“Joked About Kidnapping Me”: 111 First Date Horror Stories That Might Make You Consider Living In A Convent

Gone are the days when first dates involved donning your best outfit and heading off to a fancy restaurant. According to a recent survey, 70% of singles in the United States say they would be open to having their first date at a fast-food restaurant.

Chick-fil-A emerged as the top first-date pick when it comes to casual dining, with 1 in 5 of the 1,500 singles polled giving it the nod. Raising Cane’s and In-N-Out Burger tied for second, while Culver’s and Pizza Hut also made it into the top five.

The Dating.com survey also found that 52% of surveyed singles prioritize vibes over cost when it comes to planning first dates.

"First date expectations are shifting, and singles no longer see price as the primary indicator of a good date," notes the site. "A slim majority of singles think a successful date is more about having a good time than being wined and dined."

A separate study, conducted by Daisi Brand and colleagues from the University of Georgia, reveals that the location of first dates doesn't play too much of a role in whether the date is a success or a failure.

"They found that unappealing spaces could foster just as much closeness as inviting ones," reports the British Psychological Society (BPS).

In order to come to that conclusion, the researchers organised 201 undergraduate students into pairs who then took part in a 45-minute conversation task. They had to answer a list of personal questions that were designed to encourage self-disclosure, intimacy, and closeness.

"Half held this conversation in an 'appealing' room featuring warm lighting, art, plants, and a lavender scent, while the other half sat in a cramped office space with harsh lighting and clutter," explains BPS.

The participants were later separated and asked to rate their experience. They were also given time to swap contact details if they so wished. A month later, the researchers followed up with another survey to see which "couples" had maintained contact and how much they still wanted to see each other.

"Around 75% of participants failed to swap contact information — and, at the 30 day follow-up, only 19% had been in contact and only 13% had interacted in person," reports BPS. "Even fewer had developed a friendship or romantic relationship with their conversational partner (8%), though 43% expressed a desire to get closer."

Interestingly, the results of the initial survey were similar regardless of the feel of the room. "Being in an appealing space didn't affect initial enjoyment, feelings of closeness, romantic interest, or desire to keep in touch compared to the unappealing space," BPS reported.

However, the follow-up survey found that almost twice as many participants from the appealing room said they wanted to get closer to their partner than those from the unappealing room. And more of those from the unpleasant room reported not wanting to get closer after the experience.

"The findings suggest that while surroundings do matter, the quality of interactions and chemistry between people may be a more significant driver, and that open conversations can foster intimacy even in non-ideal settings," the site notes, adding that it's probably still wise to choose a pleasant location for a first date.

A Top10.com survey found that more than 65% of people felt voted a restaurant as their ideal first date location. Movies and live entertainment took second place, while watching a sports event, hoing to a bar, and chilling at home ranked much lower on the list.

It seems that many people prepare a back-up plan in the event their date is a flop. 60% of those polled by Top10 said they used the "call a friend" method to escape a bad date and duck out early.

"This percentage shrinks the older people get," reports the Love Strategies site. "And around 47% of older folks will not leave a date early no matter how bad it is—total troopers."

As we know, conversation is important on a first date and a Plenty of Fish study found that 74% of people rank good conversation as more important than looks. When it comes to what not to talk about, past relationships and exes top the list.