If you’re burnt out following all of the #covfefe memes, Twitter has a new hilarious – and dare I say, informative – hashtag to follow. Enter – #BadFirstDateLocations.
Since the beginning of the month, people have been sharing their worst first date locations and the results are both cringe-worthy and laugh out loud funny.
While there’s always the pressure to break from the usual coffee or dinner/drinks date, #BadFirstDateLocations is a reminder of what happens when thinking outside the box goes horribly wrong.
(Plus, according to recent research from online dating app Hinge, the cliche dinner and a movie actually stands up. According to their numbers, 64 percent of people in San Francisco, as well as 59 percent in D.C. and 79 percent in New York thought a movie was a successful first date. In addition, a 2015 study conducted by mobile dating app Clover found that women prefer going for coffee whereas men lean toward dinner at a restaurant as a first date outing.)
While some of the #BadFirstDateLocations are hilariously outlandish and we hope wouldn’t materialize in real life (i.e. “Bill Cosby’s house” or “behind a wall of glass in the prison visiting room”), some of them hit close enough to home that they’re worth a mention – if only to remind us of which date locations we should permanently cross off our list.
Here are a few places you should never go on your first date.
Some of you are probably thinking, “What’s wrong with going to their house for the first date?” Well, many things. If you just met this person online, they are essentially a stranger. It doesn’t matter if they say they’re going to cook you dinner or “literally Netflix and chill” – you don’t know this person or what their true intentions are. That’s why all first dates should be somewhere public, so you can leave if you feel like the vibe is off. Even if you’re just looking to hook-up, meet them in person first (even if it’s for a drink) to suss them out and to make sure you feel safe. If your date insists that you come to their house (or that they come over to yours) instead of meeting them in a public place – run.
2. Trump Rally
I can’t think of anywhere less romantic than a first date that takes place amongst throngs of people in red baseball caps chanting “Make America great again!” But really, any kind of political rally doesn’t exactly make for a good first date location (unless of course, you bonded online over your shared political values and love of large crowds). Rallies are crowded, noisy and can sometimes even turn aggressive or violent. Besides, politics can be really divisive. Don’t ever assume that someone shares your politics or values until you’ve had a chance to get to know them.
3. Walmart Parking Lot – or Any Parking Lot
Twitter user Brizen C. is onto something here. The parking lot date fails on all categories, from safety and originality, to “un-lameness” and “not feeling like we’re in high school.” Sure, it’s easy and you can bring your own food and beverages (especially if you’re parked outside of a Walmart,) but as a first date, it’s just the worst. Even the most generic date ever (grabbing coffee at a Starbucks) would be a 100 times better than suggesting someone meet you in a parking lot. Any parking lot.
“I want to spend time in a dark, scary place with someone I just met off the internet” said no one ever. Especially if you’re a woman, going to a haunted house with someone you just met sounds like a recipe for disaster/a lot of covert, unwanted groping. Instead, go somewhere you can actually talk without the fear of fake ghosts and goblins jumping out of the woodwork.
5. McDonalds
Even if you’re both huge Filet o’ Fish enthusiasts, here’s a situation where you might just want to try a little harder. While it’s sometimes hard to resist a McCraving, do you really want your first date to be somewhere with greasy plastic seats? Instead, ask your date where they want to go (maybe they’re more of a Chipotle kind of guy/girl), grab some food to go and head to a local park or beach for a casual picnic.
6. An Event Where They Will Literally Meet Every One of Your Family Members all at Once
While it may seem romantic to invite your date to be your guest at a wedding or family reunion (hey, they can get the whole “meet the family” thing over in one big sweep!) – just don’t do it. Not only is this kind of thing too much, too soon for most people, bringing someone to an event where you’re going to be pulled in a bunch of different directions (Parents! Cousins! Your nosy Aunt Gladys! That weird dude you kinda-sorta knew in high school!) means you probably won’t be able to focus on what’s important: getting to know each other without a million other distractions.
7. Anywhere You Can’t REALLY Afford to Go
Twitter user John Stuart knows what’s up. Unless you want to spend the whole night with sweaty palms, worrying about how you’re going to pay for dinner and drinks, plan a date somewhere that’s actually in your budget so you don’t have to choose between feeding your date beef carpaccio and making your car payment.
