Women Want Equality -- Just Not When It Comes To First Dates, Says It's Just Lunch Survey

In the classic dating dilemma of check splitting, women still want the scales to tip in their favor. The survey showed that 58 percent of female respondents think their dates earn "bonus points" if they offer to pay for the date, while less than one percent insist on picking up the bill themselves; and, only 8 percent intend to pay for the next date. On the flip side, only 16 percent of males think that their female dates earn bonus points for picking up the tab.

"One would think that attitudes would have changed at this point, but women still want to be paid for, and men still want to be the ones to pay," said Melissa Brown, CEO of It's Just Lunch. "Women are fighting every day for equality, yet they still insist that their dates pick up the tab. It's really a jarring contrast."

Furthering the traditional dating mindset, the survey found that nearly 44 percent of females said they wait for their male counterpart to contact them for a second date, while one in three males said they contact them that same night.

"If you like someone, and if you think the first date was a success, then why wait?" continues Brown. "These days, people are flooded with so much online and offline content that they become inundated with choices – we call this 'analysis paralysis.' We like to encourage our members to take the leap when it feels right – stop overthinking, take charge of your love life, and open yourself up to a new connection. But if you choose to wait for him to call or text, then it's best to move on after two or three days."

The survey also showed traditional trends in what each gender notices in the first moments of a date. Nearly 42 percent of females first notice their date's smile, and 22 percent notice their physique and eyes, respectively. However, in what seems to be a break from conventional wisdom, less than two percent of women reported that they first notice their date's hair. Conversely, 30 percent of men first notice their date's smile, and 47 percent notice their physique.

About It's Just Lunch
It's Just Lunch is a personalized dating service for busy professionals. The company has coordinated over two million dates for clients since opening in 1991. IJL minimizes the stress and maximizes the efficiency of dating by sending people on casual, no-pressure dates over lunch, brunch or drinks after work. IJL's team of dating specialists, not a computer, perform the matchmaking. The company matches singles in over 150 cities worldwide.  

SOURCE It’s Just Lunch