How much do the restaurants you go to usually cost? I’m not a big fan of places that are too expensive—not so much because of the price, but because I don’t feel comfortable there.

I’m Tetsu, a male member. It usually comes to around ¥20,000. But since that’s simply the result of eating whatever we feel like, the amount varies. If we’re having tsukemen, it’ll be no more than about ¥3,000, while sometimes we’ll spend around ¥50,000 on two meals—lunch and dinner—if we travel somewhere to eat. The woman’s rank doesn’t matter. If she loves food and I can really feel her enthusiasm, I’ll make more of an effort too. But if she isn’t particularly interested in food, I don’t worry about it as much either. That’s generally my approach.

I’m Imai, the chief at Universe Club’s Tokyo main office. I’ll answer from a staff member’s perspective. Women who say, “This is my first time doing something like this!” often seem to imagine having dinner at a glamorous upscale restaurant—somewhere that costs around ¥10,000–¥20,000 per person, perhaps. A date with no real sense of occasion, like just grabbing tea and then negotiating the allowance, seems to leave them feeling disappointed. Women with more experience in this kind of arrangement may not care as much about the restaurant or the meal itself. In fact, during a recent interview, one woman said, “It doesn’t have to be somewhere expensive or formal— even a ramen shop is fine! Haha.” Of course, you could simply say that the best approach is to take her somewhere she’ll enjoy, regardless of her class or dating type… But compared with vaguely asking, “Where would you like to go?”, I find it smart and thoughtful when a man chooses about three options and lets the woman pick one. Saki Imai

I’m Taro, a male member. For me, it’s usually around ¥15,000–¥20,000 for two people. This year, the most I’ve spent was just under ¥40,000, while there have also been times when it was under ¥10,000. I don’t like anything too formal either, so I don’t go to fancy restaurants. I usually choose places that feel suitable for a regular date. I don’t change the amount based on class, but when I took a standard-class girl for steak on our first meeting and the bill came to just under ¥40,000, that thought briefly crossed my mind. I guess being shown women divided into classes creates that kind of illusion. But what matters is your own assessment, not the club’s categories—and the women themselves don’t even know about them. So try not to get caught up in that illusion.

I’m Flag Maker, a column writer. For me, it’s usually under ¥20,000 for the two of us. Our most recent date was a sake bar followed by a late-night parfait, so I think it came to under ¥20,000. I’m still in my 30s, so I feel places like late-night parfait spots—where people might see us—are still just about okay. But depending on the age gap, I’m starting to feel like I may be reaching my limit.

I’m Paper Airplane, a male member whose choice of restaurants has changed since COVID. I completely understand not being particularly fond of very expensive places. The reasons may be different, though… I also understand that it depends on the woman, but rather than focusing only on the price, I think it’s better to take her somewhere she’ll genuinely enjoy. For a woman who doesn’t go on many dates, it might be French cuisine. But if she’s regularly taken to French restaurants, she may often choose soba or other noodles, rice bowls, fried food, savory flour-based dishes, meat, and so on. (Even on the first date, being able to choose places like that can feel refreshingly different.) Since COVID, partly as a way of supporting local businesses, I’ve been taking women to restaurants I regularly visit or consider my personal favorites—places that aren’t necessarily luxurious, but serve exceptionally delicious food that’s likely to impress—rather than always choosing somewhere new. Of course, I also make sure I have some memorable noodle, rice-bowl, or flour-based options in mind so I can make a quick choice when needed. Rather than focusing on the price, I think women are much more likely to be delighted—perhaps even pleasantly surprised—if you regularly research and explore restaurants where you can confidently treat and entertain your date. Just as you may feel that something being expensive doesn’t necessarily make it especially delicious when you consider the price (which is only natural, perhaps), I’m sure women feel the same way deep down. However, the fact that you asked this question suggests you may lack confidence. So if you’re not particularly interested in exploring restaurants—or don’t have much confidence in your knowledge of food and your palate—it would probably be safest to choose somewhere moderately priced. P.S. One reason I don’t always make reservations for a specific restaurant or set course is that with a course meal, I’m the one choosing what we eat, so we tend to have the same predictable reaction: she can only respond by saying how delicious it is and expressing her enjoyment. But when she chooses the restaurant she wants to visit that day and then picks her favorite à la carte dishes, she sometimes reacts with, “What? Really? You’re that happy?”—becoming genuinely moved even by ordinary dishes she probably eats regularly, rather than anything particularly special. (Maybe you notice the difference more with a single dish you eat often? Perhaps nothing beats eating what you truly love.)

I’m Kazu, a male member. The idea that meal expenses change depending on a woman’s membership class is pretty hilarious (LOL). That’s the funniest thing I’ve heard all day. Are you perhaps someone who decides the allowance based on a woman’s membership class? I’d never really paid attention to restaurant bills, so I checked. Lunch was around ¥6,000–¥10,000 per person, and dinner was about ¥6,000–¥15,000 per person. Of course, the bill has nothing to do with the woman’s membership class. The more expensive options were yakiniku, French, and Japanese cuisine. I checked my reservation history, so this doesn’t include the cost of any alcohol ordered at the restaurant. For a first date, I look at the woman’s profile, choose a cuisine she likes, and make a reservation at a private-room restaurant that I personally think is good. With women I’m already comfortable with, we either order room service or go to a restaurant depending on how the conversation goes. Come to think of it, one woman I’m comfortable with said she wanted to try a ramen shop, so our next lunch may cost as little as ¥1,000 per person. That’s what I thought, anyway—but one of the women I have a monthly arrangement with asked me to help because she was short on money. When I forced myself to make time to meet her, the cheapest thing ended up being a ¥1,000 snack from the hotel minibar.

I’m だて◎ゆめ, a male member. I’m shy, so rather than focusing on the food itself, I usually choose a private room and keep it to around ¥10,000 per person（笑）. The food is delicious, so I eat a lot, but the women sometimes leave some because they’re probably dieting. I’m not entirely sure, but I don’t think there’s a set price for each rank. I think you should simply go wherever you want and eat whatever you feel like.