Step aside restaurant dinner dates, make way for coffee shops, picnics, and activities. This Valentine’s Day our contributors have shared their opinions on dates over dinner, and it seems that, generally, the good old-fashioned rendezvous is falling in popularity. That said, Wiktoria offers the traditional dinner date all the hope it needs.

words by Wiktoria Jazwinska:

What has happened to the good old-fashioned dinner date? A simple gesture and easy way of impressing your significant other, current or to-be, without the stress of planning or trying a-bit-to-hard to please is being slowly forgotten. Instead, taking its place are extravagant activities that social media tell us are ÔÇÿgreat first date ideasÔÇÖ, while dinner is labelled as cliche.

Every great romantic film ever has that swoon-worthy dinner date scene, and there is something so beautiful about the simplicity of the gesture. Dinner dates, like denim jeans and a good apple crumble, are classic. Making a reservation is a great way to impress your date ÔÇô a simple yet important detail showing you care. The location of the venue does not have to be boring ÔÇô you can choose to go safe with a cuisine everyone loves, or take your date on a flavour journey, this is especially great for the foodies out there. 

Picture this, youÔÇÖve agreed on the date and time, a table is booked for the evening, you’ve spent the afternoon planning your outfit and shoe pairing, youÔÇÖve showered, and youÔÇÖre looking sharp and smelling great from the copious amount of perfume on you. You meet your date outside the restaurant, you probably exchange awkward small talk, but now this is where the magic happens. Once you sit and order your drinks, a restaurant table is the perfect place to spark conversation ÔÇô find out your dates favourite foods, the stories behind them, and so on. Anyone can seem interesting when drunk-talking at a bar for 45 minutes, but the restaurant is where you need to be on your A-game.

Let’s face it, we all love the idea of being asked on a dinner date. You may think it’s outdated, but to me it’s timeless. When we let the dinner date go we lose something special ÔÇô a universal romantic gesture that has been tried and tested for centuries. 

words by Olivia Nilsen:

Since ValentineÔÇÖs Day is coming up, restaurants are sure to be bustling with dinner dates, thatÔÇÖs nothing new. For as long as I can remember dinner dates have been a go-to first date ÔÇô enjoying good food with a person that you fancy sounds great, especially if you are feeling good and the atmosphere is just right. Although in my experience it can quickly become awkward when you run out of small talk and are met with the ever-growing loud silence. Inevitably dinner ends and then the typical dance of the bill comes; do we split it or does one person pay? Should we leave to do something else or is this the end of the date?

Personally, I think that dinner dates put too much pressure on two people just starting to get to know each other. In my experience, I have found that keeping it simple does wonders in allowing the focus of the date to be on getting to know one another. Going to a coffee shop feels a lot more casual than dinner, and it gives ample opportunity to do something after if you have enjoyed it. One of my best first dates was just simply going on a walk; it relieved a lot of the pressure of how long I was expected to stay and made me feel a lot more comfortable. Having a more casual interaction is perfect for a first date ÔÇô you get to see the person in a bit more of a natural environment and being on-the-move tends to save you some awkward silences. So why donÔÇÖt you take the pressure off and instead of taking your special someone to dinner suggest getting a coffee, exploring the city, or having a cute picnic date.  

words by Ella Collis:

DonÔÇÖt get me wrong I love a good dinner date ÔÇô what do they say, food is the way to a girlÔÇÖs heart ÔÇô but I feel like there are better, more interesting ways to break the ice and get to know someone. You can tell a lot about someone from the kind of dates that they plan. If someone wants to take you surfing, go on a hike, or do some other activity together then they are adventurous and outdoorsy; if they want to watch a movie or go for coffee with you then they tend to be the laid-back, casual type that doesnÔÇÖt want to take anything too seriously; or if karaoke and concerts are their thing, then youÔÇÖve got yourself a fun-loving free spirit. Whilst a first date doesnÔÇÖt need to be perfect and undue pressure shouldnÔÇÖt be put on it, it does indeed set the tone for the rest of the relationship. With just a little bit of effort going into planning, tailoring your dates to your personalities can make someone feel really special, which is why I think dinner dates are a bit of a cop out; the level of effort required to organise a dinner date is fairly low, all you have to do is think about what food you want to eat, find a restaurant that serves the desired cuisine, agree on a time with the other party, and book a table. That said, the simplicity of the dinner date does take the stress away for people who are overwhelmed when it comes to date ideas.

Putting a unique spin on the dinner date for all the foodies out there, instead of going out and spending a fortune you could stay in with your date and cook a meal together. Not only a fun activity where you can easily get to know more about each other, but also productive and cost-effective for us students as you get your meal out of it. Personally, some of my favourite alternatives to dinner dates are crazy golf, going to a comedy club, and ÔÇô my top choice for a first date ÔÇô a picnic on the beach at sunset (or sunrise)! So romantic.

words by Olivia Griffin:

I donÔÇÖt dislike the idea of a dinner date as a go-to first date ÔÇô itÔÇÖs a safe option, and a great way to quickly decide whether the person sitting opposite you is worth pursuing! Personally, some of my most memorable (and successful) dates have been somewhat unique. But what do I consider a ÔÇÿuniqueÔÇÖ date? To me, this is anything other than a sit-down meal; though I know opinions on this vary. Think drinks at an independent coffee shop, a walk in the park, vintage shopping, a museum trip, or an art class.

I think that creative dates help build the connection between two people, and participating in some sort of activity helps minimise the gaps in conversation and prevent awkward silence. If you arenÔÇÖt getting on as well as you did online, then going on a date with a fixed time frame (an hour-long pottery class for example) prevents the need for an escape plan. In my experience, the way Gen Z view first dates is changing. While many of us seek a romantic relationship, if this feeling doesnÔÇÖt surface, most of us are okay with sticking to friendship. Traditional dating apps like Tinder launching ÔÇÿTinder UniÔÇÖ in October 2022, promoting connections between students at the same institution, perhaps suggests that our generation’s priority seeks connection with like-minded people, and romantic connection is just a natural extension of this.

So if you are lucky enough to be asked on a first date this Valentine’s Day, why not consider something more unique than a dinner date? You might discover a new hobby, a new favourite bookshop, or discover a skill you never knew you had ÔÇô even if the date doesnÔÇÖt quite go to plan.