Evening, gents, it’s Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide here! First of all, I want to sincerely apologize for not having anything up on here or any of our social media for the last few weeks. I just started a new semester at San Francisco State, and I’ve been trying to adjust to my new schedule. But now that I’m settled in, I should be back to my regular posting schedule soon, though the schedule may have to change up a little bit. In any case, today’s article is inspired by The Art of Manliness. There’s an entire section in the Art of Manliness book my godmother gave me that’s all about the best way for you to conduct yourself on a dinner date, so today, I’ll be listing some ways to make that special dinner date all the more special!

Disclaimer: Most of what I’m about to say is almost entirely accredited to The Art of Manliness, and I do not intend to claim credit for any of it. If you’d like to read their original piece about this, you can find it right here.

1. She goes first

The most important thing to remember is something to keep in mind before you even get to the restaurant, and that’s that the woman goes first. She’s the first to get in the car and the first to enter the restaurant, since you’ll be holding the door for her in both situations. She’s the first to take her coat off and sit down at the table since you’ll be helping there as well. She’s also the first to look at the wine list and the first to order her food when the time comes. However, there is an exception to this, and that’s when you’re sharing some dishes that the both of you agreed on. In that case, it’s your job to order for the both of you. She also picks up the first piece of the appetizer and is the first to take a bite of the main course. Men by nature are selfish and impatient. As Mr. McKay puts in his article, “We’re used to fighting for that slice of pizza or the last beer amongst our equally selfish man friends.” But tonight, your date is your top priority, not your food.

2. Slow down

For the most part, men tend to eat faster than women, but here’s the catch: there’s no reason to rush it! Slow down, take smaller bites, don’t shovel the food into your mouth like an animal. How can you expect to hold a conversation with a mouthful of food? Which leads very nicely to our next point.

3. Pay attention to her!

This should just go without saying. You’re going on this date to connect with your date, so how can you expect to have a conversation with her if you’re shoving food in your mouth or keeping your face glued to your phone? She might be quite interesting, which is most likely the reason you’re out on the date in the first place. So if you just take that little extra effort to pay attention to her, you might learn something even more interesting about her!

4. Keep drinks to a minimum

This really only applies to those of you who are twenty-one or over, but nonetheless, it’s still something important to keep in mind. It’s perfectly fine to enjoy a glass of wine or a cocktail during your meal, but you should generally refrain from having any more than two drinks. One of you will have to drive home.

5. In regards to payment…

To put it bluntly, you’re covering everything. The check, the tip, and everything else.

So there it is! Just remember these very simple things, and I’m sure your next dinner date will go swimmingly! While you should still obviously keep in mind general dining etiquette, these things are special things to keep in mind specifically for those special nights out with your special lady. Also, one last apology for not putting up anything for such a long time, we should be back to our regular posting schedule soon. In any case, I hope you enjoyed reading today’s article. Please be sure to share the article, follow the blog, follow The Young Gentleman’s Guide on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and support us on Patreon. And on that note, this is Max from The Young Gentleman’s Guide, and I’ll see you next time!