Don’t be rude. Be on time. Don’t mention the ex. We all know the common dating commandments –but they aren’t the only first date faux-pas. A new EliteSingles study of 1000 Canadian singles has revealed some surprising first date slip-ups (and the dating no-no that’s not as bad as you think)!
Five surprising first date faux-pas
- Taking pictures of your meal
Bad news for fans of the Hefe filter: taking photos of your food is a bad move. In fact, it’s enough of a no-no that Canadians see it as even worse than common dating deal-breakers like being a bad kisser!
- Getting out your selfie stick during dinner
It might be wise to forget your smartphone has a camera, as mid-date selfies are also frowned upon. Indeed, hated by one-in-four Canadian men, selfies are an even bigger first date sin than being late.
- Wearing a suit and tie
84% of Canadians like more casual dates; so much so that wearing a suit and tie is deemed as much of a first date fashion faux-pas as turning up in active wear, a fleece and/or your hiking boots. - Donning too much jewelry
Keeping it casual, nearly a third of Canadian men would deem it a deal-breaker if their date wore elaborate jewelry. Women are (slightly) less harsh – but one-in-five still think the same. - Adding your date on Facebook
You should wait before sending that friend request: nearly 20% of Canadian singles would be put off of a second date with someone who immediately added them on social media.
The dating no-no that’s not as bad as you think
- Failing to tip the wait staff (but only if your date is an English speaker)
Just 2% of English speaking Canadians would look badly on a date who didn’t tip, making it one of the most minor turn-offs there is. Of course, if you’re dating a French speaker, it’s a different story: 27% of francophones would ditch a date who didn’t tip.
Should I stay or should I go now: how to get out of a bad date
Do deal-breakers matter? Considering that 81% of Canadians surveyed would be prepared to end a date early over a deal-breaker (and that 27% have already done so), the answer is most likely yes.
So, what’s the most common way to ditch a bad date? Unlike what you see in the movies, it’s not via a faked emergency or sudden imaginary illness. Instead, 71% of Canadians would opt to simply tell the truth to their date – no matter how harsh that truth might be.
EliteSingles psychologist, Salama Marine, has these words of wisdom for anyone needing to leave a date early: ‘’you shouldn’t have to stay on an awkward date for hours with a stranger if you don’t want to. But it is important to choose your words carefully; you need to show your date that you do respect them and consider them an equal, despite not feeling romantically attracted to them. There’s no need to be unnecessarily hurtful or mean; you simply need to explain that you cannot picture yourself romantically with them and that you feel your personalities aren’t matched.’’
To discover 5 of the biggest first date dealbreakers, please see our full article on this study.
Press contact: Sophie Watson
EliteSingles Research Team
About the author: The EliteSingles Press Team
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