What do you order for dinner on a first date?

I order a salad every time we go out and I’ve been with my husband for 6 years. I’d order a salad. If he doesn’t like it, too bad. Be considerate if your date is paying, but order what you like. Why censor your eating habits?

go with pasta. it’s the safest. order the chicken parmesan because it can be switched out for veal or eggplant depending on what the “girl” likes you know? a nice house wine is safe. feel the date out for the carafe…

I would always (a) take my cue from my date (such as on whether to order wine) and (b) stick with something moderate that I knew for sure I would like. I wouldn’t want to either strain my date’s budget or imply that I thought he was impecunious or cheap. And I wouldn’t want to have to answer negatively when he asked how I liked it or feel like a fool for choosing something I couldn’t handle.

The exception would be when a date insists on taking you to experience a type of cuisine that’s really unfamiliar to you. That’s when I would let him know what my own limitations are (nothing too spicy for me, and no heads or tentacles, thanks) and let him order for both of us.

Well, if your are going to start with honesty than by all means order what you can eat, what if you have allergies to certain foods and to avoid them and to not get to expensive you only the salad than you a both cheating yourself of a pleasant meal and your are cheating yourself of a possible great relationship whether it only stays friendly. Be honest, but mostly to yourself.

Definitely avoid saucy food—(barbque, spaghetti, chili or anything that will drip). But also go with your gut instinct. Order a meal that is reasonably priced, depending on the restaurant he takes you to. As far as the wine, YES, order it. Don’t be pretentious. If you imbibe, you imbibe. If your date doesn’t or don’t approve, its best that you find out now rather than later on in the relationship.

1)
Nothing messy like lobster or crab or half a chicken.

2)
If you normally like a glass of wine with dinner, then say, “I’d like to order a glass of wine, how about you?” If your views on that differ greatly, I wouldn’t be too worried about a second date.

3)
And since I’m usually footing the bill, whether it’s the neighborhood taco stand or Charlie Trotter’s, I only pick a place where I can say “Order whatever you want, it’s date night!”

Champagne, oysters and green M&Ms.

Order anything that can be eaten easily with a knife and fork. Avoid onions and garlic.
If the wine is very important to you then do it.
I really don’t care much for beer or wine so if my date didn’t drink I wouldn’t either.

@mrentropy

LOL

I’d go with an appetizer or soup & salad of some type.
But I am not a big dinner kinda person.

By all means have wine! lol

Order away especially if you were asked out! No guy in his right mind would as a babe on a date with out a way to cover the cost of the date. If he is into you, he has budgeted for you and then some so go have a great time!!

Who asked for the date and who suggested the choice of restaurant? Do you know which of you is paying or anything about his eating preferences? Are you two splitting the bill? Usually whoever asks for the date and suggests the place also pays for the meal. The choice of where they suggest gives you an idea of what they like to eat and that they think you will enjoy it also. Obviously you don’t go to a surf & turf restaurant to order a salad or chicken pasta, that kind of thing.

I wasn’t asking for advice, I was asking because I’m curious what all of you guys do!

Personally, if I’m not too hungry, I’ll order a salad, maybe with chicken and share an appetizer with my date. If I’m eating unfamiliar foods, I tell them what I will and won’t eat and let them make suggestions. Under other circumstances, I will ask what he is ordering and find something similar, or ask if he would like to share :)

@Samantha_Rae

And remember…dating observation # 1

Watch how your date treats the waiter/waitress ;-)

@Coloma : great call!!! there are so many things to take into consideration and remember when dating… thank you!

@Samantha_Rae
Yes, there are, dating can be exhausting. lol

Yep, I once had a guy tell me what to order, what to drink and he then, at one point when I excused myself to use the restroom. told me to fix my hair!

1st & last date…can you spell C-O-N-T-R-O-L F-R-E-A-K? haha

I haven’t had a first date in three years, but I’d order whatever I’d normally order. Usually fish.

@Coloma : that’s crazyyyy!!! I would have asked if it was okay to go to the bathroom while laughing at him haha

I order a steak, not the priciest one, but I think a man, in his heart of hearts, really likes a meat eating woman. :-) Unless he’s a vegetarian or a vegan and then the meat eating really wouldn’t be that endearing.

Black caviar, vintage champagne.

If it’s an American seafood specializing restaurant then I’ll order something with shrimp, usually lots of choices. If a meat house then I’ll order a beef steak, my favorite being a filet but if that’s the priciest cut on the menu then I’ll find one a bit less unless my date insists. With ethnic foods then my dates and I have usually ordered a few things to share. If my date is paying then I don’t order a cocktail unless I know they also drink and have offered one to me. I’ve never been on a date where the man didn’t usually insist on taking care of the tab and encouraging me to order anything I wanted off the menu.

Oysters, spicy chicken wings, shots of tequila and dark chocolate mousse for dessert.

Well, maybe both parties could honestly talk about the menue and choose accordingly.

dont do garlic and dont do spicy. It makes the meal more of a pain and less attractive to the other party. Unless they are into that type of thing haha

http://www.leftos.com/ratman84

@kirkratliff What is it that you wanted to share in leftos?

There was a similar question asked on the site. This link had some pretty helpful tips on what to cook and eat on a date: http://www.leftos.com/forum/view/816