The Location of Your First Date Could Predict a Second

"Although plenty of first daters opt for sporting events, concerts, or old-school movie theatres, if the goal is getting to know one another, loud, crowded venues do not afford the conversation opportunities you will have over coffee or a meal. Yet when you choose to break bread together, choice of venue predicts value. And because you want to both see and hear each other, a pre-date venue visit allows you to investigate everything from menu to mood, price to privacy, climate to crowd control."

"Physical comfort creates chemistry through a sense of well-being and enjoyment. Coffee bars often offer couches or chairs with overstuffed pillows and decorative cups and saucers, lending character to your cappuccino. Although most restaurants offer less plush seating opportunities due to anticipated volume of patrons, you can still strategize seating. Avoid chilly patio tables where cold wind creates discomfort, or sitting too close to the kitchen, where your date may be infused with the wrong type of heat."

"Meeting for breakfast or lunch, assuming you select a restaurant with plenty of windows or outdoor seating, allows you to see your partner in a bright setting with natural light, which has been shown to reduce stress and boost mood.[i] On the other end of the spectrum, although older daters joke they look their best in low light, dim mood lighting such as candlelight on a first date can generate discomfort through a sense of forced intimacy and inappropriate expectations."

First-date venue selection strongly affects conversation, comfort, and perceived compatibility. Pre-visiting a venue helps assess menu, mood, price, privacy, climate control, and crowd levels. Physical comfort promotes chemistry by creating well-being and enjoyment; seating choices matter, and avoiding chilly patios or proximity to kitchen heat prevents discomfort. Daytime meals in spaces with ample windows or outdoor seating provide natural light that can reduce stress and boost mood. Dim, candlelit settings may create forced intimacy or inappropriate expectations. Face-to-face interactions enable facial mimicry; smiling fosters positive emotional contagion and increases perceived attractiveness.

Read at Psychology Today