A Chicago resident and TikToker, Christian Cooks, recently uploaded a video that has racked up over 10.3 million views. On TikTok, Christian shared his experience and perspective of a Hinge date that went completely off the rails. He started his video by asking the community, “So I went on a first date last night, and I need to know what is wrong with you. Truly, I’ve never seen anything like this in my life.”
Christian stated, “I’ve been taking Hinge a little bit more seriously. So I have my non-negotiables on there. Have to have your own apartment or house. Can’t have kids. Pretty simple. I still feel like the bar is in hell.” He then matched with a woman he calls Lady, who claimed she checked all his boxes. He claimed that they chatted for about a week before he asked her out. According to him, she didn’t have a car, which isn’t that abnormal, so she sent him an address and asked for a ride.
When Christian arrived at the location, he claimed he did not see any houses or apartments. Instead, he found himself in a strip mall that contained a Tropical Smoothie, a Chipotle, and a Starbucks. After texting her to confirm the location, he alleged that she told him she was at the nail salon finishing up and invited him to come inside. When he walked in, he found her getting a pedicure. This is where things go strange, fast.
The Bankroller
Christian noted that she apologized for the delay. Then he alleged, “And as we’re talking, she casually drops in. ‘Hey, it’s gonna be about 1:20. Is that okay?’” Christian noted that he gave her a confused look before she clarified, “Pedicure is gonna be about 1:20. I just wanted to look really good for you. Is that okay?”
“And it clicks. Clicks in my brain, oh, you want me to pay for your pedicure?” he says. When he confirms with her, she allegedly says, “Well, yeah, I’m getting ready for a date for you.” Now, it should be noted that all we have is Christian’s perspective, and the story cannot be verified. So in response, Christian tells her he will cover it. Then he decides to take things a step further. He asked if they could add a few extra services, including a deluxe pedicure and other additions.
He described her alleged reaction, noting, “I swear to god. Lady’s eyes just turned into money bags like you would see in a cartoon. Like Donald Duck seeing money.” He even picked out a pink nail color for her. Then he told her he would wait at the front. Christian said that he walked out to his car and then simply drove away.
He admitted, “I left her in the nail salon because. Why did you think if I was offering to take you out to dinner, you thought I was gonna pay for, at a minimum, $120 plus tip for you to get a pedicure?” Christian also shared a story of another first date where the wine ended up costing $340.
Charles Schwab noted that there is a lot of financial awkwardness that often comes with modern app dating. According to a 2024 survey from Self, the average person spends about $58.84 on a date, and two-thirds of Americans feel stressed about their finances when planning one.
The finance company stated that in order to manage money while dating, it is important to be upfront about who pays for what, especially when using an app. The guide notes that while traditions have shifted over time, there is no right or wrong way to handle the bill, but avoiding the mystery can help make a first date much more comfortable. It can also help avoid situations like the TikToker who was told by her date that he would pay the bill if she put out.
Christian’s decision to leave was mostly applauded by the community. One user commented, “As a girl, I agree with what you did.” Another user answer his question writing, “Nope! Not at all! You just matched her energy. Very Clever. She was playing checkers and you were playing chess.”
Others found his story hilarious. One TikToker notes, “That’s the greatest first date story I’ve ever heard.” Then there was the cheeky advice. One commenter asked, “can you add on your non negotiables ‘being a decent person'” while another noted, “you’re wrong…. for not adding your initials.”
Christian claimed that he went to his dinner reservation alone, where he enjoyed a beer, watched a sports game, and blocked Lady after his phone lit up with messages. As he noted, “I’m having so much fun with this new free will thing. I’m sick of being taken advantage of.”
Published: Aug 10, 2026 02:15 am