A survey suggests Australian singles are skipping dinner dates and cocktails in favor of breakfast. Kellogg’s found that 64% of the country’s singles are open to meeting for breakfast on a first date, while nearly 40% of Americans admit they’ve gone on a date just to score a free meal. The reasoning behind the shift is simple: breakfast is cheaper.
Fox News’s survey also found that over half of Australian singles feel dating is more difficult than it used to be. Some 66% of people surveyed said that dating apps have reduced authenticity and made it harder to find a genuine connection. The shift toward morning dates is being framed as a way to shake up the dating process.
The Cost of Dating
Affordability is a key driver of the change. According to BMO Financial Group’s 2026 BMO Real Financial Progress Index, the average total cost for a first date was $252 for millennials, a 32% increase from 2025. For Gen Z, the cost was $205, up from $194 in 2025.
The survey found that 31% of Australian singles felt that meeting for a first date in the morning takes the pressure off. That number suggests the shift isn’t just about the bill — it’s also about the tone of the encounter.
Why Breakfast Dates Work
There are several reasons why a morning date makes sense. The cost is lower, the time commitment is shorter, and there are natural exit points built into the schedule.
- Lower cost: breakfast is cheaper than dinner.
- Shorter time commitment: a morning date doesn’t require staying out late.
- Natural exit points: needing to leave for work or run errands makes it easy to end things gracefully.
“If it doesn’t go well, you can move on,” Dana Perino said during a recent segment of “The Five.” “If it goes well, then you have a good day.”
The morning format removes the expectation to stay out late into the night. Needing to leave for work or run errands are both easy exit points. If the date doesn’t click, the damage is limited. If it does, there’s still plenty of daylight left to explore.
What Singles Like About Breakfast Dates
The survey found that 23% of respondents liked the fact that a breakfast date could turn into a spontaneous adventure. That spontaneity is part of the appeal.
“… casual, there’s less pressure, and you can actually talk,” dating and relationship coach Nicole Colantoni said. “And if the chemistry is there, you’ve got the rest of the day ahead of you.”
The low-pressure environment is a selling point for people who want to see if a connection is real without the weight of a formal dinner.
The Numbers Behind the Shift
The survey results break down like this:
- 64% of Australian singles are open to meeting for breakfast on a first date
- Over half of Australian singles feel dating is more difficult than it used to be
- 66% of people surveyed said dating apps have reduced authenticity
- 31% of Australian singles felt that meeting in the morning takes the pressure off
- 23% liked that a breakfast date could turn into a spontaneous adventure
The numbers suggest a pattern. Singles are looking for ways to reduce friction in a dating world that has grown expensive and impersonal. Breakfast dates fit that need.
What Comes Next
The survey was conducted in Australia, but the logic applies elsewhere. The cost of dating has risen across generations, and the pressure to perform on a first date has not eased.
The survey could be an indicator that more singles will soon flock to local cafés or diners to meet a match over a latte or pancakes. The draw is the same: palatable price tags and low-stress environments.
The shift is a practical response to a world where first dates now cost more than they once did. Singles are trading the glamour of a candlelit dinner for the comfort of a café table and a menu they can afford.
The early bird gets the worm. In this case, the early bird also gets the bill.
Key Facts Box
- 64% of Australian singles open to breakfast dates
- 66% say dating apps reduced authenticity
- 31% of Australians say morning dates ease pressure
- 23% like that breakfast dates can turn into adventures
- Millennials: $252 average first-date cost (+32% from 2025)
- Gen Z: $205 average first-date cost (+1% from 2025)
What We Make of It
The shift is a small but telling signal about how dating habits are changing. Singles are responding to rising costs and a loss of authenticity online by trying something simpler. Breakfast dates are casual, affordable, and low-stakes.
That is a smart move. A date that fails at 10 a.m. is easier to recover from than a date that fails at 10 p.m. The morning format also preserves the rest of the day for a connection that clicks, which is a better outcome than spending an evening with someone you don’t want to see again.
The survey suggests this is a trend worth watching. If Australians are moving toward breakfast dates, other countries may follow. The conditions are the same everywhere: dating costs more, apps filter out authenticity, and singles want a chance to connect without breaking the bank.
The early bird gets the worm.
Source material: “Singles are ditching dinner and drinks for breakfast dates as dating habits shift, survey says,” Fox News.
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