As a girl who’s been on her fair share of (successful and utterly disastrous) dates, I’ve come to a rather insightful realization. A simple coffee date is the most perfect first date idea!
Listen, first dates aren’t supposed to be about grand romance. If we’re being honest, they’re sort of like a job interview to examine who deserves a second date and who needs to go.
After scouring through a bunch of loud pubs, dive bars, movie nights, and whatnot, it’s become apparent that if you really want to get to know someone, a coffee shop is the way to go!
The first time you meet a person is your chance to leave a great first impression. Doing that over a glass of wine (or three) is great – until you get too tipsy and realize you’ve totally overshared!
A lot of people I know resort to online dating and dating apps such as Bumble as a way to weed out real-life awkwardness, inquisitive baristas, and people watching your every move.
But opting for a cup of coffee at Starbucks, ordering your favorite latte, and enjoying the casual day vibe is a low-risk option that everyone needs to try!
Here are all the reasons why I strongly believe you should give this a go ASAP.
See also: How To Make Him Realize He’s Using You? 10 Ways To Success
Why Should You Have Your First Date Over A Cup Of Coffee?
1. It’s the most affordable option
Let’s start with the obvious. While there are numerous pros to this ultimate dating idea, price has to play a role.
If you opt for this, you don’t have to worry about accidentally exceeding your intended budget the way you would at a boozy date. If you ask me – a major plus.
There’s not much I hate more than overspending on a crappy date, knowing I’ll never see this person again. But grabbing a cup of coffee is a low investment that you won’t be sorry you chose.
Sometimes, it’s better to think practically. You never know how well the date will go, so you might as well ensure not to pay the price (literally and figuratively).
If you have fun, then you may proceed to more elaborate options. But if not, at least you’ve been financially responsible.
2. How they treat the barista tells a lot about their character
I personally steer clear of people with an ugly personality and no manners. And the way your date treats the barista will show how deserving they are of your company.
Are they overly specific with their order and demanding the barista to go back and forth three times? Do they complain about the service when there’s nothing to complain about?
Pay attention to all of these signs, as they are a reflection of your date’s true character.
You want a kind, considerate, and humble person who treats everyone with respect. The moment I see them lashing out at the service staff and acting above them, I’m out the door.
Nothing can make up for a holier-than-thou attitude!
See also: Things To Talk About With A Boy: 13 Ways To Keep Him Interested
3. It’s the best way to get to know them without interruptions
As you’re sitting there, sipping your favorite coffee order, listening to light jazz (or some perfect ambiance music mix) there’s literally nothing to do other than talk!
And isn’t that the whole point? Talking, sharing, opening up, and getting to know the person you’re with. While pubs and such can offer a great atmosphere, it’s almost impossible to hold a conversation.
And constantly shouting over other people, loud music, and each other is awkward and doesn’t really scream “best date ever.”
See now how coffee dates are so underrated? They give you the perfect opportunity for an uninterrupted conversation, and not having to cringe every two seconds, unsure what your date is talking about.
There’s time for these types of dates later once you’ve become familiar with each other. But grabbing coffee is how you figure out who this person is and if they’re worth your bother.
4. They won’t meet your drunk alter ego
I don’t know about you, but I am a very loud, talkative drunk.
There’s no stopping me when I’m on my fourth glass of wine. So you might say that there’s a high risk of oversharing and chasing them away.
We all have a drunk alter ego. But in my opinion, first dates are most definitely not the time to expose it to the world. Wait at least until the third or fourth date.
Drink coffee instead of tequila and there’s zero chance of having regrets the next day. Your date really doesn’t have to know about your annoying friend Becky – or worse off, your cheating ex – in the first hour of knowing you.
For now, be at your best behavior and if your date proves to be worthy, grace them with all of your funky personality traits sometime later down the line.
5. You can easily get out if the date’s a snoozefest
Here’s an awesome thing about a coffee date. It can be romantic, fun, exciting, and offer you a great chance to get to know someone.
On the other hand, it can prove to be such a snoozefest that you can’t get out of there soon enough. And when that happens, it’s so easy to get out!
