CHICAGO--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Groupon, which recently launched Groupon+ (Groupon Plus) voucherless, cash-back restaurant deals perfect for daters, asked 2,000 U.S. adults about the latest dating trends, including when is it most acceptable to make a move, ideal first date ideas, bad date horror stories, best time to follow up after a date, when is the right time to start a relationship and what it takes to find relationship success.
According to the results, the three-date rule is becoming a thing of the past with most people waiting an average of eight dates before they have sex, with women waiting nine compared to five for men. And while men were nine times more likely to be ok with sleeping together on the first date, just 30 percent of men and 8 percent of women think sex should happen inside the first three dates.
“Whether you’re single or in a relationship, fall is a great time for people to head out on dates and take their romantic game to the next level,” said Guido Torrini, VP and GM, Groupon+. “People aiming for a relationship like to take their time to go on a number of dates and build a connection, which is why picking the right type of activity is an important consideration in the date planning process.”
Dinner at a restaurant was the overwhelming choice (74 percent) for a perfect first date activity followed by going to see a movie, having a drink at a bar, getting coffee or experiencing the outdoors. Thirty-three percent of people admitted to “pregaming” with one or more alcoholic drinks to ease the nerves before a date. Nearly 80 percent of people would use a discount on a date, and almost half of those who said no would change their mind if they could do so discreetly.
The survey, conducted by market researchers OnePoll and commissioned by Groupon, also asked people about some of their worst dates and found that nearly one-third of those polled had someone try to eat off their plate, drink from their glass or tell them what to order. Another one-third said that they’ve needed to get out of a bad date. The most commonly used excuses were pretending to be ill, acting tired, having a friend call or text, lying about having plans afterwards and faking a phone call. One out of seven people have even escaped a date by pretending to go to the bathroom and never returning.
After a date, people typically wait about three days before texting or calling the other person. Women on average wait a full day longer than men to text or call the other person (three days vs. two days) with Millennials identifying themselves as the most eager age group––reaching out within two days.
When it comes to starting a relationship, Millennials are also more likely (52 percent) to have dated someone they met online vs. 34 percent of Gen Xers and only 18 percent of Baby Boomers. Respondents also indicated that it takes an average of five dates before deciding to exclusively date one specific person. Nearly half of those surveyed said they’ve dated more than one person at a time and more than 20 percent said they’ve dated three or more at once.
Monthly Targets to Ensure a Successful Relationship
5 x random compliments
3 x heart to hearts
3 x days out
2 x occasions of spending time with partner’s friends/family
2 x meals in a restaurant
2 x order in food
1 x surprise gift
1 x trip to the movies
The 23 U.S. markets where Groupon+ is live include: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Boston, Washington, D.C., San Jose, Atlanta, Houston, Seattle, Phoenix, Tampa, Minneapolis, Miami, Denver, San Diego, Las Vegas, Austin, Newark, N.J., Long Island, N.Y. and Orange County, Calif.
About Groupon
Groupon (NASDAQ: GRPN) is building the daily habit in local commerce, offering a vast mobile and online marketplace where people discover and save on amazing things to do, see, eat and buy. By enabling real-time commerce across local businesses, travel destinations, consumer products and live events, shoppers can find the best a city has to offer.
Groupon is redefining how small businesses attract and retain customers by providing them with customizable and scalable marketing tools and services to profitably grow their businesses.
To download Groupon's top-rated mobile apps, visit www.groupon.com/mobile. To search for great deals or subscribe to Groupon emails, visit www.groupon.com. To learn more about the company’s merchant solutions and how to work with Groupon, visit www.groupon.com/merchant.
"Groupon" and “Groupon+” are trademarks of Groupon, Inc. All other names used may be trademarks owned by their respective holders.
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