Wondering what to order on a first date?

If you have ever felt stressed about what to order on a first date, do not fear; there is survey data to guide you.

Or you need to make sure you are dining with someone in the 30{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of adults who believes a person should order whatever they want on a first date, nothing is off limits.

An online survey conducted by Harris Poll found that 70{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of adults named at least one food that should not be ordered on a first date:

Ranked by {09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of respondents who avoid ordering

With over half of respondents indicating that a first date is not a time to order food with significant garlic, it is by far the most avoided food on a first date. Although second to garlic, more than one-third of respondents thought beans should be avoided and about three in ten said no spicy food.

While most may not want to divulge personally doing this on the first date, the same survey found 56{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of adults admit to eating food that they know is expired and 50{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} have eaten food that has fallen on the ground. Younger adults (18-34 year olds) are more likely to eat food off the ground than older adults.

When it comes to ordering drinks, things can be equally treacherous, with one British survey finding that 45{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of adults wouldn’t be able to see past a bad drink order (although men report being more judgmental with 72{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} being put off entirely, while only 30{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} of women report the same response to a drink order.)

Almost a quarter remarked more than five drinks is too many, while 12{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} indicated that they would view a date who ordered a non-alcoholic drink with suspicion.

A recent survey in the United States found that wine and craft beer are the most attractive orders to dates. Wine finishes first among women with craft beer being the most attractive order for men. Wine becomes more attractive for women as they age, with almost 70{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} reporting it is most attractive for women ages 61-70, compared to 34{09f965da52dc6ab4c1643a77bd40d1f729d807040cd8db540234bb981a782222} among 21-30 year olds.

Public Opinion Strategies