Forget about fine dining: New survey shows that men are choosing this fast-food spot for first dates

DatingNews.com polled 3,000 American men nationwide, asking them what their ideal fast-food first date spot was

By Joy Saha

Staff Writer

Published December 4, 2024 12:30PM (EST)

A Chick-fil-A restaurant is seen on July 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)
A Chick-fil-A restaurant is seen on July 05, 2022 in Houston, Texas. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images)

There’s plenty of online discourse about first date do’s and don’ts — especially when it comes to where a first date should take place. Some say a candlelit dinner at a fancy restaurant is the ideal spot, while others argue that a casual place is the best option. However, a recent survey found that fast-food restaurants seem popular among men nationwide. And when it comes to a specific restaurant, one came out on top.

A new survey from DatingNews.com asked 3,000 American men “from a geographically representative online panel of double-opt-in members” which fast food spots they would most likely take a first date to. Over 16% of respondents said their top choice was Chick-fil-A. The second-place option was Dairy Queen, for an ice cream date. Third place was a tie between Sonic Drive-In and Pizza Hut. Per the survey, Sonic was especially popular with men from Wisconsin, South Carolina, and Oregon because of the chain’s “fun and funky vibe, cheesy options, and delicious milkshakes.”

“The old-school method of taking a new date out for dinner has been replaced by casual quick-service dates at coffee shops, bars, and even fast-food joints,” said Amber Brooks, Editor-in-Chief at DatingNews.com. “A first date is a risk, and in this economy, modern singles are saving their time and money by opting for a chicken sandwich over a chicken marsala.”

Surprisingly, the survey also found that 66% of women would say yes if a man asked them out to a fast food joint. And approximately 54% of men said they would be down to go on a first date at a fast-food restaurant.

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