If You’re Taking Me On A Date, Please Pick Something Other Than “Dinner And A Movie”

Dinner and a movie is the most traditional date idea out there. When you’re at a loss for what to do on a first date, you tend to go with a classic. It must be popular for a reason, right? Totally wrong. If you’re looking for a love connection, this is definitely not the way to go.

  1. It’s too cliche to be interesting. It’s no secret that if your first date activity is boring, your first date might be dull too. If you’re coming off a series of horrible dates that had you staring silently at the guy sitting across from you, then going for dinner and then to a movie theater is not going to save your dating life. Pick something more fun and exciting that doesn’t have cliche written all over it.
  2. The date is way too long. Do you want to spend four hours with a guy that you don’t even know if you like yet? Probably not. So why would you agree to share a meal with him… and then sit in a crowded movie theater for two hours? Not the best idea.
  3. Watching a movie next to a total stranger is awkward AF. Let’s just admit the truth: if you want to have the most awkward evening of your life, then sure, grab dinner and see a movie with a guy you’re going out with for the very first time. You’re going to hate every single minute of the film. You’re going to spend the entire time wondering if he’s going to make a move… and wondering if you even want him to. You’re going to overanalyze every moment and it’s going to feel super agonizing. Save yourself the pain and don’t do it.
  4. You’ll get a false idea of what it means. When you’re wondering if a new guy likes you, sometimes it helps to see how much time he wants to spend with you. If you two plan to eat dinner and then he suggests seeing a movie, you might think that he seriously likes you and things are going to work out. But what if he really just wants to see the movie? Or what if he’s not sure about you and so heading to the theater is going to be his deciding factor? You won’t really know how he feels and it’s going to be confusing.
  5. Even just grabbing dinner is an awful idea. Do you really want to guarantee that you can’t leave if you’re not having a good time on a first date? Okay, so you can always leave if you’re uncomfortable. It’s just that bailing early is a lot easier to do on a quick coffee or drinks date. Agreeing to share a meal with someone makes it seem like you have the time and so you should stay for several hours.
  6. You won’t even be able to focus on the film. If you like the guy, you’re going to have a hard time focusing on the movie. If you hate the guy, well, the same thing is totally true. Seeing a movie on a first date is a great way to torture yourself.
  7. You’ll keep your eye on the clock. When you go to dinner and then a movie, there’s a certain element of time involved that you can’t help. You’ll have to keep checking the clock (or your iPhone) to see how much longer you can stay at the restaurant before heading to the movie theater. That’s not exactly the most relaxing way to spend a first date.
  8. You might move way too fast. Hooking up on the first date is a totally personal decision. Of course, you can do whatever you want. If the chemistry is out of control between you and this new guy, then obviously going into a dark movie theater is only going to create the perfect hook-up environment (whether you make out in the theater or he invites you over to his place after). That’s cool… until you move way too fast and crash and burn. While you can’t make sure that you never get hurt, if you want to go slow, then you might not want to see a movie on a first date.
  9. You’ll feel like you’re going through the motions of a first date. Suggesting a first date that involves eating at a restaurant and then going to a movie is stale and banal. You’re going to feel like you could be dating anyone at all and you’re not going to be able to really see this guy for who he is. This is especially true if you go on a lot of dinner and a movie dates.
  10. This is only a good date idea when things are going well. Once you get past the super weird early stage of being with a new guy, then sure, go ahead with the whole dinner and a movie thing. You already know that you like him, so of course you’re cool with spending hours upon hours in his company. You will actually get a chance to talk when you eat dinner and then you can cuddle up in the movie theater and all will be right with the world. Until you get to that stage, suggest grabbing drinks or a coffee instead.
Aya Tsintziras is a freelance lifestyle writer and editor from Toronto, Canada. In addition to writing about dating and relationships for Bolde, she also writes about movies, TV, and video games for ScreenRant and GameRant. She has a Political Science degree from the University of Toronto and a Masters of Journalism from Ryerson University. You can find her on Twitter @ayatsintziras and on Instagram @aya.tsintziras.
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