Survey Says!? Texas Men Prefer This Popular Spot for First Dates

It’s cuffing season, as the kids say, and single folks are feeling a little extra pressure to find a special someone they can snuggle up with to keep warm, bring as a date to holiday parties or at least use to keep their nosy parents off their back. Luckily for those who are dusting off their dating app profile as we speak, a new study just dropped that should serve as a reminder to keep those standards high.

DatingNews recently ran a survey of over 3,000 men asking if they’d rather take a first date to a fast food joint than a more refined, sit-down restaurant. Over 54% of Texas respondents said yes, with Chick-fil-A topping the list of ideal date destinations. McDonald’s and Dairy Queen rounded out the top three.

The study cites the cost of higher-end meals as the source of this mindset, specifically stating that respondents didn’t want to pay upwards of $200.

On the one hand, to each their own. If these guys find someone who’s also looking to bond over a tray of waffle fries, we genuinely wish the happy couple well. We also respect the notion that the person who pays for the date has the privilege of planning it according to their interests and budget.

What the guys who weighed in on this survey didn’t seem to take into account is that there’s a wide variety of price points and experiences between a drive-thru and a fancy restaurant. You don’t have to be a snob to think that a restaurant that’s designed to get you in and out as quickly as possible isn’t exactly the ideal location to get to know someone.

Luckily, Dallas alone has a variety of unique local restaurants and bars that can provide a fun ambiance without breaking the bank. In a city with countless vintage diners, neighborhood taquerias, sushi spots and a literal world map of pizza, there’s no excuse for you and your date’s meal to be handed to you in to-go bags.

DatingNews asked women to weigh in on this as well and found that 40% admire a date who’s honest about their budget and that 41% said that what matters most is that the person taking them out “makes it fun.” Having a movie marathon over takeout and hitting up local food trucks are offered as budget date ideas.

“Making it fun” is the operative phrase here, fellas. We respect your right to plan a date how you see fit, but we also respect your date’s right to not call you back if the date is lame.