There is that one awful date that still gives you anxiety, shame, bitterness, or a feeling of being used whenever you think about it. You are not alone, people the world over share in that experience as bad dates are a universal language that all adults speak.
Take your time to read these 40+ stories that talk about the worst dates people have experienced. Shock factor guaranteed.
1. Hunted
I got to know a nice girl on a dating site for a few weeks before we decided to meet up for a hiking date. She only wanted to communicate through email or the dating site -which I thought was odd but just went with it.
Thirty minutes into our date I found out why. She's married and her husband is a jealous man gun collecting hunter type who she's thinking about leaving. For ninety minutes I felt like a deer during hunting season on that hike. With every bush movement and twig snap, I was sure it was him.
I blame her for not coming clean beforehand.
WolfTiket
2. Not My Pizza
This woman seemed cool. We were both 25, she'd just finished her master's and was job hunting. She was fit, witty, and had piercings. I was a fan.
When we met the fit was apparently 5 years prior, but she was "trying to get back to her normal weight" and so thought it appropriate to use the older photos. I'm talking a 70-85lb difference from photo to reality. I'm a pretty fit guy and have always been fairly health conscious so this doesn't appeal to me, but we can be friends.
She's witty though, so we talk. Where's the wit? I tossed her a couple of verbal jousts and there was no comeback. Turns out her roommate had been helping her reply to messages. That's cool, I can be friends with nice people who aren't witty.
Okay, well her nose ring is a weirdly shiny wart that she tries to pass off as a nose ring because she's embarrassed by it. All of this isn't the worst part though. We were out for dinner and went to a decent gourmet pizza joint.
Low lights, thin crusts, and wine. Without asking, she reaches over and starts picking the toppings of my pizza. Pardon me, but keep your hands off my prosciutto! It was unforgivable.
Finest_Redditor
3. A Nightmare
I started talking to a guy. He was nice and had a few pictures up. Not overly handsome, but very nice and that goes a long way in my book. We agreed to a date and since he lived by the restaurant we were headed to, I agreed to meet him at his place.
I get there and he steps outside and smiles revealing that he has absolutely no teeth in his mouth. Okay, he still was a nice guy and I am not going to be a bad company.
He asks if I want to come in while he finishes getting ready. I walk into a nightmare. Everything was covered in at least an inch of dust and grime. The floors were disgusting and covered in dirt and garbage.
There is trash covering almost all of the surfaces I see and the smell of cat urine is almost unbearable. He doesn't even bat an eye. Asks me if I'd like to have a seat (on his couch that was at one point a light color, but had become a brownish-grey from the years of filth build-up and cigarette smoke) I say no thanks, I'll just stand.
He excuses himself to go finish getting ready. I texted my friend and told her to call me right away with a story about car trouble.5 minutes later I was out the door. I know I could have been honest and told him his house was gross enough to make me want to scrub myself down with bleach, using steel wool, but I was a coward.
Deleted my profile that night and have never tried online dating again.
Katej131
4. Inviting A Thief
An ex-roommate of mine was from Angola, Africa, and had zero luck with the ladies. He was 23 or 24 and met an 18-year-old on a christian datig site . One day, he brings her over, and she looks like a worn-out truck stop hooker, despite her age, and it was immediately recognizable that she was on something (found out it was Xanax bars) in the first few minutes of meeting the girl.
She spoke very and I doubt there was an ounce of intelligence in her entire body. After seeing her a few times, we (the other roommates and I) started noticing a lot of stuff going missing. She wasn't welcome over after that.
Im_Captain_Jack
5. The Boss’s Daughter
So I'm currently in the military overseas and I got bored one day so I got on a dating site thinking, you know what why not look for a date? So I'm on the site just messaging a few random girls and start talking to this girl who seemed pretty nice.
Well, we hit it off and decided to grab dinner one day. During the dinner I not only found out she only just turned 20 (which isn't that big of a deal) but she was also the daughter of one of the Chiefs on my ship.
I kind of just noped out of there.
