The Best Places To Go On First Dates According To Clover Dating App Are …

by Chaitra Ramalingegowda · April 8, 2015

A first date can make even the most confident singles into questioning and second-guess themselves. And if you’re the one who’s planning the wheres and hows of the first date, then you’ll find yourself stressing doubly more. But hey, it’s not as stressful as you might think, for clover dating app, with its informative infographic, is here to help you out.

Clover, if you recall, just recently launched its On-Demand Dating feature that lets you set up a date in two tabs. Next, Clover analyzed data collected from its 200,000 users and asked them where they would most likely go on first dates. Interestingly, chain coffee shops, restaurants, and fast casual spots abound on the list.

Image source: Google, copyright-free image under Creative Commons License

Here are the top 5 choices that were picked as the best places to go on first dates according to Clover dating app:

1. Starbucks

2. Chipotle Mexican Grill

3. Panera Bread

4. The Cheesecake Factory

5. Texas Roadhouse

Starbucks emerged the most solid choice for a first date and its popularity was supreme across age groups that were considered in the survey – 18 to 24, 25 to 34, and 35 plus. Surprisingly, bars weren’t high up on the list of potential places for a first date. Only 18 percent men and 13 percent women thought they’d go to a bar for a first date.

Apart from coffee shops, most people listed restaurants as their preferred choice. But even there, men and women differ widely in their choice. While 51% of men listed restaurants as their venue for a first date, only 31% of them opted for a coffee shop date. And for women though, the choices are pretty much the exact opposite, with 52% preferring a coffee shop over 35% of them choosing a restaurant.

Image source: Shutterstock

Clover CEO Isaac Raichyk, in a press release, said,

“We were surprised to see most people choosing to meet at coffee shops and casual restaurants for their first dates. We expected fine dining, bars, and nightclubs to rank much higher, but clearly people want to meet in a relaxed environment.”

Well, he may be surprised, but if you look at some facts, you’ll realize that this is not as surprising as all that. First off, most people are busy with their hectic work schedules and try to squeeze in a date somewhere on there. And choosing a nightclub or a fine dining restaurant for a first date is actually needs too much time and effort. If the date is a bust, you’d just end up resenting yourself about lost time and effort and not to crude, money. Second off, first dates can go either of three ways – a total bust (where you’re thinking of ways to make your escape), a huge success (you can’t wait to meet that person again and are already planning your second date), or a lukewarm affair (where you thought the person was ‘nice,’ but wouldn’t go out again).

Suggested read: 10 ways to ward off pre-first date jitters

Meeting at a casual spot like a coffee shop or some other casual spot takes the edge off of you. The setting is informal taking some of the pressure of the first date off. Plus, another added benefit of choosing a coffee place over a restaurant is that you can end a bad coffee date quickly and easily enough than a restaurant date, where, god forbid, you’d have to hear your date drone on and on about all the food allergies they have throughout the multi-course meal. Ugh!

While the infographic evinces the opinions of a few hundred thousands that were included in the survey, it’s important to note that each individual’s taste and choice play a role in where they’d go for their first date. Check out the full infographic below and tell us which among these best places to go on first dates is your favorite: