5 Reasons To Do Dinner Dates

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.