Get Premium
Dark mode theme is available exclusively for premium users. Learn more about the benefits of subscribing.
No fees, cancel anytime.
Dark Mode 
No fees, cancel anytime 
75 Horrible First Dates So Bad They Should Count As Character‑Building Trauma
Preparing for a first date can be nerve-wracking. You’ll want to look your best, be in a great headspace, and have plenty of conversation topics at the ready to charm your potential new partner with. But it’s important to be yourself when you meet someone new. Even if your honesty means that there won’t be a second date, at least you’ll avoid wasting any more of your time.
TikTok users have recently been sharing stories about first dates where they realized that, not only did they not want to date the person, they never even wanted to speak to them again. Below, you’ll find all the juicy details about these terrible dates, so be sure to upvote the ones that make you want to stay single forever!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
Took me to a restaurant his cousin owned, the waitress asked how his wife and new baby were doing.
RELATED:
#2
As he drove us to the restaurant he asked “why should I give you a chance to be my girl?” I got out at the stop light.
#3
Date lasted only 7 minutes. I picked her up, let her go on my phone to pick a song, and she went through my texts. I drove her back home.
#4
He called his mom to help calculate the tip 😭
#5
He wouldn't talk to me, at all. I asked multiple things and the answers i got were head shakes and "Mhm". After a while, i got tired and told him "If you don't talk to me there's no point in being here" in an awkward tone. He got up and went to the bathroom, 5 minutes later he comes back, eyes red, and tells me that what i said made him cry.
#6
Told me I was using words that were too big... I said "deliberately"... really?
#7
I told him I can’t consume dairy, because I have intolerances. He asked if that can be inherited, I said yes then he asked me how will I feed our baby then… If the baby gets my intolerance. On the first date…
Max Fox 6 hours ago
For those who actually wonder - mammals are, as a rule, lactose intolerant after they are weaned, except for the human mutants from Northern Europe and East Africa. So the fact that the OP was lactose intolerant (NOT allergic) as an adult will not affect her infant's ability to digest lactose while they (the infant) are breastfeeding.
#8
Honestly it’s petty … but he ate off my plate. He didn’t ask. He just took a tender off my plate. I was so upset I literally didn’t touch the rest of the food and never spoke again. Because who does that!?!
#9
Asked him if he was enjoying his food and he said it’s not as tasty as I’m going to be.
#10
He told me it was cute I know a lot of words but I don’t have to use all of them. I have a doctorate in linguistics and literary analysis…
Michael Largey 14 hours ago
"OK. I'll just confine myself to W*F. With you, that'll be natural."
#12
I asked him what he did for a living and he said ‘this isn’t an interview’.
#13
Not even a first date but he told me his favorite movie was fifty shades of grey. That’s no one’s favorite movie.
#14
Towards the end he said “ let’s split the bill so I know if you really like me or if this was just a free meal for you” I payed the whole bill, quietly called an uber and left him there.
#15
Rude to the waiter and ordered for me. Absolutely not 😂
Nikki Sevven 10 hours ago
Not that it's done anymore, but the man asks his date what she'd like, then orders for her. He does NOT choose what she'll eat.
#16
Took his socks off at dinner. LEFT THEM ON THE TABLE THROUGHOUT.
Nikki Sevven 10 hours ago
I would have hit the ground running the instant the first sock landed on the table.
#17
It was "cute" I ran my own business.
#18
told.me I needed to switch to dayshift because it would be my responsibility to raise our kids... 1. I dont want kids 2. it was the first date 3. when I pointed this out, he asked why I was afraid to let him love me
Michael Largey 11 hours ago (edited)
Ah, points 1 and 2 come to mind as the answer to point 3.
#19
I was talking a lot bc I was nervous and he asked “do you ever shut up?”
#20
He said he wanted a serious relationship with me.. His wife called, she was in labour.
#21
First and last blind date years ago. "I'm so glad this worked out while my wife is in Greece." (i had no idea he was married w/kids but the coworker who set us up DID).
#22
Picked me up in his Tesla and on the drive to the restaurant he put it on autopilot and turned a full 90° to talk to me with his hand under his chin.
