Is There An “Ideal” Time To Meet Up With A Potential Romantic Partner?
So you finally mustered up the courage to text that rad person you met at the bar last week, and to your pleasant surprise, now you’ve got a date! But here comes the hard part: figuring out when and where you should actually meet up.
If your go-to plan usually revolves around dinner (which we don’t recommend for a first date), or if you prefer a daytime rendezvous, you can probably stop reading here.
But if you’re looking to meet up in the evening (because you actually work like most regular folks!), and want to avoid coming on too strong with a dining-centric date, the timing could get a little tricky.
Everyone has to eat – which means you’ll need to meet up either before or after dinner. Neither option is inherently better, but both definitely come with their own unique set of pros and cons which could help you make a decision:
The Pre-Dinner Date (5PM – 8PM)
Pros: An earlier date will give you the option to continue the evening together if things are going well (unless, of course, your partner had already made other plans). Conversely, this timing will also give you the option of being able to salvage the rest of your night if things don’t work out.
Cons: Ending an early date can get awkward. There’s nothing less suave than squeaking, “Welp… I’ve got some leftovers in the fridge I need to get home to…” while slowly backpedaling out of the bar. Instead, it might be helpful to let your date know beforehand that you have to be somewhere at a certain time, reminding towards the end, “Hey, it’s almost 8PM – after this drink, I’ll have to get going”.
The Post-Dinner Date (8PM – 11PM)
Pros: A later date increases your chances of hooking up. I’m not suggesting that sleeping with someone on the first date is a good idea, but if you’re both looking for some short-term fun, a post-dinner date is way more conducive to heading back to an apartment for a nightcap. The witching hours will even better set the mood for a sweet little make-out on the street.
Cons: Setting a later date can send a pretty clear message that you’re not looking for much more than sex. Of course, if you’re both working late, it might just make the most sense – but some might find this approach to be a little bit too presumptuous.
Bottom Line
In the end, you can’t really go too wrong with either approach. But generally speaking, if you have any doubts, keep things lighter by opting for an earlier date and setting limits on time. If you hit it off, you can always break your “dinner plans” on the fly, or plan to meet up another night. Or, should you know you’re looking to accelerate things amidst a more romantic setting, schedule the later date. Just remember, this is a high-class dilemma – the fact that this person wants to go out with you in the first place means that you’ve already overcome the hardest part!
