After exploding in popularity in 2023, “girl dinner” has become a staple in our online lexicon. But as one restaurant tries to cash in on the trend, it is going viral for all the wrong reasons.
In short, “girl dinner” or “boy dinner” refers to a type of low-effort meal which, apparently, is quintessentially gendered. While “girl dinners” often refer to a grazing plate of light snacks like cheese and crackers, “boy dinners” tend to be a little more chaotic, like handfuls of cereal with no milk straight from the box.
But what happens when a restaurant takes this trend and tries to trick you with it?
In a TikTok that has garnered 1.6 million views, Simone Verghe (@mynamesnotsimone) shared her predicament.
The TikTok itself shows a restaurant’s menu that offered both “girl dinner” and “boy dinner.” The former consists of caviar, Caesar salad and spicy vodka pasta with a choice of a martini or champagne. The latter involves charred pepperoni with dippers, a “jumbo glizzy” (hot dog), Tall Boy and a choice of shot.
The “girl dinner” costs $25, while the “boy dinner” costs $5 less. In the TikTok, Verghe circles the two prices and adds via on-screen text that reads: “pink tax.” Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” plays in the background.
BroBible reached out to Verghe via email.
What Is The Pink Tax?
As described by the World Economic Forum, the pink tax is a way of describing products or services which are identified as being for women and are more expensive than the “male” equivalent. A common example of this is female-targeted razors costing more than razors marketed towards men. This is despite both items being functionally similar.
One U.S. government study found that personal care products for women were on average 13% more expensive than their male equivalents. Meanwhile, accessories and adult clothes were 7% and 8% more expensive, respectively.
There have been several attempts to pass a law repealing the pink tax through Congress. But so far, none have gone the distance. The most recent bill was referred to the House Committee on Energy and Commerce in May 2025. Its status has not changed since.
How Have Commenters Reacted To The ‘Girl Dinner’ Dichotomy?
Numerous commenters denied that this was an example of the pink tax. Instead, for these TikTokers, this was an example of what not to order at a restaurant based on quality difference alone.
“It isn’t pink tax,” one wrote. “They are different meals. Pink tax is when you get charged more for the same thing just cause it has a different color or something similar. These are completely different meals. One simply uses more expensive food.”
“I mean, one is beer and a hot dog, the other is champagne and caviar,” a second added.
“Honestly based on what’s served he’s paying too much and you’re paying too little,” a third remarked.
And, as a fourth put it, “Different meals and drinks so of course the prices are different.”
Similarly, a fifth said, “The food is different tax brackets, it’s not about the pink tax on this one.”
Responding to these comments, Verghe shared a video of herself and a girlfriend clinking glasses as they dived into their “girl dinner.” On-screen text read: “Funding our girl dinner w these hate comments.”