A Chicago man who goes by @christiancooks99 on TikTok shared a video, claiming his first date with a woman he matched with on Hinge took an unexpected turn when she asked him to pay for her pedicure before the date had even started. The video has since gained attention online, with viewers weighing in on whether his response was justified.
According to Christian, the woman, whom he refers to as “Lady” in the video, matched with him on Hinge and sent him the first message. He said she wrote, “I checked all your boxes,” explaining she meant she had her own place and no kids, which were the two non-negotiables he had listed on his profile. The two reportedly talked for about a week before he asked her out.
When they agreed on a date, Lady told Christian she did not have a car and asked him to pick her up, sending him an address, he said. Christian said that not having a car was not a dealbreaker for him given they were in Chicago, so he agreed. He described getting ready after work and driving to the address, only to find himself pulling into a strip mall with no apartments or houses in sight.
Lady reportedly asked him to cover her $120 pedicure before they had even left for dinner
Christian said he texted Lady to confirm he was at the right place, and she told him he was. When he asked which unit was her apartment, she said she was inside the nail salon finishing up and invited him to come in and wait. He said he found it “very odd” but went in anyway, where he found her getting a pedicure.
After some initial small talk, Christian claimed she “casually” brought up the bill. “Hey, it’s gonna be about $120, is that okay?” he said she told him. When he appeared confused, she added, “Pedicure’s gonna be about $120. I just want her to look really good for you. Is that okay?” Christian said it was at that point he understood she was expecting him to pay for her nails.
He said he agreed, and she then told him he could pick out the nail color. While the nail technician was working, Christian said he suggested adding more services. “Why don’t we add a few things?” he claimed he told the worker. He said he pointed to the Deluxe Pedicure option and asked about the wax dip, the alkaline treatment, and the callus peel, suggesting they go all out. According to Christian, Lady enthusiastically agreed.
After encouraging her to get the additional treatments, Christian said he told her he would wait at the front and that she should come find him when it was time to pay. He said he returned once to check in, saw her nails were being painted, and then told her he had left his wallet in the car.
“I’ll be right back, I left my wallet in the car,” he said he told her, to which she responded, “Okay, no problem, I’ll see you in a minute.” Christian then said he walked out, got into his car, and drove away, leaving her at the salon.
“Why did you think if I was offering to take you out to dinner, I was going to pay $120 plus tip for you to get a pedicure?” he said in the video, addressing his former date. He went on to have dinner alone at the bar, watching a Thunder and Spurs game, he claimed. Other Hinge dates have involved awkward confrontations with family members, like when a woman told her date’s mother what her son did.
In the video, Christian acknowledged that his decision to encourage additional services before leaving could be seen as questionable. “Yeah, was it a little messed up? Maybe,” he said. He also claimed that Lady sent him multiple text messages while he was driving to the restaurant, enough that his CarPlay was “lighting up every 5 seconds,” and that he blocked her by the time he arrived at the bar.
The video drew mixed reactions in the comments. “I do this for my partner, but FIRST DATE?” wrote one user. Another commenter questioned the price, writing, “$120 for a pedi? it only cost me $35.”
Another user appeared to side with Christian but with a twist, writing, “you’re wrong…. for not adding your initials,” while another commented, “i wanna see her texts after,” with a laughing emoji. Uncomfortable demands can also arise mid-date, such as when a Christian conservative demanded her body count just 25 minutes in.
Published: Jul 17, 2026 11:16 am