Unsurprisingly, Charlotteans on the dating scene say the number one most basic date idea is grabbing drinks.
In a recent dating survey linked in our newsletter, a whopping 76 percent of the 82 respondents said getting drinks was the most basic date idea, with 53 of those respondents specifically mentioning going to a brewery.
“It’s basic, yes, but also a solid first date option,” one 24-year-old said.
A 29-year-old woman agreed: “Hey, it works!”
While our respondents said grabbing a beer was far and away the most standard Charlotte date option, other picks that came up included going to dinner (no specific mention of a dinner spot that felt especially basic), getting ice cream at Jeni’s, and grabbing coffee.
Despite any perceived “basicness,” 62 percent of our survey respondents said grabbing drinks is still their go-to first date.
Why? People like a casual, low-pressure environment where they can hold a conversation with a drink in hand to ease their nerves.
The ability to have a conversation without shouting over music was a top priority for 28 percent of our respondents.
Location was a close second, with 26 percent ranking it as important. And 14 percent said they consider the drink choices available when deciding where to go for a date.
“I mean is ‘grabbing drinks’ basic; isn’t it all relative? You tell me, but it’s still my go-to. I’d say a movie is pretty basic. Or, ‘Hey let’s grab dinner’ is basic, too. But sometimes that’s what you need when it’s a first date. Maybe later on you can start venturing out into better ideas,” a 27-year-old guy explains.
Many survey takers agreed with this thinking when choosing their own dates.
“I like to pick a place that is in public, has TVs, and has either food or beer. A beer or glass of wine usually calms nerves, and if the date goes bad there is always a TV in the background to watch sports,” a 26-year-old male said.
A 31-year-old female said she prefers somewhere less crowded where there’s alcohol because first dates make her anxious.
“I like to pick a place we both haven’t tried so it can be a new experience for both of us. It also doesn’t hurt to go somewhere with an activity (like Pinhouse with duckpin bowling) to break up the convo,” a 28-year-old woman said.
Although they were in the minority, those against brewery dates had some interesting justifications for why grabbing a beer doesn’t cut it.
“If you want an exciting relationship in the future then start with something exciting,” one 28-year-old woman said. “Charlotte has so much to offer. Go to the driving range, axe throwing, paddleboarding at the Whitewater Center, so many plays and shows are offered in Uptown, Segway tour, comedy bus, Science on the Rocks, wine and paint class, literally anything other than just simple dinner and drinks.”
Another 28-year-old woman said something very similar.
“What are we going to have fun doing? I love my life and enjoy staying active. If I’m going to sacrifice a night of my week to meet you, I’m still going to be doing whatever I enjoy or trying something new,” she said. “I will not waste the night just staring across the table at your unfamiliar face and asking questions about your hobbies that we’re not currently doing, your taste in music that we’re not currently listening to, your favorite sport that we’re not currently playing.”
No matter where you go, the pressure is on to make the first date a good one, because only 54 percent of respondents said they would “maybe” go on a second date if the first one is mediocre.
A meager 22 percent said they would try again if things were iffy, and 24 percent said they were a flat no on giving things a second shot after a mediocre first date. Tough crowd.
Looking for more Agenda dating coverage? Here’s a few of our guides on cost of dating, cheap dates, wedding venues, romantic restaurants, coolest date ideas and our blind date series.
