That's ok.
The guy who wrote this article is clueless like the rest of the media out there that promotes AFC behaviour.
Just take a look at another article he wrote:
http://hub.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050803/LIFE/508030317&SearchID=73219141633694
In retrospect, Zach should have said: "You owe nothing." He should have ignored the fact that he is a student and has thousands in loans while she works and probably has a good salary. He should have pretended the $100 check wasn't going to seriously affect the amount of food and beer he'd consume for the next month.
He should have smiled, put down his credit card and prayed that it cleared.
Instead, Zach accepted $30 toward a $100 dinner bill.
WRONG. Zack first mistake was taking her on a first date to a boring dinner. No rapport, not being C0cky or funny and no kino, no action = nothing. First date should be fun, Zack failed in making it fun.
His date rejected Zack from the get go, that is why she wanted to pay her share so she wouldn't want to feel like she owes him something.
And another thing who takes a girl out to $100 dinner when you are strapped for cash? You take her to a comedy club/mini golf and some ice cream later and you spend no more then $25-30 and it will be more fun for everyone involved, alot cheaper and if you have a good game, you will get a second date and some ass.
Here is a really good advice on first date written by MindoverMatter
http://www.sosuave.net/forum/showthread.php?threadid=77509&highlight=first+date
Welcome to the ritual of first date paying: (1) Bill comes. (2) He picks it up. (3) She offers to pay. (4) Slight awkwardness ensues. (5) He wonders if she wants to pay because she isn't into him and is trying to make the meal seem less datelike. (6) He refuses and pays.
For the children of feminism, the issue of first-date paying is reflective of larger, conflicting societal pressures: On one hand, both sexes, by and large, want women to be equals.
For better or for worse, it's just the nature of a confusing dating world. We're in a transitional period in male-female relations. Eventually the rules will be clearer, but for now women offer and men pay (except if a woman asks a guy out, but that doesn't happen nearly often enough).
You are confused because you have accepted our pussified supplicating clueless culture. A good article written By Allen Thompson.
http://www.sosuave.com/articles/check.htm
Blame it on society. Blame it on tradition. Blame it on women who aren't so quick to get rid of the one vestige of a sexist society that actually is good for them - free meals.
I blame clueless men and men like you who give other men bad advice that have accepted this situation and reality.