Dawn dating: The new trend that sees single people going on morning dates

Half of single people have been on a morning date, or would like to go on one, new data suggests

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Attention single people: there’s a new dating trend on the horizon.

Thankfully, this one has nothing to do with ghosting, breadcrumbing, or any of the other cruel behaviours that have emerged as trends on dating apps in the past.

Introducing “dawn dating”, which, as its name would suggest, refers to the act of going on a date in the morning.

It might not sound like the most romantic time to meet a potential new flame – tired eyes and caffeine-deprivation is hardly a recipe for love – and yet, data suggests that more than half (51 per cent) of single people have been on a morning date recently, or would like to do so.

According to dating app Badoo, which surveyed 1,000 of its users, 71 per cent of single people would be impressed if someone asked them to go on a date in the morning.

As for reasons why this new time for dating is becoming increasingly popular, Badoo found that 43 per cent of people enjoy the fact there’s no expectation to drink alcohol on the date, while 35 per cent simply think it’s a nice way to start the day.

Meanwhile, 34 per cent said they’d prefer a morning date because they feel fresher and more energised at the time, while a third favoured it because they didn’t feel like they had to sacrifice their social life to go on the date, or cancel evening plans with friends.

Others argued that morning dating made the meeting more interesting, while 35 per cent said they felt more confident and 37 per cent felt like they got to know their date on a deeper level.

Eva, 26, who swears by morning dates, said someone she was chatting to suggested meeting before work one Friday.

“At first I found the idea a little daunting, though it was clear he was into me if he wanted to see me first thing,” she said.

“I said yes and we ended up having a really nice time. We met at about 8am for a coffee and a quick walk around our local park. We chatted as we would on an evening date, but it just felt so relaxed, and it was nice to know that alcohol wasn’t clouding any impression I’d get of him.”

Natasha Briefel, marketing director at Badoo UK, commented that the trend marks a major shift in the contemporary dating landscape.

“For a long time, dates have been reserved for the evening, but we’re seeing a real shift in how we date now, and ‘dawn dating’ looks to be the latest way singletons are making connections,” she said.

“We believe dating should be exciting, and about having fun, and what better way to do that than switching up your dating routine. So whoever you’re chatting to at the moment, try suggesting your next date be a morning one - whether it’s before work to grab a coffee, a walk first thing on a Saturday, or kicking off your Sunday with a yoga class together. You’ll wonder why ‘dawn dating’ wasn’t part of your routine before.”