NYC men complain dating is too expensive with inflation
Looking for love will cost you.
In the past six years, the price of eating out in NYC has increased nearly 30%, according to the NY State Department of Taxation and Finance and Office of the New York City Comptroller, while other costs associated with going out, such as taxis and Ubers, have also risen sharply.
Local men complain that dating has become ridiculously pricey.
“The dates keep getting more expensive,” said Benny Boas, a 31-year-old CEO of an educational tech startup who lives on the Upper East Side. “It takes me about $1,000 to realize I don’t really like somebody.”
“You can really dig yourself into a hole,” added Charles Gargano, a 31-year-old attorney who lives on the Upper East Side and recently had a date with a Staten Island woman. Wanting to be a gentleman, he offered to meet her at a restaurant near her home — and ended up spending $150 to Uber there.
“And she turned out to be absolutely horrific,’’ he sighed.
Jeremy Seaman, a 31-year-old Upper East Sider, recently had a third date with a woman he met online that really set him back.
The food event producer picked Sip and Guzzle, a trendy new Japanese spot in the West Village for the occasion. He offered to pick up his date, who lives in Murray Hill, in an Uber on the way downtown.
At Sip and Guzzle, they sipped cocktails and split several food items, including a $150 Wagyu steak sandwich that has gone viral on social media. It all added up.
“We each had two drinks and somehow it wound up being almost $500,” he said.
Then they grabbed a cab and headed to another venue for a nightcap.
In the end, with cabs and Ubers, “It turned out to be a $700 night,” he said.
East Harlem resident Michael Hollander makes a point of avoiding sushi places on first dates.
“I know dinner anywhere is going to be at least two bills, and odds are I will never see the person again, but there is no ceiling on the price at some of these sushi places,’’ he said. “I’m not saying the woman has to get a California roll, but the waiters start with ‘this was flown in overnight’ and it’s a half inch piece of fish I’ve never heard of.’’
Instead, he arranges initial meetups at a casual neighborhood Turkish spot called La Turka, where entrees range from $22 to $38.
He considers himself generous but says he has to draw a line.
“I’m fun, but I’m not Rockefeller,” he said. “Who needs a $500 date? You can go somewhere for the weekend at that point.’’
Matchmaker Jason Roberts, who lives in NoHo, said his clients are definitely feeling the pinch. He suggests they get creative and think beyond dinner and drinks for dates.
“You can go see Christmas lights and that might bring up stories about your childhood,” he said. “I had a client who just brought his date to a shuffleboard place in Nomad.”
But, some women say cheaper dates are a red flag.
“If someone asks me out for a coffee or a drink, it’s ‘no,’’’ said Kasey Karaisaridis, 26, an esthetician who lives in the Bronx. She recalled a dating guru telling her, “Even a homeless guy can buy you a cup of coffee.”
If a man doesn’t take her to dinner, she said, “They obviously don’t value me.”
She sympathizes with men about how expensive things have gotten, but says it’s on them to hop on the phone and see if there’s chemistry before going out.
“Do you due diligence.”
Real estate salesperson Gabriella Oros, 37, who lives in the East Village agrees that not being asked for dinner is inherently a bit insulting. A date once suggested a walk in the park, and it came across as cheap and lazy.
“At this stage [in my life], I value certain quality and effort,’’ she explained. “I would appreciate a bit more thought and planning. That doesn’t mean I have to go for fine dining, but even sharing a casual meal creates a deeper connection, and I’m seeking a quality experience.’’
Jasmine Mellis, a 42-year-old hair stylist who lives in Staten Island, thinks some “creative” alternatives just come across as stingy.
“Guys suggest a sports bar and act like it’s fun, but it’s just cheap,’’ she said. And she’s looking for more than a drink.
“I’m a carnivore and I get hungry, so I just say ‘I’m going to eat and I’ll pay for it’, but don’t think I’m going home with you. A lot of guys can’t afford it anymore. They have to think ‘how many drinks am I going to have? How many drinks is she going to have?’” she said. “Unfortunately, inflation has killed romance.”