#23
He recorded the entire date with his glasses.
#24
He told me he plans to joins the military. Ended it right there.
astheshadowsfall 8 hours ago
Fair, but there could be a healthy conversation to be had here about reasons. Pros/cons.
#25
Recently I went on a coffee date and about 15 minutes into it he said, "I can't decide if you're pretty or not."
#26
He asked me out for dinner. 4 days later asked if I could send him half the money. Boy bye.
#27
My dates profile said 5.9 when we met he was literally eye to eye 👀 with me 😭 I’m 5ft 😂
Grape Walls of Ire 5 hours ago
If I hadn't lied about my height, my wife would've never met me. On her online profile, her max height was 6'6". It's a good thing I rounded down.
#29
We didn't even get to the first date..he sent me links to Facebook posts talking about how he hopes i don't break his heart and how hard it is to love him.
#30
I was like “I’m setting boundaries” and he has the audacity to go “ I don’t really like boundaries”.
#31
He asked what my hobbies were. I said I liked to crochet. He proceeded to call crocheting “super lame”. He didnt have any hobbies himself.
#32
twenty minutes into a date asked me "why do you smile so much?" in a near disgusted tone. It was in fact because the weather was nice, and I try to enjoy my life. hard to imagine somehow.
Michael Largey 11 hours ago
If you're with someone like that, any smiling at all is questionable,
#33
My sister invited me & the guy I was seeing at the time to dinner. After we all eat he tells my sister “I’m not paying for you”. SHE invited US out???? In what world omg.
Ervin Conn 12 hours ago
Tact would have been saying "I have not been in the situation before. How do we work the bill?" That would have let the sister make the call. If she would have said he was paying then suck it up, pay the bill, and move on. No need to be rude about it.
#34
He made me pay him back for half the meal, only after I said I wasn’t interested in seeing him again.
#35
he complained about money as we were ordering food so I only ordered fries. he ordered a bunch of food. after we ate he told me I had to pay him back for the fries.
#36
He told me I was the 1st he’d never gotten flowers for…
#37
we hugged after the date and he said (very serious): "I know you wouldn't have been able to sleep without a hug from me".
#38
Busy bar. He was drunk when I turned up. After 10mins he got down on one knee and proposed. The whole bar went silent and looked at us. I wanted to just cry and run.
#39
He told me I was lying about where I grew up and that no such place existed…I told him I grew up in Montana…
#40
He told me he didn’t eat vegetables! Like ever! He said he didn’t like them so he didn’t eat vegetables at all!
Grape Walls of Ire 5 hours ago
I know people like that. They often eat fruit though, and other healthy foods. If he's not like that, I feel terrible for his colon.
#41
Dude brought a clown nose and asked me to honk it.
#42
Told me 30 minutes in that he doesn’t believe birds are real.
#43
He kept referring to himself in the 3rd person.
#44
Told him i liked to read on the beach, and then proceeded to tell me I was boring.
CommunityMember 10 hours ago
I had someone tell me I lead a very boring life. Then added you are not boring . Your life is. W*F.
#46
He said: "I love you, say it back even if you don't mean it." When i did, he said :"I feel like you don't even mean it." and got mad.
#47
On the first date he tried to Amazon ship semolina flour to my house so he would have a reason to come over and cook for me. I was like “why can’t you order it to your house and bring it” and he got super upset about it ⁉️
#50
This guy spent 15 mins talking about his stools and where they rated on the bristol stool chart.
#51
After I said anything about myself he’d reply with “do you think you’re better than me”
#52
he went on about how he hated big cars and trucks after watching me get out of my tahoe…. then proceeded to ask if he could drive my car…. and was upset when i said i don’t let other ppl drive my car.
#54
He got mad I didn’t know the beef between drake and Kendrick.
Michael Largey 11 hours ago
Between who and who? (Strictly rhetorical question here. No answer sought or wanted.)
#55
I asked what he liked to do for fun and he genuinely said “I hate small talk… let’s talk about aliens or the meaning of life” …. Like dude I just want to know if we have overlapping hobbies.
#56
He ordered and made me try escargot.
