McDonald’s voted second worst place to go on a first date

The location is also imperative. You want an element of buzz so you can comfortably chat, but nowhere that’s too loud or doesn’t allow you to make a quick exit if need be.

According to people across the UK, there are some spots to avoid for a first-time rendezvous – McDonald’s being one of them.

Tombola asked 11,000 of their players what their idea of the worst first date is, with 20% rating the cinema as their ultimate no-go.

It makes sense given there’s no opportunity to talk to your date, or even to properly look at them in the darkness of the theatre.

Jessica Alderson, the CEO and co-founder of dating app So Syncd, commented: ‘The goal of a first date is to work out if you both feel a connection and want to continue investing time in each other, and the cinema doesn’t allow for that.’

Up next was McDonald’s, with 13% of respondents saying the fast food joint was their idea of dating hell – despite the fact 46% of us have had a date there in the past.

‘McDonald’s has a reputation for being cheap and convenient, which gives the impression that someone doesn’t care about impressing their date,’ said Jessica. ‘Not only that, but the lighting is bright, it can be noisy, and there are often kids around.

‘All of these factors aren’t conducive to a romantic atmosphere that enables you to feel a sense of intimacy.’

The ubiquitous ‘Netflix and Chill’ date ranked as fourth worst, with safety concerns around going to someone’s home playing into choices.

Visiting a restaurant appeared as the fifth worst date idea, while going to the pub took sixth. However, attending a funeral surprisingly ranked in ninth place, suggesting it is a better option.

‘Some see [a restaurant] as too intense for a first date since it can be expensive, and you are expected to sit for an extended period of time without knowing if you will get on,’ explained Jessica.

Source of data and images: metro