How to Break off a Date

When you decide to break off a date, make sure it's really worth doing so. Unless your date is making you feel unsafe, it's pretty rude to leave in the middle of a date. Try your best to change the plans, hint around about needing to head home and try to get your date to go along with the idea.

If you can't do that much, at least try to leave during a time that will allow your partner to save some face. If you get up and leave right as the main course is being served up in a restaurant, your date is going to have to sit there in front of everyone with a bunch of food in front of him or her.

When it comes to your safety, however, don't feel bad at all. In fact, you probably shouldn't even give an advance warning when you leave a date due to safety concerns. It might seem rude but your safety is more important than someone's feelings.

1. Let your date know that you're not planning on returning

You should let your date know that you are leaving. You can explain why or just let them know what you are leaving and won't be returning. The main thing is to let you date know that you are leaving and not returning.

It is supremely rude to excuse yourself to the restroom and simply never return. Not only does it show a complete lack of respect for your date but it also wastes your date's time and causes all sorts of confusion.

2. If you're leaving because you're feeling unsafe, be firm and stay in a public area until you can safely leave

Don't feel bad about calling off a date because you feel unsafe. Your safety comes first over anything else, including your date's feelings. Your date should have thought about that before he did whatever it was that made you feel unsafe.

Stay in a public area until you can get in your car and leave. Don't let your date walk you to your car and don't go to an empty parking lot to leave. If you have to, ask a couple of women to walk with you. The reason I suggest you ask women to walk you to your car is because they are significantly safer people to be around in empty parking lots. For additional safety information, take a look at our safe dating article.

3. Be nice and be honest

If you're breaking off a date because you're just not interested, try to spare your date's feelings as best as you can. It's pretty rude to just leave in the middle of a date but if it's really that bad, be as gentle about it as you can. Just be honest about the situation.

4. Don't insult your date's intelligence

Be honest, you date will probably have a good idea if you are feeding them an excuse. This is a tough line to walk (which is why I don't recommend breaking off a date mid-way unless it's a safety concern) so proceed carefully. Your date will most likely be insulted so be as respectful as you can. Just think if you were on the other end of this and how embarrassing a walk out would be.

5. Alter the plans to end the date early

If you can stand dealing with your date for just a while longer, you can suggest that you change plans to make the date end earlier. This way the end will come more naturally and it won't feel like you're bailing out early.

Yea, this isn't the smoothest thing in the world but there's no easy way to get out of a date that's already began. But at least this method is better than walking away in the middle of a meal.