IS THE SECRET TO SEDUCTION ON A PLATE?

COURTSHIP: YOUR CHANCE OF A SECOND DATE DEPENDS ON THE FIRST DINNER MENU

A bouquet of flowers, avoiding talking about your ex, choosing a seductive fragrance—these alone are not enough. It turns out that food choices during a first date play a crucial role in determining whether a relationship takes off. This is the finding of a scientific study published in the journal Appetite by researchers from the University of Leeds. The sociological experiment analyzed couples participating in a blind date on the reality show First Dates, broadcast by Twenty Twenty TV.

FIRST DATE MENU: WHAT IT MEANS AND WHAT IT REPRESENTS
Most first dates take place in a restaurant, usually over a romantic dinner. This was precisely the focus of the reality show First Dates. A total of 792 couples were invited to meet for the first time in a restaurant, with their table behaviors monitored and their relationship status checked later on. The results were fascinating. It appears that if there is good chemistry right from the selection of dishes or the way they are shared, the couple has a much higher chance of developing a fulfilling and lasting romantic relationship.

THE DATA
One of the most striking findings is that, in most cases (65.5%), it is women who suggest what their male partners should order—or at least, they make their own choice first, which the man then follows. According to experts analyzing the various scenarios, this suggests that a woman who “cares for her partner, nourishes him, and feeds him” is still a figure that men find attractive, seek out, and appreciate.

Another intriguing discovery is the presence of chocolate in almost every first-date menu. In 70% of cases, the couple did not skip dessert, and in 53.6% of cases, the dessert had chocolate as its main ingredient.

SO, IS THE PERFECT FIRST-DATE MENU SWEET?
It seems that when there is sweetness on a first date—ending with a delicious chocolate dessert—there is a higher likelihood that the relationship will lead to a second, third, and fourth date, eventually blossoming into something serious and lasting.

The study concludes that dining behavior during a first date is, in fact, a form of courtship and is highly predictive of the likelihood of agreeing to a second date.

Of course, taste is subjective: as a nutritionist, I would replace dessert with exotic fruit or berries, and many women actually prefer to be guided in menu choices…

And you? Do you remember what you ordered on your first date? Do you agree with the study?

Source
Hendrie C, Shirley I. Courtship-feeding in the ‘First Dates’ restaurant is highly predictive of a second date. Appetite. 2019 Oct 1;141:104329.

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