#57
Stopped responding to me the entire week before planned date so I assumed he didn’t want to go out so I minded my own business then 4 hours after the date was suppose to happen he texted me “you stood me up” noo I texted you once a day every day up until the date and was left on read so I assumed you were not interested.
#58
He said ‘I’ve complimented you, now tell me some nice things about me ‘😏
Michael Largey 14 hours ago
"Well, you seem to embrace your shortcomings easily enough, so there's that."
#59
I asked him if he was going to ask me what I do for work next, he responded "it wouldn't matter".
Flat_Alien 26 minutes ago (edited)
How can you not be interested in what your partner does with bigger part of a lifetime??? Do you even care to get to know each other?
#60
On the date the guy was cleaning his nails with his fork while we are eating dinner
Grape Walls of Ire 5 hours ago
Could be a nervous habit he's not even conscious of. Or he's just gross.
#61
He talked about ants the whole date. THE WHOLE DATE.
#62
I waited for him in a book store before our first date and ended up buying a book and he said that was weird.
Nikki Sevven 10 hours ago
Go to a book store and—gasp—buy a book?! Unheard of. Go to a book store and buy a stack of books? Yep.
#63
I mentioned I spoke Russian and he asked to hear some of it so I did. In response he said “do you always show off on first dates?”
Michael Largey 11 hours ago
Reply: "Well, with someone like you, it's not as if there will be a second opportunity to do so."
#64
He told me on the date he was married, in an open relationship and had a child. No thank you.
#65
Said I don’t do kisses on the first date and he proceeded to say ‘I’ll be the exception”, leaned I and I step to the left.
#66
They randomly brought an ex they were still friends with. I arrived and they were both sitting at the booth. I “went to get something from my car” and didn’t come back.
#67
Asked me if I was on the pill 10 minutes into the date….. I walked out
#69
He said he wrote me a poem. It was our first date. And even cringier…he said it was suppose to be a song but he forgot his guitar.
#72
He asked me what i majored in and I told him psychology he told me he always wanted to read people's minds.
Michael Largey 14 hours ago
Tell him to take all the courses twice. Then he'll have a para psychology degrees.
#73
Just randomly said " by the way my friends call me a walking red flag" then started laughing.
#74
We watched a movie at his house…you know what he picked? CARS! Like KACHOW Lightning McQueen Cars….and then proceeded to recite every single Mater part with enthusiasm.
What do you think ?
Kathrin Pukowsky 6 hours ago (edited)
Dear whoever decides the title of an article, could we please not imply that trauma builds character? I know the title needs to generate engagement, but language is a powerful tool that should be wielded responsibly. "Yeah, his dad beat him with a belt over the slightest mistake, but it's okay, that builds character" is not a narrative to propagate in this day and age. Far more harmful in the long run than swearing in the comments.
Chich the witch 9 hours ago
Guessing someone at BP had a rough time. This is not the first 'bad date' themed thread this week.
Ava Shores 8 hours ago
The most important thing to focus on before a first date is safety. Meet in a public place, tell others where you’ll be and who you’ll be with, and have an exit strategy already in mind.
Ace 2 hours ago
Maybe in your world, but if one was really thinking like that all the time then one would absolutely not be relaxed and able to enjoy the date. Sounds like you need a pre-date meeting .
Load More Replies... Kathrin Pukowsky 6 hours ago (edited)
Dear whoever decides the title of an article, could we please not imply that trauma builds character? I know the title needs to generate engagement, but language is a powerful tool that should be wielded responsibly. "Yeah, his dad beat him with a belt over the slightest mistake, but it's okay, that builds character" is not a narrative to propagate in this day and age. Far more harmful in the long run than swearing in the comments.
Chich the witch 9 hours ago
Guessing someone at BP had a rough time. This is not the first 'bad date' themed thread this week.
Ava Shores 8 hours ago
The most important thing to focus on before a first date is safety. Meet in a public place, tell others where you’ll be and who you’ll be with, and have an exit strategy already in mind.
Ace 2 hours ago
Maybe in your world, but if one was really thinking like that all the time then one would absolutely not be relaxed and able to enjoy the date. Sounds like you need a pre-date meeting .
Load More Replies...
Related on Bored Panda
