25+ Relationship red flags that ended a first date quickly: '[My date was] ordering the most expensive item on the menu'

Author image for Remy Millisky
Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Jan 1, 2025 3:00 PM EST

Thanks to these dating stories, you'll know exactly what red flags to look out for on your next first date. 

Dating is hard, no doubt about it. It may seem like there are 8 billion fish in the sea, and only a few of them are a good catch. There are so many people in the world, and only so much time, so you don't want to waste your time dating the wrong person. At least for some people, their date's red flags revealed themselves from the very start. 

There will be times when you're on a date with someone and realize in real time that there won't be a second outing. They say something so dumb or so egregious that you have to immediately write them off. It can be frustrating after spending weeks texting with them, or talking on the phone for a while, but in the end, you'll have to start all over again. It's not easy to find love in this world, as the people below can tell you from their own personal experiences. 

Next up, read about the employees who decided to quit their jobs as quickly as possible, like one person who smugly decided that it was time for a "No call no show for me." 

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10449037568
    via Yunus Tuğ For Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 02
    What's the weirdest thing said on a first date that made you leave not wanting to go back?
    via u/kaybeanz69
  • 03
    RedditVince I have told this before... I kind of had a crush in this gal, I asked her out to goto the fair. She said sure and we chatted about it for a while. Fair is on the weekend, I called asked of she was still good to go, yep, I picked her up 25 min later.
    via u/RedditVince
  • 04
    She gets in the car and as we get moving she tells me. "I want you to know I will never have with you." I was dumbfounded because I am not the guy that would expect or had made any moves in that direction. But whatever, I laughed it off and said OK, no problem.. We went to the fair and she was acting mad the entire time, even in the petting zoo area. Not having a good time
    via u/RedditVince
  • 05
    at all, we made it a shorter than normal day at the fair. As I pulled up to the house where she was staying she basically told me to never call her again, got out of the car and walked inside. To this day I have no idea why she was acting that way, or why she agreed to go in the first place. Some things are best unlearned I guess...
    via u/RedditVince
  • 06
    disaplinedad We texted a couple of days before about our plans. I have epilepsy and it affects my speech and how I interpret words, reading, and writing. She was playfully jabbing me about it over text. When we got to our date, I told her why it was happening. She broke down crying for like 5 mins. It was so bad that the waitress staff (multiple)
    via u/disaplinedad
  • 07
    were having a conversation in the kitchen about what was going on. Our waitress came to get our drinks, and before she did, the waitress asked if she needed to get away from me and if everything was okay. Like I
    via u/disaplinedad
  • 08
    was berating her or something! I was blown away. My date didn't tell the story she just said, "No, I'll be okay." At the end, I paid, and then I said goodbye. "But wait, don't you want to go get a drink?" No, not particularly
    via u/disaplinedad
  • 09
    Composer-Crea... When i told her what i did for a living, she told me that it was a peasents job and then basically started to construct a whole new career path for me. I left about 15 minutes later.
    via u/Composer-Creative
  • 10
    JoyousZephyr These two tie, from two different men: "You seem kinda brittle, emotionally. You should totally pack a bag and come stay with me and my mother for a while."
    via u/JoyousZephyr

  • I don't know about you, but I have zero tolerance for “negging” during my dates. It's like a backhanded compliment, but meaner! Your future spouse should never say things to you like that, and luckily this person realized that before going out on any more dates with this impolite fellow. He also seems like a real Mommy's boy, which doesn't appeal to many of the single ladies out there. 

