Man Brings Flowers for Dinner Date—Internet Speechless at Woman's Reaction

A man has gone viral on social media after his attempt at a romantic gesture on a date took an unexpected turn.

In a Reddit post, /u/Able-Gap1029, a man in his early 20s, described his third date with a woman of the same age. He decided to bring her a bouquet of flowers as a gift. But instead of gratitude, he was met with disappointment.

The poster shared screenshots of a text exchange with the woman. "Did you seriously only get me flowers or is there another surprise or something?" she wrote, adding, "That's like the most generic 'female' gift possible lol. Most girls don't care for them outside the movies lol. It wouldn't be so bad if you got something else too, but no, just useless flowers."

The post has received more than 38,000 upvotes, with thousands of users expressing shock and frustration at the woman's response. Newsweek spoke to relationship expert Sam MacQuoid about why the woman might have reacted the way she did to such a classic gesture.

Newsweek contacted /u/Able-Gap1029 for comment via Reddit.

"No other guy has treated me like this, and my girlfriends agree I deserve better," the woman continued.

The man, taken aback by her reaction, turned to Reddit to ask whether flowers were no longer an acceptable gift in dating.

"Dude is over here being a total sweetheart by getting her flowers and paying for their dinner, but it's just not good enough for her," one Redditor wrote. "So, she goes to her friends to complain about it and instead of bringing her back down to earth … they just gas up her ego more."

"Even buying a gift on the third date is being generous, she's ungrateful and you dodged a bullet," another said. "Nothing will be good enough for her if she's not happy with flowers and a dinner on the third date."

An Expert Opinion

MacQuoid, a sex and relationship expert at COEDStore, weighed in on the controversy, telling Newsweek that while flowers are traditionally seen as a romantic gift, dating expectations have changed with the times.

"I've seen that giving flowers can still be a thoughtful, classic gesture, symbolizing care and attention," MacQuoid said. "However, modern dating has evolved, and what feels meaningful can vary greatly from person to person. When a woman describes flowers as generic, it may be less about the act itself and more about a desire for something that uniquely honors her individuality—an expression that makes her feel exceptionally valued rather than just acknowledged."

MacQuoid said the situation highlighted the importance of understanding love languages and communication in relationships.

"For the gentleman involved, I'd suggest approaching this as an opportunity for open communication rather than a personal failure," he said. "In modern relationships, it's not about dismissing traditional gestures like flowers, but rather about adapting them to reflect both partners' unique needs and aspirations."

While the debate continues, many commenters agreed that the woman's blunt reaction was more concerning than her personal preference for gifts. The consensus? It's not about the flowers—it's about gratitude and respect.