While date nights are a popular weekly event for many couples, these special occasions were put on pause for most couples for much of the first half of 2020. However, with businesses beginning to reopen, we are eager when couples plan on going on their next date night. We conducted a survey in late June and early July 2020 with over 330 Let’s Go users to get a better understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has and will continue to affect couples date night habits. As our results show below, most couples are planning date nights sooner rather than later.
Have you been on a date night outside your home in the last 30 days?
With most businesses only being open since June 1st, 56% of respondents still indicated they have already been on a date night in the last 30 days, while 44% have not. We expect many of these couples who have already had date night have tried non-traditional experiences. For example, golfing has seen a significant spike in demand from current and new adopters.
Do you plan on going on a date night outside your home in the next 30 days?
When asked if you plan on going out on a date night over the next 30 days, 87% of people had said yes. Only 13% of respondents do not foresee going out on date night this month. With more businesses opening with less restrictions, we expect many couples will return to more traditional date night experiences. However, we expect many to continue to find new experiences that allow couples to practice social distancing.
What is the main reason you won't go on a date in the next 30 days?
Of the 13% of people who do not plan on going on a date night over the next 30 days, 71% cited COVID-19 as their main concern. Non COVID-19 related reasons such as being too busy for date night, too expensive or never going on date nights accounted for 15% of the other reasons.
What concerns you most about COVID-19 regarding date night?
Specifically, 50% of people who had expressed COVID-19 as their primary reason was most concerned about coming in contact with other customers. Meanwhile, 25% were concerned about businesses ability to not keep everything sanitized. Lastly, 8%, who were concerned about COVID-19 highlighted other business restrictions, such as mask requirements and leaving their kids with a babysitter for not going out.
Bottom Line
We believe there are two key takeaways from our date night survey. First, our survey shows how important date nights are to couples with 87% planning a date night over the next month. Second, COVID-19 will not stop couples from going out for date night. We expect as people return to regular date nights many will continue with their traditional plans of going out to dinner, seeing a movie or trying a new brewery. However, we believe this current environment will cause many couples to continue to venture out and try new experiences. Plus with most having not gone out in almost 3 months, couples discretionary income has likely significantly risen allowing couples to splurge more date night.
That said, while some things in our life may have changed forever, keeping date night a priority will remain the same.