The story
A derivative of Dutch treat, from Dutch (“poor imitation; ersatz”), a derogatory term originally referring generically to German-speaking peoples as a whole; first attested 1914.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.
Today it means: To pay for one's own food and bills, or split the cost, when eating at a restaurant or going out for entertainment. Full definition →
A derivative of Dutch treat, from Dutch (“poor imitation; ersatz”), a derogatory term originally referring generically to German-speaking peoples as a whole; first attested 1914.
Etymology from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.