'Foodie Call': Nearly A Third Of Women Have Gone On Dates Just For Free Food, Survey Finds

By Alexandria Hoff, CBS Philly

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — A coffee shop is a popular pick for couples going out on a first date. Yet, there are others who like to meet over a big, fancy dinner. And it turns out a surprising number of women only date for the free food.

There are few things more awkward than sitting through a dinner date with someone you're really not interested in. But according to a new study, it seems that sometimes, a girl has gotta eat.

As if the familiar term "booty call" wasn't cringe-worthy enough, a new expression has been coined to describe a person who chooses to go on a date with the sole purpose of getting a free meal — say hello to the "foodie call."

"I don't know if I could ever say I used a guy for that but there are perks to the dating life," one woman said.

A study performed by researchers at Azusa Pacific University and U.C. Merced found that "23 to 33 percent of women surveyed had engaged in a foodie call."

"I think it's just common because sometimes if you have nothing to do and you are invited on a date, then why not?" one woman asked.

"When I was dating I remember it was almost expected and the norm for the man to pay for the bill," one man said.

Invited was the key word used by many, saying that whoever initiated the date should at least offer to pay, but that splitting the bill wasn't a deal-breaker.

"If you are just meeting for the first time maybe you just want to split it just because," one man said.

"I don't want it to seem like I'm using him, so if I know I'm not going to see him again then I'll pay for it and let that be that," one woman said.

The study focused primarily on heterosexual couples but Match.com surveyed LGBTQ singles and found 62% to be in favor of the person who initiated the date footing the bill.

Here's the zinger: Researchers in this particular study found that people who were likely to participate in foodie calls were also likely to have negative personality traits, such as narcissism, and more likely to engage in deceitful behavior.