You can order a small coffee until you figure out if you want to stay, and if you don’t, you can just say you’re in a hurry and you have to go. Simple as that.
But if they prove to be interesting, you can get your favorite order and enjoy their company. Your options are wide open. Nobody expects you to sit there for three hours if you’re bored.
But in case it goes well, you totally can. That’s why this is the best dating advice you’ll hear today. From now on, I’m having all of my first dates at Starbucks. Who has time to waste these days?
See also: Feminine Power: How To Find It, Embrace It, Spread It, And Use It
6. Coffee’s actually really good for your system
I was quite surprised to hear this as I always used to believe that coffee would be the death of me (I have like five cups a day). But a recent study at New York University Langone Medical Center opened my eyes.
They have found out that coffee is extremely beneficial to your system. Apparently, it lowers the risk of cirrhosis, which is a serious liver disease you can get from way too much alcohol!
So having coffee could potentially save your liver after a night of heavy drinking. Also, this is a fun fact you can share with your date and impress them.
So yeah, my point is: There are so many pros to grabbing coffee with your date. And in my book, your general well-being is in the top five reasons to always go for it.
Meeting people on Tinder and social media is such a waste of time. People are almost never the way they present themselves, and when you meet in real life, it’s like looking at an entirely different person.
Stick to a sure thing, grab a latte, and enjoy their company and the option to get out if you choose to.
7. No need to dress up
Going on dates can be pretty stressful when it comes to your attire. This goes especially for girls.
Should you wear a dress, maybe a skirt, or should you opt for those hot leather pants…? Ugh, it’s so annoying because you want to get it right yet not seem like you tried too hard.
With this particular date, you don’t have to stress about this! Grabbing coffee is totally casual and stress-free.
Most of the time, it’s during the daytime, so you’ll most likely go straight from work (wearing what you’re actually wearing) and it’ll be totally okay.
Nobody expects you to get dressed to the nines when you’re meeting for coffee. And this is one of the many pros of a coffee date. One less thing to worry about!
You just have to sit in the comfy recliner, order a huge café macchiato, relax, and enjoy the conversation!
Your date is most likely to be on the casual side as well. That way, it’ll feel even comfier, and you’ll be much more likely to have a good time.
See also: What Boys Want: 10 Attractive Qualities They All Secretly Crave
8. It’s an endless source of conversation material
I’m all about brutal honesty here. And the honest-to-God truth is that first dates can be extremely overwhelming.
You can be the funniest, most talkative, and open-minded person ever, but being faced with that cute person you’ve been DYING to meet for weeks and stressing over the right thing to say can be a LOT.
We all tend to just blank there and stare without any words coming out of our mouths. It has happened to me, your mom, your best friend, and your next-door neighbor.
Nobody is exempt from the disastrous awkwardness of first dates. So don’t worry, it really doesn’t matter, as the other person feels exactly the same as you.
But the awesome thing about meeting at a coffee shop is that you have a full array of people and situations to inspire great conversation!
Just look around you, somebody is bound to be doing something possibly embarrassing, funny, or shockingly brave!
This can be the thing that relaxes your mood and brings some genuine reactions that will set the tone for further convo!
Maybe the barista just dropped the tray, or somebody is getting proposed to, or there’s somebody talking really loudly.
Laugh it out (but not in a rude way). Some genuine smiles will help you bond.
9. You can easily incorporate it in your schedule
A coffee date is pretty simple to set up. You can go straight from work (both of you), meet up during your lunch breaks, or choose a sunny Saturday afternoon.
Firstly, since it’s just coffee, you don’t have to worry about being hungover for work the next day (if it’s mid-week).
And it’s during the daytime, so you’re more likely to be free and still go about your evening plans if you had any.
Secondly, they don’t have to last long (unless you want them to be) so there’s much less pressure when fitting them into your day.
We all get so busy that finding even just an hour or two can be rather difficult.
And meeting for coffee is so laid back that you’re both totally okay with not having an entire day.
