In case you’ve managed to bypass the hundreds of thousands of Valentine’s Day marketing emails, Cupid’s day of love is tomorrow, with research from restaurant reservation site OpenTable saying more than 46% of Aussies are planning to spend February 14 out for dinner with their lover. (If you’re in need of any last-minute recommendations, check out the best Valentine's Day dinners in Sydney here, and if they’re fully booked out, check out our guide to Sydney’s most romantic Sydney restaurants and bars here.)
OpenTable conducted Very Important Research to uncover the top date night vibe killers – and what you and your hot date should avoid if you’re keen for the mood to stay fun and flirty, as opposed to a big ol’ flop. So whether you're heading out to flash Bennelong, pasta-heaven Pellegrino 2000 or neighbourhood spot Jane, read this first.
Unsurprisingly – or perhaps not, depending on how you flow – the top date night killer was bloating, with a whopping 64 per cent of Aussies admitting to ending a date early if they were feeling more gas than yas vibes. And in more deflating news, 46 per cent of Aussies said they would avoid bedroom shenanigans if they were feeling bloated. So, be sure to drink enough water, perhaps skip the full degustation, and avoid chewing gum.
Having an argument mid date is another top date night dampener (42 per cent) as well as being rude to waitstaff (40 per cent, and we strongly agree), as well as using an ex’s name mid date (now’s not the time to deep-dive on what you think may have gone wrong).
Other reasons a night goes from “let’s get married” to “see you never” were seeing their partner flirting with someone else (36 per cent) and making no effort with their appearance (29 per cent).
So, if you’re heading out in Sydney Town tomorrow night, we hope you manage to come out on top like Travis Kelce. And if you keep these don’ts in mind, and just be your shiny wonderful self, we reckon you’re three quarters of the way there. And if not, there’s always next year.