Nexaz
6. Lies Catching Up
There was the guy who said he did not have children (my online dating profile made it clear that I neither have nor want children) and then dropped into a conversation halfway through dinner that he did have children but “it’s okay because I don’t see them often”. Dude! That’s worse!
Oh, and the guy who spent the entire time comparing me to his ex-wife. By the end of a glass of wine, I wanted to ask for her number so I could congratulate her on being rid of this dingbat.
Liseusester
7. Wasted Makeup
Agreed to meet at a bar round the corner from him. He was over 15 minutes late despite it being a 5-minute walk away. He turned up in sweatpants and at some point said he wasn’t wearing underwear (I was wearing a nice dress & makeup).
Then he complains that he’s being investigated at work for taking indecent pictures in work toilets and sending them to a coworker. The worst part was my colleagues at work the next day told me I couldn’t expect a perfect man.
Grouchytortoise
8. Wasabi Cannonball
I went on a first date with a guy to a Japanese place. I wasn’t comfortable with using chopsticks, asked the guy if I should just get a fork. He tells me it’s embarrassing when people ask for a fork instead of chopsticks.
So I soldier on through navigating the chopsticks and I go to pick up a piece of sushi and accidentally flick a chunk of wasabi. In slow motion, I watch the sizeable piece of wasabi hit him square in the eyeball.
He spends the rest of the date washing his eyes in the bathroom. I felt so bad I paid for the entire meal after we tried to get through the last of the date with him clutching his eyeball like a pissed-off pirate. needless to say, he did not contact me for a second date.
Throwtheflames123
9. Small World
A blind date set up by a mutual friend. She was Norwegian, and I mentioned I had a Norwegian friend and asked if she knew him (this was in Prague and a lot of people in the expat communities all seemed to know each other).
She stared at me for about 5 seconds then got up and left without a word. I asked my Norwegian mate about it, turned out he'd slept with her the previous week.
Jazzy0082
10. Ditched
The worst date I have ever been on. awkward dinner, go to a bar (I know classy right?) Get drunk (both of us) she runs into some college friends and ditches me for about 45 minutes.
I hang in there getting more drunk and pissed, by the time she comes back I'm wasted. Tell her what I think about her, and she apologizes. Married her a year later. Still with her. love of my life but the WORST first date I've ever had
novags500
11. A Plus One
I once went on a blind date in Brighton. I lived in Barnsley at the time so thought I’d make a weekend for myself as I’d never been before. I booked a hotel for a few days and off I drove.
Stood waiting for him at the Pier (very cliche) and he rocked up all handsome and looking like his pictures. His 4 year old son who was on daddy’s weekend that day also looked like him.
Not one mention of his son (not that I was bothered he had a child as so did I) but was not expecting him to fetch him to a first date.
Melanie110
12. House Or Jungle?
I went on a first date with this bloke. After a couple of drinks, he asked if I fancied going to his flat for a drink as it was just around the corner. I agreed because I didn’t know how to say no (I will NOT do that again by the way) and turns out he was a hoarder.
We’re not just talking a bit of mess here and there, more like, I think you have a problem, kind of situation. His hallway was like an obstacle course and there were mounds of paper and litter scattered on the floor of his living room, big IKEA bags overflowing with papers and books. Awful. His kitchen was unworkable.
Every inch of every surface was covered in bottles or jars, the sink was overflowing with dirty dishes. The fact that he invited me back knowing the state of it all blew my mind. I stayed for 30 minutes then promptly left. I never saw or spoke to him again! He was 38 so no excuses.
Fearless_Grass_1493
13. I’m Not That Girl
My date got angry at me when my train was delayed, I managed to get another train and was pretty much still on time just ended up at a different station, he acted as if this was my fault and said he’d stand and wait for me to walk to the station ‘we’d agreed upon.’
When I did reach the correct station and saw him I smiled and said hello and he just looked me up and down, nodded then looked away. We had a few drinks and then he told me I smiled too much and he only smiled if something was genuinely funny.
