San Francisco, Calif. (September 20, 2016) — First date advice is abundant, but often tips from one source contradict tips from another. Meeting up for drinks sounds like a perfect first date. But is it really? Coffee Meets Bagel, the dating app for millennials looking for relationships, surveyed more than 1,000 happy couples who met through its app to uncover details about what made their first date a success. Coffee Meets Bagel then surveyed hundreds of single college students to compare their thoughts about first dates and expose first date myths.

The top 9 findings include:

1. Couples chatted for more than one week before going on a first date.

– 37% of couples say they chatted with each other for more than one week before going on a first date vs. 23% of single college students who say they talk that long before meeting up.

2. They took advantage of weekdays!

– Couples didn’t wait for the weekend to schedule their first date. All days of the week were surprisingly well represented.

– Single college students, however, overwhelming prefer to schedule first dates on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays.

3. Couples committed to dinner dates, not just coffee or drinks.

– More couples went out for dinner (33%) on their first date than any other activity. 29% said they went out for drinks and 16% went out for coffee.

– Only 15% of college students say dinner is an ideal first date activity. Most say drinks (22%) or coffee (27%) make for the best first date.

4. The guy planned the first date.

– 62% of men who are in a committed relationship say they planned their first date.

– The majority of single college men (61%), however, think a first date together should be planned together.

5. The guy picked up the check.

– 80% of couples say the man paid for the first date, while 20% split the check.

– Twice as many single college women (42%) prefer to split the bill.

6. Couples kept the first date affordable.

– Good news for starving students! 73% of couples say their first date cost less than $50.

7. Most couples did not kiss on their first date!

– Only 29% of couples surveyed locked lips on their first date.

– 49% of college students say they typically kiss on a first date.

8. Most couples talked or texted right after their date.

– 56% of couples say they talked or texted each other right after their date.

– Less than half (43%) of single college students say they communicate immediately after a great first date.

9. They planned their second date right away.

– 77% of couples planned their second date during their first date, or the day after.

The surveys were conducted in August 2016 among couples who met through Coffee Meets Bagel and single college students currently using the app.

“We were surprised to see certain findings emerge in the data from couples,” said Dawoon Kang, co-founder of Coffee Meets Bagel. “We were so inspired to hear about what worked from our success stories. We felt a responsibility to share this valuable information and help take some of the guesswork and anxiety out of first dates for singles looking to find love.”

Coffee Meets Bagel launches FirstDateSpots.com
Coffee Meets Bagel’s survey among singles uncovered that 84% of singles say they check online review sites like Yelp when selecting a location for a first date. Today, fully leveraging Yelp’s newest Fusion API and Yelp data, Coffee Meets Bagel launched a website called First Date Spots (www.FirstDateSpots.com) to help singles find the ideal place for a first date. Singles first specify their date spot preferences (coffee/bar/restaurant, price and location). The site then queries Yelp’s database for the best matches and only returns venues that have classy, intimate, romantic, or trendy ambience and quiet or average noise level. Finding a great spot for a first date just got a lot easier!

“Coffee Meets Bagel has realized a great opportunity in not only connecting people, but helping them find an ideal location for a first date by using local Yelp content,” said Chad Richard, SVP Business & Corporate Development at Yelp. “Their integration of the Yelp Fusion API will add a lot of value to Coffee Meets Bagel community, and hopefully tee up the perfect setting for true love!”

About Coffee Meets Bagel
Coffee Meets Bagel is a highly curated dating service where women choose who gets to talk to them among quality men who have expressed interest. Coffee Meets Bagel helps singles find meaningful relationships by providing an experience that reflects the different ways men and women approach dating. Since its launch in 2012, Coffee Meets Bagel has generated more than a billion introductions among singles and more than 50,000 happy couples have met through the app. Coffee Meets Bagel is free to download for iOS and Android. https://coffeemeetsbagel.com