A new survey by Emmi Caffe Latte has shown what many of us knew to be true about ourselves already, the way to our hearts is through food. Not only is going out for a restaurant meal the most popular first date activity, but cooking for your partner is the most recognised love language by Brits.
Often (and unfairly in this Brits eyes) criticised for their cuisine, it seems that Brits place a high value on it when it comes to the dating world. Some 2,000 brits were questioned in the survey, and a quarter chose a restaurant meal as their top dinner date. That was followed closely by coffee at 24 per cent. That falls in line with those who think a first date should be no longer than 60 mins (28 per cent). However, the optimal time for an initial date according to Brits is 2 and a half hours. That sounds like at least a three course meal to me.
What Brits talk about in those two hours was perhaps the most shocking of the survey’s results. Some 79 per cent of Brits said they would fess up to cheating on a first date and 75 per cent said they talk about ex partners. It’s good to share war stories, but who is talking about cheating on a first date? Perhaps the large number of cheating confessors are hypothetical – surely the survey did not seek out 2,000 cheaters!
Again food comes out on top for those in the dating world once relationships start, with 32 per cent recognising cooking for their partner as a love language. The act of service was recognised more so than any other act, such as flower giving, watching their favourite tv show or giving a back massage.
Whether cheating or eating, the survey had one last sting to the tale – gamophobia (the fear of commitment) is still the thing that keeps most Brits from making things official. You can wine and dine them, you can fess all on a first date, but like in the storyline of every 90’s sitcom, fear of commitment is here to stay.