Avoid Getting Stood Up On A First Date

Posted on July 1, 2010 by James W

It’s 2:20, and you’ve been waiting at the Starbuck’s door for 20 long minutes, watching people come and go. It seems obvious at this point that your date won’t show. All that work for nothing, you think, and you prepare to head home, frustrated and depressed. What could have gone wrong? About 101 things. Here are a few things to do to increase the chances that your date will find the coffee shop and show up for the date.

First, it’s a good idea to repeat the time and location at the end of the call. “So, I’ll see you Sunday morning at 10:00 at the college bookstore Starbuck’s.”
Make sure your date knows exactly where it is. The best way to do this is to pick a location that can’t be missed. Giving directions is a little too nice and sends the wrong message. Before you call, research locations that even people new to your city could find easily. Using landmarks can be helpful, i.e., “It’s the Coffee Bean across the street from the park with Bermuda grass.”
And not only should you pick a place that’s easy to find, you should pick a place that’s close to where your date lives or works, depending on what day the date is scheduled. A good way to ascertain this during the phone call is simply to say, “I live in Allston. What part of town do you live in?” If the location is easy to find and close to where she lives, there’s a much better chance that she won’t get lost.
Also, most people don’t want to travel too far just for a coffee date, with a person he may or may not click with. You’ll get stood up more often if your date has to come a long way as opposed to walking a few blocks.