I made excuses to leave and he insisted on ‘coming home with me.’ I said no and he wouldn’t accept that so we went around in circles about 20 times while standing on the train platform before he begrudgingly accepted it. Then after we separated he texted me saying ‘You didn’t get what I meant when I said I’d come home with you.’ I replied ‘No I got it.’
That was the last I heard from him. A year later we came across each other on another site and he messaged me saying ‘Hey I remember you ’
Ipdipdu
14. Friendzoned
I met her on a dating app, both in our late 40s went out to dinner and she said she was a widow, nothing wrong there, then she went on to say that she lived in a large shed in her garden done out with bed, TV and washing facilities.
Turned out she couldn't face going into the house that she shared with hubby although her children still live there and look out for her. Had to say that I thought she was dating way too early in her bereavement and said she needed friends rather than romance.
Screamfish56
15. Paying Attention
This happened when I was 19, I knew her from secondary school, and we ended up at the same training provider doing our NVQs
She asked me out, but she spent the whole date on her phone, got fed up so excused myself after the main course, and on the way back from the men's toilets, I went to the bar to pay for what I had, leaving her with the rest of the bill.
Buy_me_a_pint
16. Stingy
The Second was a movie night at his place. Winter, cold, I arrived at the agreed time and rang the doorbell, but nothing happened. I called him, phone went to voicemail. I had a bus back home in 20 minutes so decided to wait for 15 minutes and then go back to the bus stop.
Tried to call him multiple times. Right when I wanted to leave he showed up. He had decided to go and buy himself dinner and had forgotten the time. We went inside, turned out he had only bought himself dinner but at least he offered me something to drink.
His drink options were water or Red Bull, so we sat there, he was munching his sandwich and drinking Red Bull and I drank water and after half an hour I made an excuse and left. He complained that I had ruined the nice evening.
Zauberhaex
17. That Hurt
I was the problem on a date once, think it was our 3rd or 4th outing, and he suggested going ice skating. I'd never tried it, he said he'd help teach me as he played ice hockey as a teenager, I think he must have naively built up this romantic idea in his head.
I was pretty good at re-enacting the Bambi on ice clip, constantly falling over, couldn't coordinate my legs, and got way too inside my own head. It was pretty pathetic when kids who'd started the same time I did began lapping me at speed. At one point I accidentally pulled him down on top of me falling over as he tried to guide me along by my hands.
After he dropped me home, he texted me it wouldn't progress any further. I was bruised and battered, took a trip to A&E two days later I was in so much pain.
FizzyLemonPaper
18. Mr. Handsy
I went on a date the day England went into COVID lockdown (the date was before the official curfew). The date itself was ok. He was a bit handsy, but I was in a little devil may care, who knows what we're headed for kind of mood.
After we parted ways, he tried to invite himself to isolate me. I said no, obviously, I don't know him, and I still have to work, I'm not going to be spending lockdown drinking beer and bingeing Netflix every day.
He got furious and called me a tease because I had kissed him and said I was on the app to find a relationship.
Lily_Hylidae
19. Unlucky
We went to meet at a restaurant that was more convenient for him than me. When I got there, he told me to go in and sit at the table he'd booked under his name. Walk in, the table isn't booked but luckily they had a spare table. I was sitting by myself before he walked in 20 minutes late saying he'd smashed into a car in the car park.
Dinner was awkward, hardly any conversation at all. When the bill came he just slipped it over to my side of the table, got up, and left. So I paid the bill and walked to my car already dissatisfied. AND WHAT DO YOU KNOW?!
The jerk had smashed MY car in the lot. Of course, by the time I'd even realized, he'd blocked me on all socials and I didn't remember anything but his first name so the police wouldn't do anything.
So that was an expensive night for literally no reward.
Ragnarsmoop
20. Trying Too Hard
One guy asked me loads of questions as to whether I liked theme parks and what kind of rides were my favorite. At the end, he said ‘You’ve just described your ideal intimate experience. That was fast and a little bit scary.
He also admitted to being from Rotherham despite having an American accent and saying in his dating profile he was from the US. He’d never even been there! I downed my drink and made my excuses.
