Location Over Food For The First Date

What do you think about before a first date? Do you choose a date based on food, experience or proximity?

In a recent collaboration with the guys from the We Should Talk More podcast, they asked us if women approach a first date differently than men. It wasn't until Peyton said women approach a date with extreme caution that I realized how true this was.

When going on a first date, I typically always drive myself. In theory, it is super sweet if a guy offers to pick me up; it shows he is willing to go an extra mile (pun not intended). However, this also means he knows where I live and should I be in a car with him with (theoretically) no way out if the date goes south early on. It means I lose control, and it has been established I am a bit of a control freak.

While recording, I mentioned my desire to stay within a specific radius, meaning I prefer to keep my dates within a perimeter of my city. That way, I am familiar with my surroundings just in case I need to make an escape plan. Yes, 'escape plan!' It is easy to type that as a joke, but both Peyton and I agree, you can't just go out with a stranger you met on an app without some degree of caution.

But what does this caution look like besides strategically picking the location? For us, it means sharing your location with someone you trust and letting that person know you are going out with someone new. It means setting up a contingency plan if you need to get out early. It means taking one extra step men simply don't have to think of. While this may be a trope in romantic comedies with women getting a phone call while out with someone or even escaping through a window, there is a serious element here. While dating apps are a fun way to pass the time and potentially meet someone, when we go on dates with the people we match with online, we meet a stranger out in public hoping to hit it off.

Now, it goes without saying men should also be cautious when going out. However, it was made clear to us that our fears did not match John and Josh's. Make sure to check out the We Should Talk More podcast here.