It may be a cliché, but it’s true—You never get a second chance to make a first impression—and this axiom definitely applies to first dates! We all want to put our best foot forward, but we don’t always know just how to go about it.

Not to worry, we’ve got you covered! In fact, we went straight to the source and surveyed over 1,100 singles to get answers. Read on to learn what singles say makes for a great first impression.

What Do We Notice First?

When we initially meet someone, what do we notice first—smile, eyes, attire, physique, or hair? Perhaps not surprisingly, our survey found that women and men differ in their response. The top answer selected by women was a guy’s smile, whereas men initially notice a woman’s physique. For women, eyes and physique were nearly tied for second place with 22% of our female respondents selecting eyes and 21% choosing physique. As for men, smile came in second place (picked by 30% of our guys), followed by eyes, (selected by 15% of men.) Interestingly, very few respondents mentioned their date’s hair or attire as making a big impact on them.

First Impression Tip: We’re more attractive to others when we take good care of ourselves! Moreover, our survey showed there’s no need to stress out about your first date outfit—a warm smile trumps designer threads every time.
 

What’s the Best Topic of Conversation?

It’s commonly recommended to steer clear of politics and religion when initially striking up a conversation—but that being said, which topics do people truly enjoy talking about when first meeting someone? Our participants overwhelmingly picked hobbies/interests as the optimal topic of conversation on a first date. In fact, 70% of respondents favor this subject over news, movies, travel, job, and kids. Furthermore, in this case, there was no gender difference observed—both men and women expressed this preference.

First Impression Tip: Get a hobby and get into it! That way, you’ll show up well equipped with “Best First Date Topic Material!”
 

What’s Most Irritating on a First Date?

Again, both women and men agree on this one—and the consensus is, “Please put away your phone!” In fact, 31% of our singles picked Being attached to his/her phone as the most irritating first date faux pas. Interestingly, men are more peeved by this than women; 42% of men selected this as most frustrating, whereas 26% of women expressed this as their prime irritation. As for the second most irritating quality, women and men differ here. Women state they find it annoying when men take up most of the conversation talking about themselves, whereas men are more annoyed when they feel like I’m being interviewed.

First Impression Tip: First dates should be considered “no phone zones.” It’s pretty simple—just leave your phone in your purse or pocket. And men, make sure you’re as good a listener as you are talker. We know you’re trying to share a lot about yourself in efforts to impress her, but according to our data, this approach will generally backfire. And women, of course you want to ask some questions, but be careful that your conversation doesn’t start sounding like an interview or interrogation!

Be mindful of the info gathered from the It’s Just Lunch dating trends survey and you’ll step confidently into your next date knowing exactly how to make a great first impression!