Raegordon
21. Language Barrier
My dad set me up on a blind date at 17. With a Polish girl who didn’t speak English, I don’t speak Polish. I thought it’d be fine because we were both living in Copenhagen at the time so assumed she’d speak Danish.
It was the most awkward date I've ever had. She enjoyed it and wanted to do it again though. Found out the reason my Dad set it up was so he could be alone with her mum. Couldn’t even be mad, well-played dad, well played.
Fit-Special-3054
22. Be Polite
I went to breakfast with a total jerk. First, he yelled at the waiter after the waiter spilled a little bit of orange juice on MY side of the table. It wasn't a big deal, but he made a scene yelling at the waiter and telling him he wasn't going to get a tip.
Poor waiter, you could tell he was a little slow (grrrr.... I should have done more). Breakfast was okay aside from him trying to convince me to go back to his place afterward. After finishing his meal he decided he wanted more.
Instead of waiting for the waiter to come back, he went back to the kitchen area and yelled "Can I get some service over here you people". I had had enough. I went up to register, paid the bill, and took off.
Martann3
23. The Escape
This happened in 2003. A fairly attractive girl asked me out while I was at work (I think she was a vendor dropping off supplies). I agree to meet up with her at an Italian restaurant.
We get there and it's normal. Halfway through the date she reaches into her purse and says, "I brought you a gift". Score, right!?! The Book of Mormon comes out and she starts telling me their divine history.
Partway through I excuse myself to go to the bathroom. I walk around to the bar and tell the bartender how my first date is unfolding. He buys me a shot and shows me how to exit out through the kitchen.
[deleted]
24. The Understanding Girl
I was a 20-year-old girl trying to play it smooth with the guy I liked. He was a computer science major and had also introduced me to Reddit.
Now, I know that Valentine's Day is overhyped, overplayed, lame, etc. However, I'm a girl. Those of you who do well with women know that, on some level, this day is important to us.
Anyway, he asked what I wanted to do for Valentine's and I said I didn't care. I didn't mean to set him up, I just didn't want him to think I was some emotionally unstable immature girl. I was trying to play it smooth.
He took me to McDonald's drive-through and we ate in the parking lot.
[deleted]
25. Too Young To Know
I did something stupid on one of my early 16-year-old dates. Not knowing what else to do, we went to Pizza Hut, next to the McDonald's where we both worked, and then wandered around the parking lot for a while holding hands.
I don't think she was pleased, she broke up with me a few weeks later, and I was devastated as only a 16-year-old skinny geeky kid with no car could be devastated.
No_more_pie
26. Stop Being Clingy
I met a guy from that cesspool of humanity called online dating. We were supposed to meet for a quick coffee at 2 pm. At 5 pm I was still sitting there nursing my drink wondering how the eff to escape. Every time I made any noises about leaving he'd grab my forearm with both hands and say that he hadn't been able to talk to someone for such a long time and he was so lonely.
I eventually managed to go to the bathroom and call my friend who just couldn't stop laughing. By 7 pm I just had to say to him 'LOOK, I have to GO'. I left, and he sent me a text immediately saying what a good time he'd had.
I ignored it, then he sent me another asking why I wasn't responding and he hoped he hadn't done anything to offend me.
Fishbutt
27. Catfished
I met a girl online, not only did she not look anything like her pictures, but she had bad breath was fat, and was just completely foul.
Her teeth were all messed up, and she kept shifting in her chair. I asked her why and she told me that she threw her back out a week ago while sleeping with some dude. Did I mention that I could smell her breath from five feet away?
I had one drink pretended to get an important text message and left. It could have been worse, but the whole thing was pretty disgusting nonetheless.
Dokterrock
28. Tongue-tied
This really cute girl used to talk to me sometimes at the retail store where I worked in college. We had what you might call a good rapport, and had a lot in common. She'd recently transferred to my school.
Anyway, one night right before closing she came in and asked me out. She seemed nervous. It never occurred to me that someone so cute would be into me because I'm nothing special in the looks department. I was psyched! So we set it up.
So how did I botch this?
