9% of Americans Do This to Impress a New Date

Jul 28, 2026 | 0 comments

There are countless reasons to order takeout, and some may say they need no reason at all. But CivicScience data show that the top two reasons Americans order takeout from their favorite local spot are having a stressful day at work (28%) or simply because it’s Friday (27%). Beyond these motivations, 16% say they order after buying about $150 worth of groceries. And while the minority, a bold 9%, say they do it to try to impress someone they’ve just started dating.

Women lead with ordering due to a stressful day at work (31% vs 24%), as do Gen X consumers. Men, on the other hand, slightly outpace women in their desire to order takeout to impress a new beau (10% vs 8%), while Gen Z leads all other age groups in ordering takeout to impress a date by at least 8 percentage points.

Income also plays a role, as those who earn more than $50K annually are more likely to order after a stressful workday than those who earn less than $50K annually. Interestingly, those who make less than $50K and those who make more than $100K annually are equally as likely to order takeout to impress a new date (11%).

Of course, this data is only part of the story. Here’s what sets those who order takeout to impress a date apart from everyone else:

Public Transportation Use: Those who order takeout to impress someone they’re dating are the most likely to use public transportation 1-2 times per week, outpacing those who order takeout after a big grocery haul by 12 percentage points (39% vs 27%).

Time in the Car: While 31% of those who order takeout to impress someone they’re dating say they spend 2-4 hours in their car, just 15% of those who order takeout after having a stressful day at work say the same.

Splurging Trends: Those who order takeout to impress someone they’re dating are nearly twice as likely to splurge on experiences as those who order takeout because it’s Friday (61% vs 35%).

Communication Style: While 31% of those who order takeout to impress someone they’re dating say they communicate most with friends and family via phone calls, just 20% of those who order takeout after bringing home a big grocery haul say the same.

Movie Theater Trends: Those who order takeout to impress a date are frequent moviegoers, with 27% indicating they go once a month or more, compared to 8% of those who order takeout after a stressful day at work who see movies at the same cadence.

Digital News: While 22% of those who order takeout in an attempt to impress a new beau say they read digital content on a local newspaper’s website or app daily, just 13% of those who order takeout after bringing home $150 worth of groceries say the same.

Where do you stand? Take this poll now and see how your preference compares with other Americans:

Clearly, the urge to order takeout to impress a new date is more than just a dating quirk. It’s a choice that reveals a plethora of other consumer insights in all areas of your life.

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This article’s data comes solely from CivicScience’s database, which contains nearly 700,000 poll questions and 5 billion consumer insights.

9% of Americans Do This to Impress a New Date

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