  • 11
    and... "I invented a form of perpetual energy, but the scientists at Los Alamos had all of my research material classified so now I can't continue..."
    via u/JoyousZephyr
  • 12
    Phoenix_GU I had a guy say he didn't think it was right for ladies in relationships to go out with their friends. As if I would need to stop going to dinner or socializing with them.
    via u/Phoenix_GU
  • 13
    SirLunchALot19... Her trying to insist I need to pay on first date no matter what eventhough she invited and it was about a coffee. She was to cheap for a coffee. I let it go since well whatever. She might be oldfashioned about that, but lets see. She then proceeded to call her father in law a for not being
    via u/SirLunchALot1993
  • 14
    able to provide well enough for her jobless mother and saw it as the guys job to provide for the family. I allready tried to politely come out of the whole situation and she continued red flag after red flag. Household, cleaning and cooking arent her things....
    via u/SirLunchALot1993
  • 15
    I just stoped being polite. and asked her || are you doing then? No job, no cleaning, no household, just living the best life of your Guys money and looking decent? Lol Oh yeah and while I waited for my bus I saw that she let her Dog in the middle of the walkway without picking it up.
    via u/SirLunchALot1993
  • 16
    I mean Im thankfull for showing me what kind of person she is before any feelings got involved, but lol. Its one Thing to want the 1950s tradwife lifestyle, but not even doing 50% of the household then is wild.
    via u/SirLunchALot1993
  • 17
    wrexmason 2 things: "To be honest with you, I'm headed to this guy's house to ask what if he wants to be in a relationship or not" "Excuse me waiter, can I order another meal to go?"
    via u/wrexmason
  • 18
    AldrexChama Her saying cheating should be forgiven
    via u/AldrexChama
  • 19
    Wunjo26 Had my first tinder date and was waiting in the parking lot at the restaurant when she called and told me "by the way, I'm getting massive dental surgery done" as she rolling up. Turns out she was missing all of her teeth and didn't bother mentioning that at all even though we had literally just spoke on the phone hours earlier.
    via u/Wunjo26
  • 20
    Jaeger_Mannen "My whole house is filled with bags of cans. Everywhere. So.. you won't be coming over unless you want to get lost." And "Yeah, I have 3 cats now. There were 5." walls covered with at least 7 cat murals
    via u/Jaeger_Mannen
  • 21
    And "I can't stay out too long. My 2 year likes to roam and she'll eventually wake up."
    via u/Jaeger_Mannen
  • 22
    High-flyingAF It wasn't what she said. She was an instant cling on, and her breath was awful.
    via u/High-flyingAF
  • 23
    bingobongo1980 "I'm like actually crazy" Learned to take that at face value. If they admit it to you, they've acknowledged their bad/weird behavior and are content to keep doing it. Or they just aren't into you enough to put the best foot forward on a first date.
    via u/bingobongo1980
  • 24
    Due_Title4566 I worked in the same industry as her ex, whom she was having issues with I gather. She basically accused me of like working for him or something to keep tabs on her I dunno. Major red flags for drama.
    via u/Due_Title4566
  • 25
    Team-Fat-Roll "I cant wait to post us.on Facebook my family is not gonna believe this"
    via u/Due_Title4566
  • 26
    milescowperthw... She bragged about having scammed her ex-husband out of over $300k and that she'd never get married again because men "aren't worth it." Also we were at her place in the late evening, and there was some kind of shredded beef from the morning in a pan on the stove. She invited me to
    via u/milescowperthwaite
  • 27
    heat it up and we ate it for dinner. I didn't get sick, but it was really odd. One and done.
    via u/milescowperthwaite
  • 28
    Illustrious_Bee1... Ordering the most expensive item on the menu.
    via u/Illustrious_Bee1720
  • 29
    Parking_War_41... I love you.
    via u/Parking_War_4100

  • Sometimes people just straight-up inform you about how off-the-wall they are, and this is one of those instances. Beware of the person who claims to have instantly fallen in love with you… Even if you really like them, it's a waving red flag that spells out a chaotic relationship should you choose to pursue it. 