I couldn't believe this girl was interested in me, and I just clammed up. I felt like all I could do was stare. I stammered. Tried too hard. Our chemistry evaporated. I was aware of it, I could feel it happening, but I couldn't change it or fix it. She was herself charming, and adorable. But I was in the headlights. I never saw her again.
Piney
29. Celeb Crush Haze
So I met this girl who was about 5 years older than me. We played Pokemon together and it was cool. We hung out a few times and eventually, I slept over at her place and we got intimate. A few days later I invited her to my place and then we started fooling around.
Then she dropped the bomb "You know, not power at. I'm not looking for marriage or having kids because I'm in love with Snoop Dogg and I want to have kids with him" instantly turned, asked her to leave, and never spoke to her again.
Notpowercat
30. Redsox Versus Yankees
I went on a first date to a baseball game with a girl. I showed up in the local team's garb, and she showed up in a Red Sox jersey. I mentioned that I was a Yankees fan, trying to make conversation.
She promptly ignored me for the rest of the night (and a three-hour game) unless I spoke to her about the Red Sox, of which, I knew far more than she did. When we had to take the Metro home, she almost ran to it. It was surreal.
Dtardif
31. Ghost Hunting
We are driving around looking for a place to grab lunch. I keep suggesting all these restaurants and he shoots all my ideas down. I jokingly suggest the Subway in Walmart. He's for it.
Soon as we get our sandwiches he says every night he dreams he's fighting demons and he knows the dreams are real because he wakes up with bite marks.
On the way home he asked if I wanted to hunt ghosts with him.
[deleted]
32. The Dog Whisperer
She kept canceling and rescheduling due to her dog's anxiety. I set up a date at a brewery that had an outdoor patio so she could bring the little dog and it wouldn't get anxiety from being alone.
Throughout the date she talked to the dog and when we talked, she mainly talked about him (the dog) and how everyone thought he was so cute and wanted to pet him.
Watching someone have a longer and more involved conversation with their dog than me while we were on a date was astonishing to me.
ProseBe4Hoes
33. I Still Have Chills
In the middle of a coffee date, my date, a guy who I had met on a dating site who attended the same college, decided to tell me in a jovial tone that he moved from Florida after he was formally accused of sinister crimes.
After being a little weirded out I decided to end the date, citing that I had some stuff to do at home. Then he wanted to walk me home. I played one of those “Ope! This is my block, gotta go!” and dipped about 3 blocks away from my actual apartment.
It wasn’t that he brought it up it’s how he brought it up. It all made me very uneasy. The final contact came as a text from him: “Nice meeting you today. You could have warned me about those blue eyes though.” Spooky fella.
[deleted]
34. It Was Time To Go
She pooped in her pants and had her mom pick her up. Probably a lot more embarrassing for her, but still pretty awkward for me. I tried to be nice about it, I asked if there was anything I could do, and assured her it was okay that I didn't judge her or anything.
Still just a weird time. It wasn't subtle pooping either, there was mud sliding down the back of her jeans. We ended up dating for about five years, that just happened to be the day she found out she was lactose intolerant.
Frost-Folk
35. The Feet
My father went on a blind date with this chick at the movie theater. During the film, she whispered for him to rub her feet, to which he replied "I don't like feet"(or something similar).
Even after that, she stretched back on the arm of the seat, took her shoes off, and put her feet on him.
He said, "One moment, I need to use the restroom."(again paraphrasing). He then got in his car and left, never to see that woman again.
Busdriverbuccko_-_-_
36. The Unexpected
I went on a date with this new girl. We order a round of drinks. The drinks get there. She excused herself to the bathroom. Ten minutes go by. I get bored. I drink my drink. Another ten minutes go by I drink her drink and I order another around.
She probably came out 45 minutes later, if not more. I see her walking back. I ask her if everything is okay. She responded, "The problem is my running stomach. Why does it have to be so hot?" I immediately burst into laughter. Probably the funniest thing I've heard on a date.
