Bad Date? Here Are the Best Ways to End It

Ever been on a date and halfway through felt like this? You’re certainly not alone!

There are many reasons a date could be going badly. The key is to know just when to cut a night short, and how to go about that.

So if you’ve ever been stuck in a rom-com style bad date and want to avoid it in future, this article is for you!

Stick around to see the best ways to end a bad date.

Never Be Afraid to Call It Off

One temptation that often arises when a date goes sour is to keep going until the end for the sake of the other person. This shouldn’t hinder you, though.

There are plenty of good reasons to end a bad date once the hill starts sloping downward.

In the end, though, bringing a bad date to the end is probably better for both of you. Doing so could avoid any awkward conversations later, and makes sure no one’s time is wasted.

So don’t hesitate. If you feel like you need to end it, end it as quickly as possible.

Have an Escape Route

Having a plan and route for a quick get-away is a good safeguard if things get on the unsafe side.If you’re going somewhere

If you’re going somewhere new, scope out the location on Google Maps and Street View. Take note of places where taxis can stop, or train stations and similar locations.

This way, if you find yourself in a dodgy situation, at least you have a means of escape.

Offer to Introduce Them to Your Friend

So the night hasn’t gone well, it’s been a bad date, but that could be down to unfortunate circumstance. The other person doesn’t seem like a fit for you, but think of your friends.

Maybe they’d be better suited to one of them? If so, bring it up, talk about passing their number to said friend, then bring the night to a close.

This method is good for leaving the other person with at least some hope of another date, albeit with another person.

Another benefit from this tactic is whilst the date didn’t go so well, you might’ve just earned yourself a good life-long friend.

Have a Friend Bail You Out

It’s always a good idea to have a friend who can bail you out, should a date go wrong.

In case of a bad date, preplan the way in which you’ll signal your need to exit. Then if fears become reality have you’re friend call/text you and quickly get out of there.

This may seem more underhanded than the previous example.

Sometimes, though, there’s a serious problem, and you just need out quickly.

In these cases, this tactic will help you get out of a direly bad date without seeming overly rude or obnoxious.

Be Honest

Sometimes there’s no avoiding it, you have to be the bearer of bad news. In this case, there are a few steps you can take to lessen the blow, possibly still end on decent terms.

Be Kind

Make sure not to be overly harsh in language or facial expressions. You don’t want to end up giving your date the Luigi Death Stare for half the night and come across as arrogant when you have to call the curtain draw.

Being kind and gentle goes a long way for people, it shows you took their feelings into consideration, as well

Get to the Point

No one likes hearing a long-winded excuse, so get the point. It’s been a bad date, so just tell them that.

Don’t try and make it seem like an “It’s not you, it’s me” sort of thing, just tell them where it went wrong and why.

Again, kindness goes a long way so whilst keeping it short at sweet try not to be overly harsh or mean about it all.

It’s a hard balance to strike, for sure, but if done right you’ll incur little to no blame on yourself.

Leave on The Best Terms Possible

Try not to burn any bridges, again even if a date didn’t go well friendship may still be an option. Don’t let one bad date put you off the person.

Try to leave on the best terms possible, stay friendly and natural as you leave. Again, by the end of this you may end up with a good friend, so aim for that.

Also keep in mind, however, that with some people the best terms are no terms at all. Sometimes people are just “take me or leave me” and that’s not your fault!

At the end of it all just aim to be able to say you tried your absolute best to keep things good between the both of you. No harm in trying, after all.

The End is Nigh

So there we have it, some foolproof ways to end a bad date without ruining your day.

Don’t feel bad if you have a few awkward exits though. The art of ending a bad date can take a bit of practice, but you’ll get the hang of it!

So, it looks like our brief time together has come to an end, let’s hope it went better than that date!

Do you have any funny, or not-so-funny, bad date stories?

Maybe you have some advice on how you got out of a date-gone-wrong.

Whatever the case, feel free to comment and discuss below, we’re more than happy to chat with you about it all.