Blind drunk - shots and a pint of cider rated the worst first date tipples
First impressions count, especially when meeting a prospective partner for the first time.
However, before that crucial first date is even really under way, you may already be passing judgement - or being judged - solely on what drink you order.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdBritish dating app, Trueview conducted a survey of 1,000 people to find out how Brits really feel about alcohol on a first date.
And it seems that if you want to make a bad impression,then opting for a nerve-calming shot not the best move.
For more than a quarter of us (27 per cent), alarm bells will start ringing - perhaps due to a belief that the shot drinker likes to consume high strengths of alcohol, in as short a time as possible.
Both men and women find ordering shots equally unattractive, and almost as unappealing is the humble pint of cider - nearly a quarter of Brits (24 per cent) would be turned off by the alcoholic apple drink.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdA not-insignificant 13 per cent of us find our date ordering a pint of beer unacceptable, which is a bit of a concern as it's probably one of the most widely drunk beverages in the UK.
12 per cent of us would regard someone ordering a drink with no alcohol in it all with suspicion, despite the likelihood of them being more well-behaved (and not to mention actually remembering the conversations that were had the morning after).
Better thought-of are red and rose wine, with 8 and 7 per cent of Brits respectively finding those off-putting, while only 3 per cent would rate a spirit with a mixer, such as gin and tonic, unattractive, and just 2 per cent think ordering a cocktail is bad.
But price of place in the respectability stakes is the white wine - precisely none of us – 0 per cent - find that in any way unattractive.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdRegionally, the areas most against their date ordering shots included the East and West Midlands, Scotland and Greater London. The anti-cider brigade are most likely to live in the North West, the South East, Northern Ireland, and the South West. This is despite the fact that most cider is actually brewed in the South West – perhaps it's just because they're so used to it, they want their partner to show a little more imagination...
The survey also found that over 1 in 10 of us (14 per cent) would definitely judge a potential partner based on the drink they ordered, while 45 per cent of those said they wouldn't be able to see past the drinks choice and would be put off straight away.
Men are more judgemental than women, it seems - 72 per cent would be put off entirely; while only 30 per cent of women would.
TrueView also found that over a third of us, obviously hoping to not be judged, would wait until their date had ordered their drink before deciding on their own. And of those, 43 per cent wouldn't go for what they actually wanted, instead ordering something similar to what their date had.
Advertisement
Hide AdAdvertisement
Hide AdThe survey also asked how many alcoholic drinks is unacceptable to order on a first date. Nearly a quarter of us – 22.4 per cent - think over 5 drinks is too many. The most disapproving regions include Yorkshire and the Humber, the West Midlands, Wales and Northern Ireland, who clearly think you can have just as good a time without alcohol.
Finally, TrueView asked what Brits would do if their date actually got drunk on a first date. A third of us said we'd just head home, while a chivalrous 28 per cent said they'd send their date home in a taxi. A fun-loving 27 per cent said they'd just join in and get drunk too, 12 per cent would just grin and bear it - seeing it through to the bitter end, but then never calling them again....
"We all like to go out and get drunk with our mates," observes Trueview founder Matt Verity, "but it seems we apply slightly different standards when it comes to meeting up with someone we might end up in a relationship with! It looks like the key is to order just a couple of drinks, avoid shots and cider, and try to relax and enjoy yourself."