Randoreds
37. The Least I Could Do
This guy asked me over to his place for dinner. I wouldn't normally go to someone's house on a first date, but I knew he didn't have a lot of money and probably couldn't afford to take me to a restaurant so I agreed to go to his house.
Plus I really liked him. So I went to his house and there were roaches everywhere! Growing up I had roaches in my house but when you entered the room they would typically scatter. Not at his place. The infestation was so bad.
It was like they were used to humans (think Joe's Apartment movie). So this guy is making this lovely meal for me but I can see roaches all over the counters, on the stove, one going into an open bag of flour.
I didn't know what to do, I didn't want to embarrass him. So I stayed, and I ate (be it a very small portion). I tried my best not to be squeamish, reminding myself that roaches are a delicacy in some countries. The rest of the night seemed to go well, but for some reason, he never called me for a second date.
Alt_nopes
38. Tagging Along
We decided to go see a movie, she asked if she could bring one of her friends, so I told her sure the more the merrier you know!
We got to the movies and well, there were about 10 of her friends and we didn't talk much the whole time, she was busy talking with them about the party they all went to the weekend before.
I left and went to get some popcorn at home at the start of the movie.
WeirdBadWolf
39. Let's Go To Church
My first real boyfriend took me to his church on our "first date"I have never been very religious cause it never interested me nor did I feel close to any religion like other people and he knew that when we talked, he was Christian.
I hung out in the back of the church while people wailed and threw themselves on the floor. I left halfway through cause I felt so uncomfortable and when he saw I wasn't there he found me at the park across the street.
We got into an argument about how he knew I wasn't religious yet he still brought me here and how I should be open-minded and try to enjoy some things he enjoys. We dated for six months and he was so boring and very emotionless that it felt like I was dating a rock.
LyteRay1943
40. The Friend
I met her on a dating site. The pictures look good and everything. 5 minutes before we meet she tells me her friend will be there the whole time. She gets there, and I've never seen somebody hide 400lbs so well in a picture.
I was upset but played it off. I ended up being super into her friend. I talked to her the whole night. When she left she gave me her friend's number.
Atvdanny
41. I Felt Used
He ordered an expensive beer and then got a refill. I had a Diet Coke with my meal. When it came time to pay, he admitted he didn't bring his wallet. So I ended up having to pay AND drive him home. The icing on the cake?
He said he was in love with his best friend but she didn't feel the same way. He then proceeded to spend way too much time talking about her. It was incredibly awkward.
Brandonisatwat
42. She Was A Funny One
In five minutes of the date, it was being explained to me, in detail, that she was a high-maintenance girl and all that being with her would entail and this is why she was going to break up (not break up yet) with a current guy and was giving me a shot.
She pursued me, not the other way around and by the time I managed to stop laughing she was gone, I don't know what went wrong.
Drifter74
43. Errand Date
My date picked me up, we were supposed to go watch a movie but he needed to stop at his apt first. Fine. We get there and it's covered in filth. A dirty mattress in the living room was accompanied by a torn-up leather couch.
The entire place looked like a swamp. Having had enough of the side detour which turned out to be a stop for him to play a mobile game, I asked to leave to go see the movie. He instead took me grocery shopping with him and then took me home. Yay!
Crystalvelociraptor
44. An Unexpected Turn
She wanted my number, and I gave it to her. A week later we hung out. She barely says anything, and says,” Alright I’m going to leave now, it was nice talking to you.”
I say "Alright" and decide to stay and have a few more drinks. She doesn’t leave because some guy shows up(a well-known cocaine dealer in town) and proceeds to get geeked up I assume. The whole experience was just awkward.
The rest of the night we acted like neither of us interacted with each other hours prior. Whatever. Lol
[deleted]
45. I Was Stood Up
One that never happened: Was supposed to meet up with her at a local town day/cultural event at noon. She texts me to delay it until 12:30. OK fine. Still waiting for her at 12:45. Texts me around 1 she's almost ready and about to leave.
I leave the event. Texts me around 1:45 that she finally got there. If you are going to be almost 2 hours from our planned time, how late will you be on our 2nd date?
Coreynj2461