By Judy Dutton for Match.com
Valentine’s Day is nearly upon us: When couples everywhere amble into romantic restaurants, make goo-goo eyes at each other over candlelight, and celebrate just how enraptured they are with each other. But let’s take a closer look: where are people actually going, and how much do they plan to pay? Are they extending the invitation to partners they’ve just met or reserving the privilege for serious sweethearts only?
For the answers to these and other questions, we turned to Zagat who, as a leader in the area of restaurant reviews, knows exactly what couples are doing that night. Here, we bring you some fun, fascinating insights culled from their survey of 1,500 people, that may help you decide what to do.
1. Only 26 per cent declared themselves to be unabashed fans of Valentine’s Day. 39 per cent see it as “amateur hour,” and a full 20 per cent think it should be abolished. 16 per cent shrug it off as just another day.
2. These days, the man isn’t necessarily footing the bill. 57 per cent of women and 46 per cent of men believe, “Whoever did the inviting should treat.”
3. People plan to cough up an average of about $100 per person on V-Day dinner, with under-35s spending the least (about $92) and 35–49ers the most (about $109).
4. French is considered the most romantic cuisine, followed by Italian (22 per cent). Fondue, tapas and anything “you can share” or “eat with your hands” earned honourable mentions.
5. 43 per cent think V-Day dinner reservations should be made three or more weeks in advance, with another 30 per cent thinking one or two weeks ahead of time is fine. Those who like to live dangerously (three per cent) leave it until the day before, while seven per cent would take their chances and just walk in.
6. What makes a restaurant romantic? A quiet atmosphere (cited by 64 per cent), soft lighting (53 per cent) and beautiful views (37 per cent). Other desirables: attentive service, ample space between tables and a sense of privacy.
7. Wine (with 51 per cent of the vote) beats champagne (24 per cent) and other libations as the preferred alcoholic aphrodisiac.
8. 39 per cent of men and 28 per cent of women would actually prefer to cook a nice meal at home. 19 per cent of women and nine per cent of men would find it especially romantic if their date cooked the meal for them.
9. A courageous 13 per cent of respondents would celebrate Valentine’s Day with a person they just met. 74 per cent need to rack up three or more dates with someone before they feel confident enough to spend the evening together.
10. In the lead-up to Valentine’s Day, Match.com data shows there’s a 25 per cent increase in activity on the site in Australia – a quarter more people are interesting in dating!
About Match.com
Throughout its nearly 15-year history, Match.com has helped redefine the way people meet and fall in love. Match.com continues to lead this exciting and evolving category, now operating in 24 countries and eight languages spanning five continents. Match.com Australia has 1.6 million members. For more information, visit www.match.com.
More Rescu. Valentine’s Day articles:
1. Valentine’s Day Gift Guide
2. Find Your Scent For Valentine’s
3. Valentine’s Day Rose Fragnances
4. Valentine’s Day Fashion Classics
