Every single girl on the London dating scene knows the feeling. You’re meeting a guy for a date during the evening, you’re hoping to go to a nice restaurant and have a tasty dinner… then he claims he’s “already eaten” and you’re stuck doing drinks instead.
I don’t know why, but men in London have this weird aversion to dinner dates. Not wanting to be a “blue pill beta”, they’ve always “already eaten” and insist on going for drinks instead… which end up more expensive than dinner.
Dinner dates get a lot of bad press, but here’s why I think they’re actually a great option.
1. Fun
Like I’ve said before, on a blind date, you kind of know in the first five minutes whether you want to see that person again. When talking online, you don’t really know someone, but as soon as you see them in the flesh and they start talking, you get an immediate sense of “hmm maybe”, or “no”, but either way you have to sit through the rest of the date. However, eating out is an enjoyable activity in it’s own right, so even if the guy’s weird the evening isn’t a complete dead loss. If I’m meeting a guy for dinner and I know immediately I’m not attracted to him, my thought process is “oh well at least there’s food”.
2. Convenient
Meeting someone for drinks after work is a bit of a logistical nightmare, because you have to grab a rushed sandwich before (meaning you skimp on your main meal of the day), then go out and spend money on expensive drinks, then by the time it’s over you’re hungry again. This is fine if you’re meeting someone you really fancy, but Tinder guys are rarely worth the effort. Dinner dates slot in nicely after work, so you can keep your weekends free for friends and fun stuff.
3. Screens out weirdos
Some guys have weird insecurities, like “I don’t like eating in front of people”, or “I get nervous on a date so I need a drink to relax”. Doing food allows me to screen out anyone I know I wouldn’t get along with.
4. Adaptable
Some say dinner on a first date is “too formal”. I disagree. Dinner is like the skater dress of dating. You can dress it down with boots, black tights and a cardigan, or dress it up with heels and a clutch. And you can slot in for a cheeky Nandos after work for a first date, or splash out for a three course meal at the top of The Shard on your three year anniversary.
5. Experimental
Pubs and coffee shops tend to be the same all over, however going for dinner dates is a great way of exploring your city, trying out new restaurants, new cuisines, and new dishes. So instead of dating just being a necessary evil to meet The One, you can also enjoy the journey there.
now i’m hungry. and i was going out to a japanese seafood & steakhouse tonight…
I’m glad I have gone through these phase of dinner dates, now my fiance and go on date nights. Our only problem being chosing where to eat lol
Ah man I envy you.
Such good reasons AND I love your blog header!!
http://sincerelybri.ca/
Thanks 🙂
I loved this post! Dinner dates are definitely the best way to get to know someone and their ways xx
So true!
Oh love this, I’ve never tried a Tinder date before, I jut don’t see the fascination! Haha great post xox
Haha- I don’t meet many new people in real life!
Loved this! It’s 8pm and now i’m hungry aha
Soph | http://www.planetwhispers.blogspot.co.uk
Haha 8pm is definitely dinner time!
Thanks for this, really helpful!
http://www.izzieslife.co.uk/2016/12/ive-realised-somethinglooking-back-on.html
Ooooh love this! I am mainly anti-dinner dates but I love your points here. #2 & #3 are especially persuasive! I never thought about those reasons before :)) Oh, and I’m here from #bloggerspromohour
Yeah #2 is the big one for me!
I agree dinner dates are my faveeeee 😍
same 🙂
“at least there’s food”
i relate to that quote on a spiritual level haha! great post!
Haha glad you like it!
I don’t understand how you could show up for a date hoping to do dinner and then be let down. Wouldn’t you already know beforehand whether dinner was on the menu? (no pun)
And wtf is a “blue pill beta?”
I mean when you’ve arranged to meet someone after work but haven’t made any concrete plans, and you’re hungry and hoping to go for food but the guy has “already eaten”.
Haha, it’s a term from these “red pill” sites, look it up!
I guess. I just can’t imagine arranging to meet someone without making concrete plans first. Like… what do you tell her you’re going to be doing, then? If I didn’t have something in mind most girls would be like, “well, get back to me once you’ve figured it out.” Unless more people than I realize do things that way…
Never for a first date, but if you do, keep it to somewhere informal. A fancy restaurant where you will spend 2 hours or more in the company of somebody you might decide you don’t like can be a nightmare. One of the best dates I ever had was at a Wagamama 🙂
Yeah don’t go anywhere too fancy, but Wagamama is perfect !