If you’re currently single the tips below, from Dinner Date UK success stories, should help you strengthen your dating game.
Music – whether you and your date are driving together to a restaurant or enjoying a home cooked meal in the comfort of your home, making a music playlist for your date will not only set the scene but will also give your date an idea of your taste and interests. Remember that a first date is more about talking and getting to know someone, so pick songs that are pleasant, warm and that don’t distract from the conversation.
Food for thought! Order or prepare a dish that is less likely to spill or splash on you. Opt for a steak rather than chicken on the bone or penne instead of spaghetti. Having to concentrate less on how you are eating and where the food will end up, will make for a more relaxed and enjoyable atmosphere.
Hold back on the alcohol – if your date enjoys a drink, a nice glass of wine may be a great ice-breaker, but don’t whip out the shot glasses. You want your date to remember the experience and not wake up the next morning with a blurry recollection of you or the night’s events.
Prepare for awkward silences with a list of casual questions or conversation topics lined up in case the conversation falters. Stick to general subjects such as music, food or travel and try and avoid serious topics such as salaries, past relationships or family dynamics. It is your first date, after all, so keep it light!
Have a ‘just in case’ exit strategy in place and if the date isn’t going as well as you had hoped don’t be afraid to execute your strategy. Whether you decide to go with an almost honest “I have an early morning meeting”, the scare tactic, “Where is this going as my maternal clock is ticking” or the all-out white lie “I have a family/work emergency that I need to rush off to” strategy, try and go with something you feel completely comfortable with executing and won’t hurt your date’s feelings.
To find out how a host of dishy guys and girls experience the awkwardness of a culinary blind date, grab a glass of wine and some popcorn before tuning in to watch Dinner Date UK Season 8, which starts this Sunday, 10 June at 20:00 on BBC Lifestyle.
