Do you not receive transportation money for dates after the second one? I told a man I liked that, since we had met more than twice, I’d like to move on to an adult relationship, but he asked whether I’d be okay with him offering only a small token of appreciation… I had assumed that transportation money—an allowance, so to speak—was an unspoken understanding, but since I received 1.5 for the first meeting, I’m not really sure what he means by a “small token of appreciation.”

I’m date◎yume, a male member. I feel the same way as the gentleman who described his papa-katsu experiences so candidly. If it doesn’t lead to an adult relationship (intimate), I imagine the amount would probably be about the same as transportation costs. Since you seem to think he’s a good man, and it would still provide you with at least a little income, I’d suggest enjoying a dinner date and talking things over in person.

I’m a male member, Paper Airplane. If you’re a Type B, I think it’s perfectly fine to ask without holding back. In that case, you could say, “How do you usually handle the allowance?” I consider men who go for Type B to be the kind who expect an allowance from the start. However, since it’s different from Type C, I’d suggest asking somewhat indirectly. If you’re a Type A, I don’t think you should ask. Even among the Type A women I’ve entered relationships with, not a single one was able to name her desired amount when asked. So if the woman brings it up herself, the man may be quite disappointed. Men who go for Type A or B generally don’t want to be asked too directly about the allowance right away. If she initially offers 1.5, he may be thinking of giving roughly twice that as a small token of appreciation, and more than twice that if things progress to an adult relationship (intimate). If he really likes her, he may even want to give more. When a woman keeps asking about the allowance, though, his feelings can cool off. I think you can usually tell how generous he is during the first one or two meetings, so after that, perhaps it’s best to trust your instincts.

I’m Saito, a columnist♪ As Mac said, it’s better to ask about the exact amount. There may be going rates, but what matters most is whether you’re personally comfortable with it.

Maezawa from the Corporate Planning Office here. It sounds like the first half is about moving toward an adult relationship (intimate), while the latter half is about not moving in that direction. If you’re asking about transportation expenses for a date that won’t progress to an adult relationship, then my guess is that he gave you a little extra the first time because he hoped things would eventually develop into an adult relationship, even though it was dinner only. But if it’s going to remain dinner only, he may not be that interested and is suggesting just a small token of appreciation instead. With Relationship Type A, the man is inviting you expecting dinner, so I think you’d receive the same amount the first and second time. With Relationship Type B, if you tell him it will continue to be dinner only, then your expectations and his don’t match. Basically, he may decide there’s no need to meet again. On the other hand, if the woman says she’d like to meet, he may be happy about that and think, “I can at least treat her to dinner,” while still feeling that paying an allowance would be difficult. Since it’s unclear what he means by “a small token of appreciation,” I think you should ask him specifically how much he has in mind.