For me, I much prefer meeting someone straight from work as it’s the most seamless option – I’m already decently dressed and my face doesn’t look like I just woke up.
It means less time spent on making myself look pretty and more time actually enjoying the time I have to get to know the guy. For me, this makes all the difference.
See also: 90+ Birthday Pick-Up Lines: Birthday Wishes With A Flirty Twist
10. You won’t get tired mid-day
My hectic work schedule, lots of hobbies, and trying to stay active in my social life really take a toll on me sometimes.
Don’t get me wrong! I love having a fulfilled life! But sometimes, all I want to do (and all I can do) is to lounge on my sofa, under a blanket, cuddle with my dog, watch a movie, and doze off.
You see where this is going, right? Long dates at night make me fight to stay awake sometimes. And when I’m tired, I’m not nearly as charming as I am on my full strength.
That’s where a coffee date comes in! Coffee itself makes you feel refreshed and energized (major plus!) AND it’s not late, so you’re not going to be too tired too soon.
Your date will get to see the most charming version of you (at least more charming than the tired one) and you’ll know you made the right call.
Let’s not pretend that we don’t all get tired at surprisingly early hours of the evening at times. There’s nothing wrong with that though.
Ensure you’re wide awake and go grab that coffee. Easy peasy.
11. If it goes great, you can go on a romantic stroll afterward
Bonus points if you live somewhere picturesque! Picture this.
You meet this great guy (or girl), you both realize you’re (a bit too) obsessed with coffee, your taste in music is the same, and you both enjoy the weirdest things no one really gets!
Hours go by that seem like minutes and you suddenly realize you’re already on your third large coffee (uh-oh).
So instead of going for the fourth, one of you suggests to go for a nice walk, you stop somewhere to enjoy the sunset and you suddenly realize how comfortable this feels.
The simplicity of an engaging conversation over a cup of coffee, a nice walk somewhere scenic, and an additional chance to bond even more.
This can all be a reality! After grabbing coffee, you get to prolong the date and make it even more romantic and fun.
This can amount to one of the best first dates you ever had, and all that because you actually did it during the day over coffee, which gave you the option of a sunset walk.
Dates don’t get much better than this. Simple, yet so cute, romantic, and full of possibilities. What’s not to love?
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12. …and if it doesn’t, you can say it was just coffee and move on!
Sometimes dates just don’t pan out. It’s not you, it’s not them, the chemistry just isn’t right.
That’s okay! You have to give it a chance before you decide against it. So even if it doesn’t work out, you’ll know you tried.
And with a coffee date, it doesn’t even feel like a date if it proves to be a disaster. You met up, had a latte, tried to have a convo, but it just didn’t amount to much. It happens, no big deal, finish your coffee and off you go.
You won’t feel like a failure because it technically wasn’t a grand romantic date, and you’ll be less likely to be discouraged from trying again.
They can be the perfect prelude for the second date, but some things are just not meant to be and there’s not much you can do but shrug it off, hug it out, and move on.
It means less awkwardness and more hopefulness. You spent all of five bucks, wasted no more than half an hour of your time, and got home in time to call your bestie and give her the low-down.
Of all the bad date possibilities, this is by far the safest, most painless route that nobody will dwell over the day after. Don’t you agree?
See also: 30 Morning Date Ideas To Awaken Romance
In Conclusion
A coffee date is not only cool, extremely underrated, and filled with opportunities, it also makes a bad date seem like no biggie!
And in my book – that counts as a major win. Aren’t you tired of those typical movie and dinner scenarios when everything is practically already planned out?
Making sure to eat slowly and politely when you’re starving and wondering if you’re dressed well enough for that fancy restaurant you’ve never been to.
Life’s too short to limit yourself. Go grab some coffee, lounge comfortably in the leather recliner, wear your favorite jeans, and enjoy the idyllic setlist for midday chit chat!
It’s relaxing, stress-free, and well within your budget. You can get to know this person properly and be able to make a sound decision about seeing them again without wasting five hours of your night.
Give it a go and I promise all you’ll be able to think about is why on earth you didn’t think of this sooner!
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