How Much Beer and Wine Do People Drink on a First Date?

When two people meet in person after matching online on a dating website, the first date is usually about management + chemistry: “Can we talk easily?” and “Do I feel safe and comfortable?” That’s why drink-based dates (a bar, a casual restaurant, a brewery) remain so common: they’re easy to plan, socially familiar, and easy to end politely if the vibe is off. In a multi-country European survey of online daters, bars and restaurants were the top preferred first-meeting locations (67%).

What the EU data says (and what it doesn’t)

There isn’t one “EU first-date drinking statistic” that covers every member state with the same methodology. The best cross-country datapoint I can cite is older but still useful for relative preferences. In a survey covering online daters across six European countries (France, Germany, UK, Spain, Poland, Finland), alcoholic beverages were the preferred first-date drink for nearly half of online daters, and the top categories were wine (15%) and beer (14%), followed by champagne (5%) and cocktails (5%).

That’s an important nuance: this stat is about what people prefer to order, not how many drinks they actually consume. Still, it highlights something practical for first meetings: in Europe, beer and wine sit at the center of “socially normal” first-date choices, and they often beat cocktails because they feel simpler, lower-pressure, and more predictable.

A newer European pattern: more “sober-first” dates (especially Gen Z)

While beer and wine remain popular, there’s clear evidence that not drinking on a first date is increasingly normal, particularly among younger daters. A UK survey (2,064 participants) reported that 51% of British Gen Z don’t drink alcohol on first dates.
And even outside Europe-specific dating surveys, platforms have been pushing the same narrative: Hinge reported that 75% of its global singles say getting drinks is no longer their preferred first-date activity.

Bottom line for the EU: beer and wine are still “default” options, but the trendline points toward lighter, daytime, or alcohol-free first meets—especially when the date started with an online match.

What the U.S. data says: many drink, but getting drunk is a hard “no”

In the U.S., the cleanest behavioral statistic I can cite comes from a large survey of 2,000 single Gen Z and millennial respondents who consume alcohol: 57% said they have at least one alcoholic drink on a first date.
That same survey’s “go-to” orders skewed toward cocktails (e.g., margaritas, shots) and also included wine as a common pick.

But here’s the social boundary that shapes “how much” people drink: YouGov found that 74% of Americans consider getting drunk on a first date unacceptable.
So even when alcohol is present, U.S. norms lean toward moderation—especially when you’re meeting a stranger from an app.

So… how many drinks is “typical” on a first date?

Across both the EU and the U.S., most surveys measure whether people drink and what they order, not a precise drink count. Still, combining what we do know (behavior + etiquette norms), the most defensible generalization is:

• 0 drinks: increasingly common and socially accepted (coffee dates, walks, brunch).
• 1 drink: a very common middle ground (reduces nerves, keeps clarity).
• 2 drinks: often the informal ceiling for “still in control.”
• 3+ drinks: where perceptions can shift toward “too much,” especially with an online-first meeting.

That last point isn’t moralizing; it’s about signal management. Since most Americans explicitly disapprove of getting drunk on a first date, heavy drinking is more likely to read as poor judgment or mismatched expectations.

Beer vs. wine on the first meeting: different vibes, different pacing

Beer and wine often win on first dates because they’re “legible.” People roughly know what one beer or one glass of wine means, while cocktails can vary wildly in strength.

Why beer works (especially after online matching):

• It’s usually lower ABV per serving than many cocktails, which naturally slows the pace.
• Breweries/beer bars create a casual, low-pressure environment (good for strangers meeting for the first time).
• Beer offers an easy shared activity: tasting a flight, comparing styles, laughing about preferences.

In some U.S. cities, breweries are explicitly favored as first-date spots in local surveys—because they feel relaxed and conversation-friendly. (Local sample, but it matches the broader “casual drink date” logic.)

Why wine works:

• Wine often signals a more sit-down, conversation-forward date (you’re not “doing an activity,” you’re talking).
• It can feel a bit more “intentional” or romantic than beer—especially in cultures where wine is a default social drink.
• Ordering wine (by the glass) still keeps the pacing controlled.

And yes, preferences can be gendered in some datasets: a Zoosk survey found men more often chose beer and women more often chose wine as their go-to date drinks (older data, but widely cited).

Interesting facts that explain why drinking can “help” (and when it backfires)

Why drinks can bring people closer (when moderate):

• Reduces initial awkwardness: a small amount of alcohol can lower social friction and help conversation flow.
• Creates a shared ritual (“we picked the same place / we’re both sipping something”), which increases a sense of “we-ness.”
• Makes the date feel time-bounded: “one drink” is a clear structure—especially useful when meeting a stranger from an app.

Why it can backfire (especially with online matches):

• Alcohol can blur judgment, making it harder to read red flags or maintain boundaries.
• People mismatch expectations: one person thinks “one beer,” the other thinks “shots,” and the vibe collapses.
• Safety risks increase quickly if one person becomes impaired.

The U.S. etiquette data captures this in a single line: people may accept a drink, but they strongly reject being drunk.

Practical “online-to-first-date” drink strategy (EU + U.S.)

If you want the benefits without the downside, a simple playbook:

1. Choose a venue with exits: a place where you can leave after 30–60 minutes without drama.
2. Pick predictable drinks: beer or a single glass of wine is easier to pace than strong cocktails.
3. Set a quiet cap: decide in advance whether you’re doing 0, 1, or 2 drinks.
4. Normalize non-alcoholic options: it’s increasingly common to start sober (and many people prefer it).
5. If you feel pressure to drink more: treat it as a compatibility signal. Someone pushing you past your comfort zone on date one is rarely a good sign.

The simplest rule

If the goal is connection, the best first-date drinking level is the one that keeps you present, safe, and sharp enough to judge compatibility. In 2026, that increasingly means: either no alcohol at all, or one drink—often beer or wine—kept deliberately moderate.