short. If you're a good match, it will leave the other person wanting more. If not, it will give you an out before you resort to a fake phone call to escape. Coffee, lunch on a weekday or brunch all are fine options. Grossman was among the fans of shorter first dates. "You can always suggest extending into a meal if it's going well, but there's no need to lock yourself in," he said. Molly Niles planned to do just that on her first date with Alan, but their chemistry led them to extend their coffee date through lunch and a walk on the beach. "We had an easy, natural conversation that just flowed," she said. Keep it moving Close the door as soon as possible if you're not interested in someone, whether or not you meet in person. Niles cut a coffee date short after 20 minutes with one potential match: "I just wasn't into him right off the bat," she said. Do it as nicely and honestly as possible, and don't take it personally if you're on the receiving end -- as that rejected suitor did, calling her "stupid." Niles almost canceled her first date with Alan after that. But she's lucky she didn't as bachelor number three turned into The One. In fact, he took his profile down after their second date -- Niles waited a few weeks, but never went out with anyone else. After two and a half years of dating, RunOnTheBeach proposed to Pilatesgirl,