One story a girl once told me on a date: Her father was instructing her and her brothers around the dining room table about proper dating procedure. He told her brothers that because dinner is expensive, the first few dates you should only go out for drinks or some free activity. It is not necessary to go to a restaurant. If you really like the girl after a number of times, then you should go out for a full meal.
He then turned to his daughter and told her that any guy who doesn’t have the basic decency to take you out to a restaurant for a full meal on the first date, is some kind of inconsiderate cheapskate and not for you, and you should drop him right away.