This has been said by many but I think the viewpoint why is usually leaning a little misogynistic. With men often claiming or implying that women are just extracting resources purposely. I think that's pretty rare these days. That said they are still typically a waste of money.

Dinner dates became a convention for the same reason a lot of other things did. It was yet another way to signal your ability and willingness to provide. Unfortunately they just don't fit with the modern environment as well as they used to.

I promise most modern women do not need your dinner nor will they really appreciate it. It doesn't make you special and doesn't impress her. Many are uncomfortable eating what they'd like in front of you anyhow. Everyone is aware of the social arguments surrounding this issue and it just creates a whole lot of uncertainty. She most likely just wants to get to know you without being seen as a user if she doesn't like you.

Most of all they are just boring.

What to do instead:

Assuming you don't have some creative cool idea, your own style or a particular thing in common to base a date on and you need something kind of generic here's a basic idea;

Meet at a novelty type store or art gallery or some other thing in a downtown area, walk and do or see a few things. Window shop and let things flow. It makes it easy to fit in multiple venues. It can turn into dinner or drinks if you feel like it, or practically anything really there are a million things to check out and do and you can make it fun, something will stir your interest or hers and there's lots of conversation starters.

HERE'S THE REAL DINNER KICKER:

You can get the same psychological effect as buying dinner was supposed to have by grabbing sodas or coffees for your walk but while you're at it grab some sort of pieced out finger food ( fries, cinnamon bites, something like that) for just yourself, eat some, then offer her some.

Anyone who's ever had a girlfriend has had the experience of going to a drive through and having her order hardly anything, then eating half your stuff ( can I have a bite).

Think about why this happens, think about why she's illogically offended if you get pissy about it or even jokingly tell her she should have ordered her own. She feels rejected. What she's looking for is kind of a pack animal mentality validation and acceptance.......I'm the big dog, I acquire, I eat first, but your special, I'll share what's MINE with you.

I've had multiple women admit in their own words to what amounts to a fleeting but somewhat intense little dopamine boost because I shared few french fries. You don't even get the effect if you know ahead of time and order two of something, in fact this actually disappoints most of them. Doesn't matter if she's stuffed or has the same thing, she still wants just a tiny little taste of something that's yours. It's been so prominent for me I've driven a few miles and pulled back in another place and had to explain that I ordered for me but you refused then took half of mine, I'm still hungry.