LONDON – With Valentine’s Day just around the corner, research by Costa has revealed that over a third of dating Brits are ditching the traditional bar meet-ups with potential love interests. In fact, according to the research revealed yesterday, over a fifth (21%) of Brits believe the best place to bag Mr or Mrs Right is a coffee shop and over a third (36%) would prefer to go to a coffee shop for a first date.
As well as Brits choosing to get frothy over a Cappuccino rather than a Cosmo, a staggering 80% of dating Brits would now either expect to pay on a first date, or split the tab, although over three quarters of men (83%) still believe they should pick up the bill.
The recession has also impacted spending habits on dates, with over a fifth of men and women (22%) admitting to spending less because money is tight.
Research also uncovered thatLondoners are the biggest daters, with nearly half (41%) going on a date at least once a week, in comparison to just under a quarter of people (21%) in the South East.
Moreover, the research findings suggest that romance may be falling by the wayside as one in ten over 55s admit to never paying their partner a compliment, whilst more than half of 18 – 24 years claim to compliment their partner daily. Kevin Hydes, UK Retail Marketing Director from Costa said: “We’d firstly like to offer our congratulations to Ian and Sarah! We were really touched to hear how they shared one of their first dates in Costa, not to mention asking us to help them create their dream wedding cake inspired by our very own Raspberry and Almond Bake.
“We weren’t surprised to hear that more people are choosing to meet potential love interests in a coffee shop. At Costa, we ensure customers have the best experience possible; our stores offer a relaxed and friendly environment, perfect for a first date!”
Sorce: Costa Coffee
