How to End a Date

Asking someone out on a date has long been considered one of the most intimidating and difficult aspects of the dating world but knowing how to end a date can also be very complicated.  In many cases it is the last few moments of a date that make the biggest impression so a fitting ending is crucial to the future of the relationship.  Whether the date is going extremely well, faltering or just average, it can be difficult to find a natural end to the date.  It is important to try to end the date on a good note even if the rest of the date hasn't gone very well.  Although you may not wish to continue the relationship and pursue another date, it is still considered polite to end the date cordially.  In addition to ending a date in a civil manner, it is also important to end the date in a way that conveys your feelings about future dates.  This is important because you do not want to put yourself in an awkward situation later because the two of you left the date with different ideas about your future.  Being clear about your feelings will help to avoid confusion.

Even when a date is going well, it is important to know how to end the date.  Early in a relationship three to four hours is usually recommended as the maximum time limit for the date.  You may be tempted to allow the date to continue for longer but doing so runs the risk that things will begin to falter and that the date will end up concluding on a sour note.  Ending a date before this happens will help to secure the possibility of future dates as long as both parties are agreeable to this.  The best way to prepare for the ending of a date is to have a list of activities agreed on.  For example, when arranging the date be specific (about your plans) ask the other person to join you for a movie and then dinner.  This makes the conclusion of dinner a natural time to end the date because you have already talked about the agenda for the date and the clear conclusion of the date was after dinner.  If things are going well, you may want to invite your date to another location for dessert or coffee but here is where you run the risk of extending the date to long.  If things are going well it is important to end the date by telling your date how much fun you had and how you hope to see them again.  This makes your opinion of your future together very clear.  If your date responds likewise you may even wan to make plans for a future date.

When a date is clearly not going well, it is acceptable to end the date early.  Even if you had made plans for several activities, if neither of you is having a good time then it is all right to end the date early.  Although it is important to at least give the date a chance, at some point it becomes clear that the date is not going to turn around.  When you reach this point, the responsible thing to do is to be honest with your date let them know that you don't think the date is going well and that you don't think that the two of you are suitable companions.  Being clear about your feelings gives you a simple way out of the date that makes it obvious that you don't wish to pursue the relationship further. 

Sometimes even if you are enjoying the date, it will become obvious that your partner is not feeling the same way.  Although you may want to continue the date in the hopes that you will convince them that you area suitable match, it is best to let them know that you understand their feelings and that if they wish to end the date, that is fine with you.  It's important for both members of the date to enjoy themselves so if the other person is not having a good time and there is nothing you can do to improve the situation then the mature thing to do is to tell the other person that although you enjoyed yourself, you noticed that they did not have a good time and that you are ready to end the date and that you understand that the relationship does not have a future. 

Ending a date is never a simple task.  Even dates that are going well for everyone involved can be difficult to end.  The key to ending a date the right way is timing and also reading your date's feelings.  If one or both of you is clearly not enjoying the date, it's best to end the date early and be honest about your future intentions.  When the date is going well, it is still best to end the date after a pre-determined activity to ensure that the date does not drag on for too long and wind up becoming awkward.