Buying women drinks

[Terin]

I'm just curious as to what people think about the subject. I'll post my own opinions after I get a few of yours.
-T

[Chibi Knight]

I've always heard that buying a woman a drink is like buying 5 minutes of her time to basically "pitch" yourself to her.

[Terin]

kind of like an unspoken rule of the bar?
-T

[ScrumYummy]

I think so. And I think it would be misleading to let someone buy a drink for you when you have no intention of talking to them--it's giving them false hope. So it's pretty rude to just let a guy buy you a drink and then not even give him the time of day.

Or she could be a total femmenazi and be like "No MAN is buying me a drink GRR!"

[Terin]

[Kudasai Hiroki]

[Blackmage]

^^ what they said. If you don't talk to them what the hell is the point of buying them a drink? If your gunna waste the $4~8 on someone you don't know who isn't gunna talk to you just buy me a drink instead.

[Ming]

If you have no intention of talking to the guy in the first place, then do the right thing and don't even accept the drink. If you accept the drink and don't talk to him, then you're just selfish and greedy and enjoy taking advantage of people trying to do something nice for you. It's probably for the better that the poor guy didn't talk to you...he probably wouldn't have liked you anyway.

And as far as the whole guy buying the girl a drink thing...this is the year 2007. I'm not trying to be sexist, but if women are fighting for equality in everything else, why should the guy be required to buy the girl a drink in the first place anymore? It's a shame that it not only still happens, but is expected. That's not fair. Guys need to start taking a stand to end double-standards that are occurring constantly. I'm not saying that guys shouldn't be chivalrous and do nice things for women (I'm all for that actually), I'm saying that you can't have your cake and eat it too. And I know that the women here (on PO) are most likely NOT like this and deserve the world, but unfortunately your more vocal sisters in this matter ruin it for the rest of you.

[Legend]

Ming-- I agree with you to a degree. However, I think some guys probably just find it easier to start a conversation if they buy them a drink first or something. I don't think they -have- to do so, but...well, if you've ever seen Hitch, it's sort of like what he talks about in the movie-- there have to be ways to create the opportunity. And buying something for the girl makes her, in this materialistic world, probably a little more inclined to talk to you.

As far as this goes-- what if you're taken? I mean, honestly, I don't mind talking to guys: I actually rather enjoy it, as guys tend to be just a tad less self-centered and materialistic if they're trying to talk to me than chicks are. (IE: the kinds of guys that attempt to speak with me are the ones that are willing to talk to unnattractive chicks, and therefore usually aren't that self-centered) But, I'm definitely taken, and I usually try to nicely let them know that fact.

Does that mean I shouldn't accept a drink because I'm not interested in dating them, even if I -am- willing to talk to them? Not accepting a drink would give the impression I'm not interested at all, whereas if I did and then told them I was taken, but might have been interested in at least giving them a chance might still make them feel good, no?

Edit: As a sidenote, this is all hypothetical, as I've -never- had a guy offer to buy me a drink. ^_- and I doubt I ever will. It's just a thought I had, because I often -do- get guys wanting to chat with me that I think might be interested....and along these same lines, what's the nicest way to let someone know you're taken so that they don't feel like they've wasted their energy or whatever?

[Terin]