stark reminder of how normalized splitting the bill has become in recent years.
Our Seeking users don’t agree.
We decided to ask our Seeking users separately. The results were refreshing: 92% of our male users stated they prefer to pay on the first date, and 67% of our female users stated they would deny a second date if the bill wasn’t taken care of.
It’s time to date the way you want to.
Our Anti 50/50 Campaign offers the solution to the growing frustration with modern dating expectations by inviting singles to join a dating platform where generosity remains central to courtship.
Generosity is important. Just ask Julia Fox.
Known for speaking openly about dating and challenging societal expectations, Julia Fox joins the campaign to address the judgment women face for wanting more from their dating lives. Her message reinforces Seeking’s core stance that women shouldn’t have to defend their preferences or apologize for expecting generosity from a partner.
“I’ve been on Seeking, my friends have been on Seeking, and I think we need to get over the idea that women should have to justify what they want out of dating,” said Fox. “I’m all for women being independent, but that doesn’t mean we have to entertain low-effort men who think splitting a check is the height of romance. If you’re going to court somebody, COURT THEM. That’s why the Anti 50/50 Fund is so important. Seeking is about being clear on what matters to you in a relationship.”
Want in on the campaign?
To apply for reimbursement, participants must create an account at seeking.com/bad-date-fund, share details about their date and upload a receipt showing they were asked to split the bill.
The campaign also features an exclusive merch collection, with all profits going directly back into the fund.
“We’re giving women their money back while encouraging men to lead with generosity,” said Dana Rosewell, co-CEO of Seeking. “Somewhere along the way, the patriarchy convinced women that splitting the bill was empowerment, when really it just made being cheap socially acceptable.”
“People love to say money doesn’t matter in dating, but the people saying that usually aren’t the ones paying the price,” said Brandon Wade, founder and co-CEO of Seeking. “Love may be priceless, but dating has never been free. At Seeking, we believe people should be unapologetic about what they want in a partner, including generosity.”
The fund will remain open until all $50,000 has been claimed or until Feb. 10, 2027.
