By Zach Wittstruck, Guest Writer
The experience of a first date is nerve wracking for some and a welcome challenge for others, but it almost always comes down to analyzing every decision for the date.
In a survey conducted by the app company Wist, such decisions are broken down for those of us who want, need or just casually care about the outcome of such occasions.
After you’ve worked up the courage, and no doubt prepared yourself for success, it’s time to ask that special guy or gal on a date. The only choice left is to decide where to invite them.
Guys, if you’re willing to brave putting your kitchen skills to the test and join the 22 percent who would readily do the same, be prepared to do your homework, especially if your confidence isn’t “Top Chef” material.
The Wist survey found that 38 percent of women would welcome this gesture, but another 32 percent preferred a fun and casual restaurant instead.
If those odds aren’t appealing, however, ladies, you should know that 43 percent of guys would be happy to go to a casual and fun restaurant and save showing off their cooking skills for later dates.
Now that you’ve chosen the perfect place for your date, it’s time to choose what to order.
Whether it’s happy hour or not, the drink you choose on a first date could not only be a sweet deal, but a deal breaker as well.
Guys, if you find yourself surprised when your date orders and shoots back a shot to celebrate your romantic occasion, you would find you’re in good company with the 99 percent of men who prefer their date resist the urge to pound a shooter or two on the first get together.
Ideally, if she looks at the wine list intently and orders from there, regardless of how expensive it may be, it pays off for the boost of attractiveness level.
Thirty-five percent of men stated that their ‘dream woman’ would order wine, and another 26 percent said they’d find a specialty cocktail a welcome addition to the table as well.
So what does this mean for the specially priced beer on the tap? It means there is more to go around for those women who are in the 18 percent.
Ladies, if the date across from you decides on anything but a well drink like a classic rum and coke or a cold beer, you can proudly count yourself unique in thinking they are still in the desirable 63 percent.
Most women prefer their star of the night to steer clear of the colorful world of twisty straws and fruit filled drinks on the first date.
So gentlemen, please indulge them by not getting anything too bright and colorful, regardless of how convincing the other 12 percent of guys may be.
Though you may enjoy the challenge of snatching up and eating the cherry at the bottom of the glass, the first date is not the time or place for such endeavors.
Since you’ve chosen the lucky place and have aced your drink menu quiz, it’s time to pay the check. Guys, if old fashioned habits are your thing, you’re like the 57 percent who reach for that bill without so much as a second thought.
But it’s important to note that only 36 percent of women expect such chivalrous action of you and that another 31 percent of women would evenly split the bill.
So if you went into the date ill prepared with a light wallet, which 100 percent of people of both genders highly recommend not doing, then feel free to roll the dice on splitting the bill.
After all, you’ve nailed both the choice of setting and your drinks, which made you look like a champion, so you should have some momentum going for you anyway.
That being said, we are living in a new age and both men and women who took the survey scored in the 20 percent range in believing the bill is the responsibility of the one who initiated the date.
Thus, if you find yourself within this group, the decision of who should fork over the money should be the most cut and dry choice of the night.
Regardless though, be sure to leave a classy and appropriate tip for the server. We are still civilized after all.
Thanks to the surveyors at the Wist company and its dating app, all of this information is here to help people with first dates and aim at guiding them to a second one.
If you need more statistics before jumping into a first date, then the people at Wist and yours truly, are here for you. Good luck and most importantly, have fun.
The Mast does not endorse gender roles, heteronormativity or irresponsible/underage alcohol consumption. The suggestions in this article are intended to inform and entertain, and should not be taken as rules.
