Dating in Seattle?
If so, chances are you’ve experienced the Seattle Freeze at least once—most likely in the form of canceled plans. Here in Seattle we’re very friendly and adventurous… for two weeks in July. The rest of the year, we love to hibernate indoors with our pets, our plants, and our coffee. When it comes to our mental health, our time, and our energy, Seattleites will not hesitate to cancel a date. We asked our Secret Seattle followers to tell us what constitutes an acceptable reason to cancel a date here in Seattle, and they didn’t hold back!
Here are totally acceptable reasons to cancel a date in Seattle, according to locals:
The weather:
For a city that has such a mild climate year-round, its occupants sure do love to blame canceled plans on the weather:
- “Sorry, it’s raining.”
- “It’s raining hard.”
- “It’s raining non-stop.”
- “It’s maybe going to snow.”
- “It might snow in the next week.”
- “It snowed a tenth of an inch.”
- “Threat of any snow accumulation. Any at all.”
- “Black ice on hills.”
- “You live on a hill + ice.”
- “It’s sunny out.”
- “The mountain’s out.”
- “The sun is shining… must be a bad omen.”
- “Sorry, it’s raining/cloudy. Or sorry, it’s finally sunny.”
- “People date here? I thought we all stay in during the dark!”
Transit woes:
Seattle has some serious public transit issues, so many of these excuses could actually be real:
- “Waiting for the light rail to be completed.”
- “Canceled ferry.”
- “Traffic on I-5.”
- “Floating bridge closed for repair.”
- “Link is late/not running.”
- “Oh you want to go where? I won’t be able to find parking, sorry.”
- “The light rail isn’t running or the bus never came.”
- “I can’t walk up that hill in heels! (Or down.. almost busted my ass going to the Pink Door for a date walking on the cobblestones in heels).”
Your pet is your priority:
If you’re dating in Seattle, you need to understand that our dogs are essentially our children.
- “If they think meeting me AND my dog at a dog friendly establishment is a preposterous idea for a first date. I’m OUT.”
- “I have a cat. Prefer to stay home with them… better more cuddly company.”
- “My dog looks sad… he needs me.”
- “I was having an argument with my cat.”
You have somewhere else to be
Seattle has so much to offer, so don’t be surprised if someone decides that yet another mediocre coffee date can’t compete:
- “Because you’d rather be in the trees or on a mountain instead.”
- “Hiking with the boys.”
- “Sunny out. Got caught up hiking.”
- “Kraken are playing.”
- “Macklemore just announced a secret show.”
- “I got Dick’s instead.”
- “There’s a foot of fresh powder at Stevens. I must go.”
- “Decided to cold plunge instead.”
- “I’m stuck on the gum wall.”
They’re just not a good fit
Seattleites have certain standards:
- “If they aren’t taking you to Le Coin.”
- “They don’t have a boat.”
- “If they claim the place they’re meeting you has the ‘best [anything] in the city.'”
- “They don’t drink coffee, hate the rain, aren’t dog people.”
- “They don’t like Costco.”
No reason at all!
Here in Seattle, we take our mental health very seriously by taking vitamin D religiously and never making our loved ones feel bad for wanting to cancel:
- “You’re not in the mood to go on a date anymore.”
- “I was happy and not myself when I made these plans and now I’m back to me so I no longer want to go.”
- “Just ghost them, classic Seattle Freeze style (jk!).”
- “Anything off or intuition there’s something not right.”
- “All reasons are valid.”
- “Any reason. I like being alone.”
- “Any reason is acceptable. Communicate kindly and clearly; tell the reason why truthfully with some tact.”
- “If you no longer consent to seeing someone you don’t have to.”
- “You can just say nah I’m not it. You don’t ever need a reason to tell someone no.”
- “Literally any reason at any time. Be kind, but protect your peace, health, safety, and happiness.”