For Lauren Crouch, there is no such thing as a bad date. She sees them as an opportunity to tell a good story. And that’s certainly what she got when her love interest, stung by rejection, asked her for a £3.50 drink refund.

After Lauren, 28, matched with the mystery man on dating app Tinder, they met for a coffee in Upper Street on Wednesday. Afterwards, he messaged her asking to meet up again.

But with Lauren, of Canonbury, not feeling the spark, she politely declined. At that point, he responded by asking for a refund for the £3.50 coffee he bought her.

Lauren immediately shared her experience on her dating blog, which went viral. She has since been contacted by people from as far as Australia.

Recalling the date, the digital content manager told the Gazette: “We met at Highbury & Islington Station. He said he wanted to go for coffee, and I said knew a really nice independent shop. But he wanted to go to Costa as it ‘saved us crossing the road’.

“I wouldn’t say the date went bad. He was nice, intelligent, well educated. We just didn’t have that chemistry. Something jarred and it just didn’t feel right. And then he asked me to go back to his place for dinner.

“I declined and didn’t actually think too much of it. Some people are naïve and think there’s nothing wrong with inviting a total stranger over for dinner.

“Then I got the message. What made me angry was that he thought it a waste of money because he didn’t get his own way. It was only a coffee. I would have got him one back. I have been rejected having bought dates drinks. It just happens.”

Lauren suggested donating the money to charity, something he appeared to reject. “When he reacted like that, I thought: ‘You idiot. You had a chance to get some of your dignity back.’

“I’m not a commodity to be bought, sold or exchanged if you don’t get the end result.”