New Survey Says 21% of Americans Want Weekly Dates

If you’re in a relationship, it can be easy to let date night fall by the wayside. Life is busy and stressful (even more so if you have children), so making the time to date your partner just isn’t always in the cards.

However, a new survey on dating from YouGov reveals that many Americans want to go on dates more frequently than they actually do. 

The data provides some insights about the date-night activities Americans have tried and enjoyed (plus ones they haven’t tried but would like to). I’ll break down the results and some takeaways we can learn from these survey responses.

The survey uncovered that Americans are going on dates less frequently than they would like. In the survey, 21% want to go on dates once a week or more, and only 8% are going on dates this often. 

Similarly, 24% want to go on dates a few times a month, yet only 17% actually go on dates that often. 

On the slightly more introverted end of the spectrum, 15% said they would like to go on dates once a month, but only 10% do so. 

Among married Americans, 26% would like to go on a date once a week or more, but only half as many (13%) say they’re going on dates with their spouse this often. Another 28% would like to go on dates a few times a month, but 23% say they’re actually going on dates a few times a month.

Among people who are in a relationship but not married, 24% want to go on dates once a week or more, but only 9% actually go on dates this often. 

It can be challenging to find time for dates when you’re also trying to balance work or school, social obligations, family responsibilities, health concerns, and everything else that takes time and energy. 

Clearly, making time for dates is important to many people. If you’re in a relationship, I’d say there’s a good chance your spouse would appreciate you planning a date night sometime soon. And if you need date-night inspiration, keep reading. 

YouGov’s survey asked Americans what activities they’d done on dates and whether they’d want to do them again.

Dinner dates are popular: 79% of Americans have gone on a date to eat dinner at a restaurant and would like to again. Another 75% have gone on a date to eat lunch at a restaurant and would like to do this again. 

Interestingly, 72% have been on a date where they watched a movie at home and would like to do so again. Other dates the majority of Americans have been on and would like to go on again are: 

• Eating a meal at home (69%)
• Going to a movie theater (65%) 
• Going to a park (64%)
• Eating breakfast at a restaurant (61%)
• Going to a fair or carnival (54%)  

The survey also gave people the option to say which dates they haven’t been on but would like to try. Forty percent of Americans say they have not been on a stargazing date but would like to. 

The survey found 31% haven’t been on a date to a comedy show but want to; 29% have never taken an art class for a date but would like to. That said, far more (46%) said they haven’t tried this date night activity and don’t want to. 

Other date ideas that aren’t everyone’s cup of tea: Going to a haunted house (47% say they’ve never done this on a date and don’t want to try it), fishing (46%), and wine tasting (39%). 

Whether it’s your first date or your 100th, choosing the right activity can be the difference between a memorable night and just another date. 

While it’s clear that most of us enjoy classic date experiences like dinner or cozying up with a movie at home, the data suggests there is certainly interest in trying out more unique date experiences — like stargazing or going to a comedy show — as well. 

First, the good news: 4 in 5 Americans say they have had a “wonderful date.” In less good news, 50% of Americans have had a “terrible date.” Women (57%) are more likely than men (44%) to say this. 

Many Americans have gone on a double date (44%), become platonic friends with someone they met by going on a date with them (38%), and/or agreed to go on a date with someone they weren’t attracted to (38%). 

Online dating is popular: 36% of Americans have gone on a date with someone they met online. People between the ages of 30 and 44 are the most likely age group to have done so, at 48%. 

Just over one-third (35%) of Americans have had sex on a first date. Men (41%) are more likely than women (29%) to say they’ve done this.  

Less than one-third of Americans have gone on a blind date (29%), been stood up on a date (25%), stood someone up on a date (17%), or gone speed dating (6%). 

This data shows that dating can be a bit of a mixed bag — sometimes it’s wonderful, other times it’s terrible. Sometimes you make a new friend, but other times, you get stood up. 

Don’t feel too discouraged if you’ve had some less-than-ideal dating experiences recently. Take time to re-evaluate what you’re looking for, and don’t be afraid to take a break from dating if you need to. 

YouGov’s survey asked Americans whether a range of first-date behaviors are acceptable or unacceptable. 

Here’s what not to do on a first date, according to Americans: 

• Be dismissive to service staff (88% say this is unacceptable) 
• Criticize the other person’s order (87%)
• Frequently look at your phone (87%)
• Encourage the other person to get drunk (84%)
• Arrive late without notice (84%)

You also probably want to avoid talking about money on a first date. An overwhelming majority of 75% say it’s unacceptable to ask about the other person’s income, and 56% say it’s unacceptable for a person to mention their own income. 

Talking about exes isn’t as clear-cut. Only 49% say it’s unacceptable to talk about past relationships.

The same percentage (49%) say it’s unacceptable to talk about sexual topics. Women (61%) are more likely than men (37%) to say it’s unacceptable to talk about sexual topics on a first date. Not a big surprise there.

Should you talk about marriage or having kids on the first date? Responses are mixed: 45% say this is unacceptable, and 36% say it’s acceptable. 

And remember, a conversation should always be a back-and-forth volley. Of the respondents, 81% say it’s unacceptable for a person not to answer any questions about themselves, and 78% say it’s unacceptable for someone to talk about themselves without asking any questions about the other person. 

In short, the data confirms what you probably already knew: When you’re on a date, you should be kind, be interested in the person across from you, and keep the conversation fun and light. 

Whether you’re coupled up or happily single, this data can be useful for your dating life. If you’re in a relationship, consider this your sign to plan a date. Our experts have brainstormed everything from first-date ideas to Valentine’s Day date ideas to help.

You can look through them to identify some activities you and your partner can do. If you’re single, you’ve now got some date ideas that are more appealing than “Idk, wanna get a drink?” Plus, all the info about dating experiences and behavior can remind you what not to do and what things you should be on the lookout for when you’re dating. 

The YouGov poll was conducted online among 2,221 U.S. adult citizens on two separate surveys from January 14 – 17, 2025, and January 15 – 20, 2025. A random sample (stratified by gender, age, race, education, geographic region, and voter registration) was selected from the 2019 American Community Survey. The sample was weighted according to gender, age, race, education, 2024 presidential vote, 2020 election turnout, and presidential vote, baseline party identification, and current voter registration status. The 2024 presidential vote, at the time of weighting, was estimated to be 48% Harris and 50% Trump. Demographic weighting targets come from the 2019 American Community Survey. Baseline party identification is the respondent’s most recent answer given around November 8, 2024, and is weighted to the estimated distribution at that time (31% Democratic, 32% Republican). The margin of error for the overall sample is approximately 3%.