(Last Updated on June 3, 2019 by Datezie Editors)
Let’s get the point: modern dating is hella confusing. Who makes the first move? When do you sleep together? Who pays? How do you DTR — and um, when? Though love is a ritual people have moved mountains over since the dawn of time, as technology changes the course of liking, dating and mating, it’s normal to have more questions than answers when you’re in the trenches. Dating.com understands this and decided to do something about it by polling 10,000 men and women about one important, puzzling inquiry:
How the f*** do you plan a first date, mate?
From who brings up the ‘we should probably take this offline’ conversation to where to go and more, here’s what survey said:
Women are more likely to get things rolling.
Ask any wife or mother and they’ll probably claim to be the master organizer of the household, keeping all parts running smoothly and (semi) happily. From the very beginning of what could be a promising somethin’ somethin’, women move the process along. In their survey, 56 percent of women said they were assertive and upfront about meeting in person, and 40 percent suggested a video call to make sure they weren’t getting catfished — or wasting their precious time. And of that number, it took 72 percent two weeks to decide it was time to meet face-to-face.
Men still pick the first date spot.
Even if the ladies are stepping up to the plate to sign-off dates and dial into a drink, it’s the dudes who are tasked with figuring out where they’ll go. In fact, 75 percent of men select a bar, a restaurant, an activity or whatever else bubbles up in the banter. So even if chivalry feels sort-of-dead sometimes, the guys are still getting creative with wooing women.
Men and women want different first dates.
Nah, you probably can’t board a rocketship to Venus or Mars on date number one, but the sexes are nearly a galaxy away in terms of what they envision for a first date. Of those polled, women prefer a weekend lunch, a weekday happy hour, dancing/concert vibes and fine dining. However, men want to keep things casual with a drink at a watering hole, a picnic at the beach or park, or have a unique experience like a cooking class. Though these might not always pair side-by-side, finding a common ground might be combining a quick drink with a quick brunch and hoping for the best.
