Ready for a First Date? 6 Reasons to Embrace Coffee

“Do you want to grab coffee sometime?” might just be one of our favorite phrases in dating.

Why? Because coffee really is the perfect first date. Next time you’re hitting it off with a match and you’re ready to ask them out, skip the whole panic over choosing some elaborate and impressive first date location. Grabbing coffee is going to be your best bet.

And sure, we might be a little biased, but we have reasons to back up this claim — promise.

1. It’s ideal for conversation

A first date is all about getting to know someone a little bit better, right? Everything else is just background noise.

When you grab coffee, it’s just you and your date with nothing but a cozy little table and some caffeinated beverages between the two of you. What else is left to do but talk? We checked in with CMB Daters who prefer coffee dates, and 75% listed this as their №1 reason why.

The most distracting thing you’d have to worry about is the coffee house playlist — and even that could spark some great conversation about music taste. So save the activity dates for a second or third meetup, and use coffee as a way to cover the basics.

2. There’s virtually no pressure

No matter how calm, cool, and collected you are or how well you clicked over chat, it’s always a little nerve-wracking to meet someone IRL for the first time. About 70% of CMB Daters agree, saying that the low-pressure vibe of a coffee date is why they love it.

You don’t have to dress fancy, try anything new, or worry about eating a potentially messy meal in front of someone new (looking at you, spaghetti). You’re literally just getting coffee — something you probably would’ve done that day, anyway.

3. It’s a low time commitment

One of the great things about grabbing coffee? It can happen pretty much anytime of the day — because really, who only drinks coffee in the mornings anymore. So if you love a flexible schedule, this is for you.

Plus, there really aren’t expectations around how long a coffee date should last. It’s totally acceptable to sit down for 20–30 minutes over a caramel macchiato and then call it a day. Now think about a dinner date and how awkward it would be if you wanted to go before your appetizer even arrived. Yikes.

Out of the CMB Daters who chose coffee as their go-to first date, nearly half said the low time commitment was their favorite part.

4. The date can be prolonged, too

We mentioned how a short coffee date is totally acceptable, but here’s the other part that sweetens the deal even more: You can make a coffee date as long or short as you like.

If you and your date really hit it off, there’s no reason you can’t stay awhile. Our advice though? Maybe cut yourself off before you grab that third latte in three hours, because there is definitely such a thing as too much caffeine.

5. It’s conveniently located

Grabbing coffee means you and your date will have an easier time finding a place that works for both of you.

Local coffee shops are basically on every other corner — and even if those are in short supply near you, we feel confident saying you’ll at least have Starbucks. So say you decide to grab a coffee after work, you could pick a spot down the street from your office.

You can pop over, have a latte, have good conversation, and then be on your way home without ever really having to go out of your way. CMB Daters seem to value convenience, seeing as how they chose this as one of their reasons for loving coffee dates.

6. Skipping alcohol will keep you clear-headed

While we’re not totally knocking a happy hour meetup or wine with dinner, sometimes it’s nice to skip the booze on a first date.

That sweet, magical drink we call coffee will have you bright-eyed and ready to chat, especially if you’re meeting up after work and your brain is feeling a bit on the mushy side. Keeping a clear head will only do you favors when it comes to getting to know someone for the first time.

And hey, even though you’re at a coffee shop, you don’t have to order coffee. A cup of earl grey tea or even some hot chocolate are solid options, too.

Like we said before, getting to know each other is what the first date’s all about. So next time you hit it off with a match and you’re ready to take things off the app and meet IRL, suggest coffee. You won’t regret it.