There’s a reason so many dating advice articles suggest, “Don’t eat on a first date, just go for coffee or a drink.” It’s because eating and dating can be hella awkward.
There’s just so much to keep in mind. This avocado hummus sounds delicious, but will I regret this menu choice at the end of the night when I want to kiss this person? Is my date going to judge me if I order an entire rack of ribs for myself? Oh god, I’m covered in rib sauce, now what? Does anyone have a Tide to Go Pen? Anyone? Bueller?
(BTW, eating ribs in front of someone should only be reserved for people who have already seen you at your best and your worst – not a random hot person you just matched with online last week.)
But according to Science, dating success is less about what you order, but, rather, your overall manners. As someone who once went on a date with a man who used their thumb to shovel food onto their fork (cue: look of horror), I can say there’s something particularly disturbing about an adult with bad table manners. Apparently I’m not the only one.
Web-based food delivery service Yelp Eat24 recently conducted a study which looked into men and women’s eating habits and how they related to dating and one-night stands.
According to their research, how you eat your food on a first date can make a big difference as to whether or not your date will want to see you again. In fact, according to the survey, 23 percent of men and 20 percent of women have actually turned a date down for having bad eating habits, such as chewing too loudly or chewing with their mouths open.
However, before you begin to panic (do I chew loudly? Was my mouth open while I was chowing down on that second rack of ribs?) here’s something to keep in mind: while one in five people are acutely aware of their date’s table manners, there are still 77-80 percent of people who wouldn’t turn down another date with someone if they chewed loudly or with their mouth open. (Sidebar: I cannot relate to these people.)
However, if you’re in summer fling mode, how and what you order does seem to matter. According to Yelp Eat24’s research, 46 percent of singles surveyed said that someone’s taste in cuisine can play a part in how appealing they are. Also, while most people believe it’s alright to eat with a one-night stand, more than a third think that this can only be takeout/delivery. Interestingly enough, women are more likely than men to say that eating with a one-night fling is an absolute no-no.
As a single woman, this makes sense. While food is definitely welcome after an amazing date or a scorching hook-up, sometimes I don’t want to kill the romance by opening myself up to the possibility of seeing what we look like while stuffing our faces with Jimmy Johns. Plus, there’s something especially delicious about going home and indulging in some ice cream on your sofa solo while you reminisce about the awesome night you just had. With that said, I’ll rarely say no if a date offers to feed me.
If you’re going to eat with your fling, your best bet is pizza, according to Yelp Eat24. Three quarters of Americans name it as the perfect food for the situation with tacos coming in a distant second. Ice cream, pasta and sushi also ranked highly as being attractive culinary interests.
So, what can we learn from this data? Well, a few things.
Even though the majority of people say they wouldn’t refuse a second date with someone with less than stellar table manners, this stuff still matters. In other words, why chance it? If you’re eating with someone else, make sure you bring your best manners to the table. Chew slowly with your mouth closed and for the love of carbs, use proper utensils.
Secondly, don’t be afraid to be true to yourself and your culinary leanings. As the survey results demonstrate, your taste in food matters. If you’re the kind of person that prefers rich, spicy flavors, like a decadent coconut curry or flaming hot habanero salsa over grabbing Shake Shack, don’t be afraid to own it. The inverse is also true.
Lastly, you can’t go wrong with pizza. Forever and always.
