19 People Share Their Best Advice On Things You Should Never Do On A First Date
"Don't make it a dinner date."
First dates can go off the rails fast, especially when two people are trying to make a good impression and avoid the usual awkward mistakes.
In this Reddit thread, people shared the things they think should never happen on a first date, from bad manners and oversharing to bizarre behavior that can kill the mood in seconds. The answers are blunt, funny, and very relatable for anyone who has ever sat through a date that was clearly going nowhere.
Some of these warnings are obvious, while others are the kind of lessons people only learn the hard way. Read on.
First dates are always difficult.
FOXSometimes it ends up amazing, but other times...
NBCSo, here is the list of "What should you NEVER do on a first date?"
Netflix
That question brought out plenty of strong opinions.
1. "Be on your phone the whole time."
Netflix
2. "Discuss an ex."
"In my experience, it’s a big red flag that they’re not over someone or are carrying that baggage. And I mean, everyone has baggage — it’s normal.
But a first date should be about exploring each other and determining whether you like the person, are attracted to them, and want to continue getting to know them." — u/meowowomeow.
NBC
3. "Show up wasted."
— u/omgbbqpork.
The CW
Some people clearly learned these lessons the hard way.
4. "If you know the person you’re dating is divorced, don’t ask about it on the first date."
"[It's] not a fun topic for them to discuss. You’ll learn about it eventually if you end up going on more dates." — u/ChalkDstTorture.
NBC / Courtesy Everett Collection
5. "Please do not be like that guy."
"[I] once had a guy grab some of my food off my plate with his bare hands. He was trying to do a cutesy sharing food thing, but it was a poached egg.
He grabbed a poached egg with his bare hands right off my plate." — u/bubblebubbeleh.
Pop / CBC
6. "Speaking as a woman who dates men: Getting offended if she doesn't want you to pick her up or drive her home. Offering is fine, but don't push."
— u/catmos.
The WB
Things got awkward fast after that one.
It also reminded me of the etiquette expert who insisted on separate bills after rude date behavior.
Etiquette Expert Shares: Why I Insisted on Separate Bills After My Dates Rude Behavior7. "Propose."
CBS
8. "Ask, 'What's your fetish?' It might sound okay, but believe me, it doesn't work!"
Disney
9. "Go to the movies."
"I think it should be reserved for people in relationships. If you go to the movies on the first date, you’ll waste two hours watching something, and you won't be able to talk and get to know each other." — u/YogurtSocks.
Freeform
10. "Try too hard to impress them."
"Try to find out about the other person instead. Interest is sexy; bragging is not." — u/Red_Fae_88.
FOX
11. "Don’t dump out every single unappealing thing about your life on a first date."
"There is plenty of time to get to know someone and plenty of time to be honest about those things — but a first date isn’t the time for it." — u/cebogs.
The CW
Not everyone in the thread was subtle about it.
12. "Be late."
I know it’s such a boomer thing to say, and I never care about punctuality in any other context, but for a first date specifically, every minute I’m waiting is a minute my insecure self is wondering if I’ve been stood up." — u/endgame00.
Disney
13. "You really shouldn’t be rude to service staff on any date, or even on non-dates."
Pop / CBC
14. "Don't make it a dinner date. If it goes badly, you're not going to want to be stuck there with them. Instead, make it a beverage date."
— u/Bebe_Bleau.
Disney
15. "Complain or rant about people you know — it always makes you come off as an ass. Just keep things positive."
Netflix
16. "Expect sex. Getting dinner together doesn't entitle you to sex with someone, even if the date goes well!"
The CW
By this point, the list was getting very specific.
17. "Go to a super expensive restaurant."
— u/gachunt.
Netflix
18. "Chew with your mouth open or talk with food in your mouth. Nobody wants to be nicknamed ‘Chewy’ — unless you’re Chewbacca."
— u/SpacerCat.
Netflix
19. "Recite the entire Bee Movie script. This is from personal experience."
— u/sniffles38.
YouTube
Hopefully, this post might help someone and point out some random mistakes. So, do you have any useful advice to expand this list?
If you do, please share it with us and help the singles out there. They will surely appreciate it, and every piece of advice is welcome in the search for true love.
Some dates fail for ordinary reasons, and some fail because someone starts reciting movie scripts.
Want more first-date fallout, read about the AITA dinner disaster after refusing to let their date choose the restaurant.
Disastrous Dinner Date: AITA for refusing to let my date choose the restaurant?
