The ‘Instant Ick’ Is Killing First Dates—Sometimes in Under 60 Seconds

There’s ghosting, and then there’s something even more savage: walking out of a first date before the drinks even hit the table. According to new research from Paddy Power Games, 44% of Brits have left a date early—and 1% say they’ve bailed within the first minute. That may sound small, but it’s the equivalent of over 542,000 people cutting their losses before the ice even melts.

Some of the top icks? No spark (40%), bad hygiene (17%), boring small talk (14%), and risky food choices like spaghetti, chicken wings, or corn on the cob—basically anything messy, spicy, or stain-prone. Spaghetti alone was named by 13% of people as a date-ruiner.

And now, TikTok has become a running diary of “Instant Ick” exits. Creator @frankcydnie described how a promising date took a turn when her date grew cold and irritable after paying for a second round—clearly unable to let it go. In another clip, @gracieaine3 casually documents her “me time” after bailing early on a date, while @ceceonthescene is floored that a guy kicked things off by grilling her about her ex. “That’s so weird,” she says, stunned that anyone would defend that kind of behavior.

Why Does the ‘Instant Ick’ Happen?

It’s not just picky eaters and awkward questions—people seem exhausted by the entire emotional minefield of dating. “Getting the ‘ick’ on a first date is so common among Brits that they will often go prepared for it,” says body language expert Judi James. Some even arrange fake rescue calls, just in case.

While younger daters are leading the early-exit trend (57% of Gen Z and 51% of Millennials admit to ditching), even 41% of Gen Xers say they’ve done the same. There’s a sense that everyone’s on edge—fed up with bizarre behavior but also hyper-guarded and ready to bolt at the slightest misstep.

As Paddy Power, spokesperson for Paddy Power Games, puts it: “If love is a battlefield, modern dating is a warzone of instant red flags. One wrong move—a bad joke, a rogue bit of spaghetti, or saying the wrong name—and you are history.”

At this rate, the real “ick” might be how impossible it’s become to just give someone a chance.