Dating and eating. How university students select eating settings

People use cognitive scripts to decide to eat in particular settings, such as selecting where to eat on dates during courtship. We surveyed 562 university students about scripts for eating on dates. Public, formal eating settings were seen as more appropriate for first dates, but a broader variety of settings, including individuals’ homes, was considered appropriate for dates in long-term relationships. Gender analysis revealed that women were more flexible than men about appropriateness of eating places for dates. These findings suggest that scripts may guide eating decisions and behaviors, particularly among women, and that eating scripts may become more flexible as relationships develop.