Survey: Who should pay on a first date?

There are two ways to interpret these figures. The first is that our society has not yet broken free from traditional role divisions, where the woman is passive and submissive, while the man is active and initiating. According to this stigma, the woman is seen as inferior, lacking means, and looking for a wealthy partner.

Then there is the second perspective, often condemned in liberal circles but prevalent in the real world: one can believe in equality between women and men, cultivate a career, and live as a powerful, independent woman, yet still appreciate a chivalrous gesture—a sign of noble respect and manners from a world where one opens a door and says, "ladies first."

For those convinced that this is an anachronistic remnant of a bygone era, we have another figure: 71% of respondents aged 18–24 prefer that the man pays on the first date, compared to 55% of those aged 46–64. As age decreases, support for this "outdated" custom increases. Men and women, by the way, support it in similar proportions (57% of men and 60% of women). It is the power of habit.

The survey was conducted by the Kantar Institute on July 20 among 550 men and women aged 18 and over, representing a cross-section of adult Israeli society. The maximum sampling error is ±4.2%.