Dear ladies and gentlemen, you may encounter a blind date these days. Your family and friends may arrange one for you or you may find a match on TanTan, Tinder and other apps. How to behave during a blind date? Is it okay to flirt? Should you kiss at the end? Let’s prepare for it together!
Meeting & Greeting
Meet in front of the restaurant. When we are greeting strangers we should be polite. Keep an eye contact, have a small smile. You should be relaxed but not too casual. A handshake should be enough.
Sitting plan
A man enters first to the restaurant and walks through it in front of the lady. Then he should offer her the best seat at the table, usually the one with the view into the room. Help your lady while taking a seat by pulling the chair.
Icebreaker
Have some safe topics as conversation starters, like the weather or something you see around you. Prevent that awkward silence at the beginning. However, you should not ask about private properties like house, cars, financials…
Table manners
Table manners play a great role in making a favourable impression. They are a visible signal of the state of our manners and therefore essentials! In the Western culture, the woman goes first with ordering, man should follow her order in volume. If you are sharing the food, the gentleman should accompany the lady, if she stops eating he should do the same or she can feel embarrassed.
Use humour
Be talkative and have a sense of humour by making a weird situation into a more relaxing setting for you and your date. However, don’t make fun of your date partner.
Mobile phone
Leave the phone on silent mode and don’t check it. It’s disrespectful towards your date partner. Only if it’s a case of emergency or you are expecting an important call which you must point out in advance.
Listen actively
Listen to what your date has to say. Try not to talk over them and do an equal share of talking among the both of you. Too personal facts and ex-relationships keep them to yourself.
Giving compliments
Do:
« You look beautiful in this dress. »
« You look like a beautiful and intelligent young woman/man. »
« I feel so lucky to spend time with you. »
If you are on a date with a foreigner, make a compliment on her/his accent
« I think you would be a perfect wife/husband。 »
Don’t:
Talk about the body.
You look taller in person.
You are the most beautiful person I have ever met in my life.
Disagreeing
You may encounter something your date partner said that you think is a total nonsense or you don’t like that person at all. However, don’t show that, respect your interlocutor.
Seductive moves
Flirting on a date is a normal behaviour, just don’t use cliché or too sexy moves. You are on a first date and in public, don’t make a bad first impression.
Having fun
After all, you are here to have fun! Think positively and try to use the moment in the best way! However, don’t overuse alcohol to relax.
Paying the bill
Traditionally, a man should take care of the bill. These days both people should offer to cover all or part of the check. If you initiate a date, you should take responsibility for the check. Take into consideration the place you are planning to go, it must be within your budget. At the end thank for the dinner.
Leaving the restaurant
When leaving the restaurant a man holds a door for a lady and let her go out first. If it’s raining he can go first and open an umbrella for her.
Goodbyes
The date is finishing, you are unsure how well it went. No rushing with decisions, take your time. Also, don’t promise anything you don’t mean to do. Be polite, thank for the great night!
Family/friends expectations
If some other person arranged your blind date thank her/him afterwards! No matter the outcome she/he wanted the best for you!
Dear all, good luck on your next date! Share this article with the person you think will need these tips for blind dating!
