On a first date, there are about a million different decisions you face. Obviously, first and foremost is where to go.

I personally have always felt that for a first date, it’s best to stick with drinks instead of dinner. Why? Because when you’re out to dinner, you have to own up to dietary restrictions, and, more importantly, you’ve got to find a cuisine that fits both your tastes. A dinner date also leaves you saddled in for a course or two, whereas the time constraint of a drinking date is malleable. If you’re having the best time you can always stay longer, but if it sucks, it’s pretty easy to slip out after a round.

Once you get to the bar, you should be strategic about where to set up camp. If you’re sitting side-by-side on bar stools, it’s harder to make eye contact with your companion and it’s easier to make physical contact, intentional or not. Try to find a small table where you can sit across from one another–there is always room for footsie or a brush of the hand later on as the date progresses.