Going Dutch
From Free net encyclopedia
Going Dutch is a slang term that means that each person eating at a restaurant or paying admission for entertainment pays for himself or herself, rather than one person paying for everyone. It is also called Dutch date or Dutch treat.
Etymology
The phrase "going Dutch" probably originates from Dutch etiquette. In the Netherlands, it is not unusual to pay separately when dating. The Dutch were already internationally known as scrooges, and English rivalry with The Netherlands especially during the period of the Anglo-Dutch Wars gave rise to several phrases including Dutch that promote certain negative stereotypes. Examples include Dutch courage, Dutch uncle and Dutch wife. The particular stereotype associated with this usage is the idea of Dutch people as ungregarious and selfish.
In Spain, "going Dutch" is attributed to Catalans, due to a stereotype that they are greedy. A stereotypical non-Catalan Spaniard would compete to invite the group.
In Italy, the expression pagare alla romana can be translated as: "To pay like people of Rome" or "to pay like they do in Rome". It has the same meaning as "going Dutch".
Etiquette
There is a delicate etiquette surrounding going Dutch. It may be accepted in some situations, such as between non-intimate friends or less affluent people, but considered stingy in other circumstances, such as on a romantic date or at a business lunch.
The traditional way to handle a bill on a heterosexual romantic date in the West has been that the one who invited the other (traditionally the man) takes the bill and the invitee may not even know the actual price of the meal. Some restaurants keep ladies' menus without prices.
Since the advent of feminism, it has become more common for women to pay their own way, or to pay for men's meals. Some women are offended if their male dining partner "grabs the cheque." In the last 10 years in the US, a futher twist to the woman's offering to pay their own way has occurred. These women will generally offer to pay their part of the meal, but if the man agrees, the woman will assume that he is not interested in her and she will then decline to meet him again. Social custom also varies among same-sex couples.