Forget Dinner and Drinks — Breakfast Dates Are Becoming the New Dating Trend

Who says romance has to happen after dark? Singles are ditching expensive dinners and evening cocktails for coffee, pancakes and a little morning chemistry.

The way to someone’s heart might just be through their stomach — preferably before 10 a.m.

A new survey from Kellogg’s in Australia found that 64% of singles are open to going on a breakfast date for their first meeting. The trend offers a more casual, affordable alternative to the traditional dinner-and-drinks routine as people rethink how they approach dating.

And apparently, singles could use a change. More than half of those surveyed said dating has become more difficult than it used to be, while 66% believe dating apps have made it harder to find authentic connections.

So instead of swiping endlessly and dropping a small fortune on dinner with a stranger, some singles are heading to their local café for coffee, conversation and a side of hash browns.

Why Breakfast Dates Are Catching On

For starters, there's a lot less pressure when you're meeting someone over a cup of coffee instead of committing to a three-course dinner.

According to the Kellogg’s survey, 31% of Australian singles said a morning date takes some of the pressure off the experience.

It also gives both people an easy way out if the chemistry just isn't there. No need to sit through an entire dinner pretending to be fascinated by someone's vacation photos when you could finish your latte and get on with your day.

As The Five co-host Dana Perino pointed out during a discussion about the trend, if the date doesn't go well, you can move on. If it does go well, you've still got the rest of the day ahead of you.

And that could be the best part. Nearly a quarter of those surveyed, or 23%, liked the idea that a breakfast date could turn into a spontaneous adventure. One cup of coffee could lead to a walk, a trip to a farmers market or even an impromptu afternoon together.

Of course, you've also got the perfect excuse to leave if things get awkward: work, errands or the sudden realization that you desperately need another cup of coffee somewhere else.

Dinner Dates Are Getting Expensive

Money is another major reason singles may be rethinking their dating strategies.

According to BMO Financial Group's 2026 Real Financial Progress Index, the average total cost of a first date reached $252 for millennials, a 32% increase from 2025. For Gen Z, the average was $205, up from $194 the previous year.

That's a lot of money to spend on someone you might never see again.

A breakfast date, on the other hand, can keep the bill manageable while still giving two people an opportunity to get to know each other. A couple of coffees and breakfast sandwiches are generally a much smaller financial commitment than dinner, drinks and a tip.

Dating and relationship coach Nicole Colantoni also highlighted the appeal of the morning meetup, describing breakfast dates as casual, lower-pressure opportunities to actually talk and see whether there's a connection.

Could Breakfast Be the Future of Dating?

The Australian survey doesn't necessarily mean everyone is about to trade candlelit dinners for cereal, but it does suggest that singles are looking for simpler ways to meet potential partners.

Breakfast dates offer a few obvious advantages: they're usually cheaper, they don't require a late night, and they leave plenty of time for other plans if things don't work out.

And if the date turns out to be a success? Well, you've got an entire day to keep the romance going.

So, would you rather spend $200 on dinner and drinks with someone you've never met, or grab coffee and pancakes and see where things go?

Breakfast dates: romantic new trend or just a cheaper way to find out if someone is worth a second date?

VOTE HERE

Image Credit: The Hersey Company

Reese’s Pumpkins Now Come With a Warning: The Face Isn’t Real

If you’ve ever bought a Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkin expecting the cute little jack-o’-lantern face shown on the wrapper, Hershey has a message for you: lower your expectations.

The Hershey Company has added a new disclaimer to packages of Reese’s Peanut Butter Pumpkins ahead of Halloween, making it crystal clear that the candy inside probably won’t look like the pumpkin pictured on the front.

Right next to the picture of a Reese’s Pumpkin featuring a carved jack-o’-lantern face, the wrapper now says:

“Carving not on actual product.”

Apparently, this needed to be said.

The disclaimer comes years after a Florida woman sued Hershey, seeking $5 million over the company’s Reese’s Halloween candies. Her 2023 class-action lawsuit argued that she and other customers were misled because the Peanut Butter Pumpkins didn’t actually have the carved faces shown on the packaging.

She also took issue with other seasonal Reese’s candies, including bats, ghosts and footballs, saying the actual candy didn’t match the elaborate designs shown on the wrappers.

A judge eventually dismissed the lawsuit, finding that being disappointed by the lack of a jack-o’-lantern face didn’t amount to the kind of measurable financial loss needed to pursue the case.

Then, in 2024, another proposed class-action lawsuit made essentially the same argument. That case was also dismissed after a judge determined the plaintiffs had not shown that they paid extra for the decorative designs or that the candies were defective, worthless or had lost their economic value because they were missing the carvings.

Hershey had also argued that its packaging already suggested the carved pumpkin was more of a “decorating suggestion” than a promise of what customers would actually unwrap.

Now, Hershey appears to be taking absolutely no chances.

So this Halloween, when you unwrap your Reese’s Pumpkin and discover it looks more like a vaguely pumpkin-shaped blob than a tiny chocolate jack-o’-lantern, remember: you were warned.

And honestly, that's probably the safest legal strategy when your biggest controversy is a candy that doesn't have a face.

Souplantation Could Be Coming Back to California — And Fans Are Already Excited

California, get those buffet trays ready. Souplantation might be making a comeback.

The beloved all-you-can-eat restaurant chain, famous for its endless supply of fresh salads, soups, pizza and other comfort-food favorites, appears to be teasing a return to the Golden State.

Sweet Tomatoes, Souplantation’s sister brand, recently dropped a major hint on social media. The chain posted an image featuring a “Welcome to California” sign along with the mysterious message: “Stay tuned…”

That's all it took to get former Souplantation fans talking.

Souplantation has deep California roots. The first location opened in San Diego in 1978, with the restaurant built around the idea of serving fresh, wholesome food in a casual, all-you-can-eat setting.

The concept eventually exploded in popularity, growing to nearly 100 locations. While most were in California, the chain expanded across the country under the Sweet Tomatoes name.

But the buffet's run came to an unfortunate end.

The company filed for bankruptcy in 2016 and was later sold to private investment firm Perpetual Capital Partners. Then, in 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic dealt the final blow. With buffets particularly difficult to operate during the pandemic, the remaining Souplantation and Sweet Tomatoes restaurants closed.

Now, six years later, it looks like the buffet giant could be getting ready for another shot.

A Sweet Tomatoes spokesperson reportedly said the company will reveal the exact location on social media “very soon.”The teaser has some fans speculating that the new restaurant could be headed to Southern California, although the company hasn't officially confirmed a city yet.

And California clearly hasn't forgotten about the concept. Restaurants such as Soup 'n Fresh in Rancho Cucamongahave helped fill the all-you-can-eat salad-and-soup void left behind by Souplantation.

For longtime fans, though, nothing quite beats the original.

If the rumors are true, California could soon once again be a place where you can grab a plate, fill it with salad, grab some soup, add a slice of pizza—and then go back for another plate because that's literally the point of a buffet.

Now we just need to know one thing:

Will the chocolate chip muffins be coming back too?