Survey Finds Chick-fil-A Is Playing a Big Role in American Romances—Seriously

A first date is a great chance to make a great impression—so it’s not unusual to see people splashing out on a flashy fine dining restaurant, a classy cocktail bar, or some other expensive activity that’s designed to dazzle. 

At least, that used to be the case: A new survey reveals that first date sentiments seem to be shifting. The study, done by DatingNews and Prodege, shows that 70 percent of singles would prefer to have a first date at a fast food restaurant—with Chick-fil-A being their top choice.

The Top 5 Fast Food Chains Singles Love

DatingNews surveyed 1,500 American adults between the ages of 18 and 61 who said they were single and actively dating. The results revealed that, thanks to increased prices and an uncertain economy, singles these days prefer a casual first date setting over a bank-breaking outing. “Men lead the charge on this shift,” the study notes, “with 73 percent saying they would either ask for or go to a fast-food spot on a first date.” 

For 11 years running, Chick-fil-A has come out on top of the American Consumer Satisfaction Index (ACSI) rankings, so it’s probably not surprising that it was the first choice for singles in DatingNews’s poll. One in five singles ranked it first, putting it 9 percentage points above the competition. Tied in second were Raising Cane’s and In-N-Out Burger, followed by Culver’s and Pizza Hut.

Breaking down the survey results by gender revealed some differences. The fast food restaurants women chose as their preferred first date locations closely aligned with the overall results:

• Chick-fil-A: 18 percent
• Raising Cane’s: 12 percent
• In-N-Out Burger: 11 percent
• Culver’s: 10 percent 
• Pizza Hut: 9 percent

Men, however, deviated from the national rankings:

• Chick-fil-A: 22 percent 
• In-N-Out: 11 percent 
• Raising Cane’s: 11 percent 
• McDonald’s: 9 percent
• Pizza Hut: 8 percent 

Fifty-two percent of the study’s respondents “prioritize vibes over cost when it comes to planning first dates” because they were lower-pressure than something fancier. And fast food wasn’t the only acceptable low-cost first date; other options, in order of preference, included coffee, ice cream or dessert, food truck, casual bar, or an activity like bowling, mini golf, or an arcade.

The takeaway, according to DatingNews, is that “Casual spots are no longer taboo and are just as valuable to daters in their search for love and in making first impressions.” Which is not to say everyone in the survey was on board with fast food as a first date option: Thirty-eight percent of women and 22 percent of men said fast food dates appeared low effort, while 26 percent of men and 22 percent of women said they seemed uninteresting.

“Our results show that objections lean more toward effort than tradition or etiquette, suggesting that dating comes down to perception and expectations,” DatingNews explains. “As more singles seek low-cost, low-pressure meetups, fast-food dates may become more the norm in the modern dating landscape.”

The Top First Date Fast Food Restaurant by State 

There were also deviations by region: While Chick-fil-A still came out on top in 60 percent of states, but singles in the west chose In-N-Out. In Wyoming and North Dakota, Dairy Queen was the top choice. The south went with Raising Cane’s, the midwest with Culver’s, and Alaska and Hawaii chose Pizza Hut. You can see the state-by-state breakdown below.