We’ve all been there when you are on a date and immediately realize it was a mistake. No one likes getting all dressed up and anticipating a great connection to end up with someone who is a totally bad fit for you. And there’s nothing worse than a date like this dragging on in torturous agony for hours on end. It can also feel even worse if your date realizes that you are not enjoying yourself. The next course of action is to devise a plan to get out of there, and fast –with as little emotional collateral damage as possible. If you have made this mistake of letting a bad date go on too long – or you’re currently devising that plan of escape, here are 6 tips on how to escape a bad date early.
Text a friend to call with an “emergency”
This is an oldie but goodie, and can be a quick and easy way to escape. Have a friend time their text to save you with an emergency you can only help with by leaving.
There’s an app for that!
If no one is responding to your plea for a fake emergency, you can download the app Bad Date Rescue. It will call you with a programmed, and well-time emergency to give you the perfect reason to dash.
Tell them the food is not sitting well with you
Nobody wants to deal with a first date with an upset stomach, so saying the food made you sick is a fool proof hack. And by food, we mean appetizer, because if you’ve reached the main course portion of the date, it may be too late!
Proactively reschedule the date to be short
So that you don’t have to find a way out of it if it goes bad, plan the date to be short from the get-go. If you find that you like them and there’s something worth exploring, you can always extend the date.
Have a friend crash the date
Now this might be on the dramatic side, but no one likes a third wheel. If your friend crashes your evening, your less-than-desirable will likely be just as ready to conclude the date as you are.
Just tell the truth
If coming up with wild antics to escape your date just isn’t your style, you can always go the way of the truth and just be honest. Be upfront about how you feel the date is going, and let them know you think they may be better off as friends. This will save you energy, and can save their feelings. And honestly it may be a relief for them, as they may have not been enjoying themselves either. Most connections are mutual, so if you’re not feeling it, you could be doing both of you a favor by being honest.