  • 30
    Comprehensive... Her saying "I have this weird rash"
    via u/ComprehensiveCake463
  • 31
    Introduction For... Never had anything to unhinged happen but if you are ride to service workers I lose all interest. No wait actually one time a woman said I could hit her dog and I was like . She was also taking scam calls and invited some other guy over. Worst "date" ever.
    via u/IntroductionFormer67
  • 32
    Cheezburger Image 10449056768
    via Molly the Cat For Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 33
    Alpacadrama_ During the date she told me that she was in a relationship with a guy, but it wasn't an issue. She'd just dump him because i really seemed like someone she could love.
    via u/Alpacadrama_
  • 34
    godbullseye Went out for drinks with a girl I met on Tinder and the place was pretty busy. The server asked for my drink order (Tito's and soda with lime). The server repeated it back to me but said svedka and soda. My date immediately interrupts and tells her the right order but then calls the server a dumb . Server begins to cry
    via u/godbullseye
  • 35
    and we get kicked out so I decide to take the chance to run for my life. Start to finish of the date: 20 minutes. Dodged a huge bullet because a few months later she got arrested for beating a dude up with a golf club.
    via u/godbullseye
  • 36
    RareSpice42 "You're not the most interesting guy but, I think I like you"
    via u/RareSpice42
  • 37
    Feine_b ,,If a man gets the milk for free why should he buy the cow"... what a nice worldview. I hope he finds a partner who thinks the same?!
    via u/Feine_b
  • 38
    Fausty72 I've got a weird one. Went on a blind date. Decided to meet her outside one of the bars in town. After scoping. the place and trying to suss out which one she was, I ended up heading over to the bar. Sure enough, she was outside. The first thing she said to me was "...hey we can't go in here. The guy
    via u/Fausty72
  • 39
    I was seeing this morning's just gone in there". I didn't walk away. We've been together 23 years.
    via u/Fausty72
  • 40
    Cheezburger Image 10449065728
    via Karsten Winegeart on Unsplash+

    This image is for illustration only, and the subjects are models; the image does not depict the actual subjects of the story.

  • 41
    Fuzzy_Laugh_1117 "Hmm, wonder what ID I should use tonight." Excuse me? He apparently had several aliases and was proud of it. Wow. I said. "Okaaay, I'll be right back" and took TF off fast, never to be found again.
    via u/Fuzzy_Laugh_1117
  • 42
    Beginning _Key2... Woman laughed about how much she had cheated on her ex husband. Literally on the first date. Then she got mad at me because I didn't want a second date. Due to it. She said I can't judge her. I said well I can and am lol
    via u/Beginning _Key2167
  • 43
    GuitarEvening8... I went to dinner with a woman who didn't talk much and texted her friends or someone during the entire meal. She was shocked when I told the waiter we were splitting the tab. I was one and done with her. Another woman on the second date kept saying money is the root of all evil and putting me down
    via u/GuitarEvening8674
  • 44
    because my side business is being a landlord. And all I cared about was money, etc.. When The waitress bought the check, I split it across the table to my date, and she looked at it and said I DONT HAVE ANY MONEY
    via u/GuitarEvening8674
  • 45
    FilmmakerFran... I've actually had two that were deal breakers for me. The first was on a date with this very attractive girl, everything was going good until she started saying how when she sees something she thinks is better than what she has, she has to have it especially when it comes to men. She always wants more. Got a terrible
    via u/FilmmakerFrankie
  • 46
    vibe straight away and lost all attraction. The second one, we were walking to the venue and she looked at me and said 'you're not really tall, are you?" And then "i'd usually date taller." This turned me sour instantly. I'm 5'11 btw
    via u/FilmmakerFrankie
  • 47
    sashapetersxx Tried to convince me that you eat the tail on a tempura shrimp sushi roll. Instead of explaining why, just kept eating them like some kind of animal showing off its kill. I've since looked into it. Very much a thing for some people. Was just not for me. Really strange experience.
    via u/sashapetersxx
  • 48
    RealZookeeper... We were supposed to go bowling, but she said she wanted to go to a specific restaurant at the last minute. She kept looking towards a specific table and when I asked her if she knew someone she said "my ex is
    via u/RealZookeepergame234
  • 49
    having his birthday party here with his new girlfriend, they're sitting over there." I got out of there as quickly as I could and never spoke to her again
    via u/RealZookeepergame234

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