According to a new study conducted by Intuit, about a third of Gen Z respondents admitted to going on dates for one purpose and one purpose only: a free meal. The Cuffing Economy Report, as it’s called, polled Gen Z, Millennials and Gen X to understand how they’re navigating money and relationships.

The report found that 33 percent of Americans have ended relationships over money anxieties, and 54 percent of Americans have changed their dating habits to be more cost-effective. Among Gen Z, 31 percent of the respondents admitted to accepting dates for the sole purpose of the perks — and I don’t mean those perks, but the promise of a free meal.

Half of Gen Z spends $0 a month on dating thanks to a ‘romance recession,' per MW

— unusual_whales (@unusual_whales) September 8, 2025

While it’s easy to blame dating apps or the opposite sex for “ruining” dating, the real culprit might be something else entirely. Yes, the apps have made dating more transactional and just flat out painful. But the truth is, dating has never been so damn expensive. You know what they say, if you’re looking for the truth, “follow the money.”

Well, guess what, no one has any!