Her date said he was going to the bathroom and then vanished. What Olive Garden staff did next made her day
Seated with her food on the table, the woman was sure to take away a bitter memory until the staff's gestures turned her day around
Going on that first date can feel scary and awkward, and after fighting every doubt, getting stood up by your date feels horrible. What’s even more terrifying is to have them leave mid-date. A woman named Lila Chapman (@48.lila) shared her experience in a post on December 22, 2025. She was on a date with a man at Olive Garden when he decided to leave mid-way. Feeling embarrassed and awkward, the woman had no idea how to carry on with the meal and the rest of the evening but the restaurant had her back. The staff ever so sweetly planned gestures one after the other to ensure Chapman didn’t feel upset and disheartened by the man’s carelessness.
@48.lila And to top it off he was so odd and rude to the server from the beginning. Thank you Olive Garden for not making me pay for his food and my server being so sweet and another one for walking me to my car. What a Sunday night #stoodup #feverdream #fyp #datingishard ♬ I've Seen It - Olivia Dean
The clip captured a glimpse of the woman seated at the outlet with food on the table. She was on a first date with a guy who said he had to use the bathroom. A while later, she spotted him leaving from the front door. Pathetic feeling, isn’t it? “I never thought this would happen in real life,” she said, unsure how to respond to the situation. In the caption, she revealed that he already given her red flags by being rude to the servers. But she was stuck there, figuring out what to do when the staff came to her aid. They assured her she didn’t need to pay for the man’s food and went on to make the evening a pleasant one with their kind hospitality.
“My server was so sweet,” Chapman remarked. When she was done, one of them even walked her to her car, maintaining the gentlemanly behavior she deserved. “What a Sunday night,” she exclaimed. Thanks to them, she has one good takeaway from the night and doesn’t have to remember the bitterness. All that a person expects on a first date is that it's honest and open, so they can walk away with clarity on how to plan things further. Unfortunately, many young people are faced with cruel realities like these that put them off and dismantle their idea of a first date. The latter should be exciting, accompanied by a bit of nervousness and a whole lot more curiosity.
According to a survey conducted by Evntful, out of 72% of single people who have had a first date arranged online, 93% said they felt uncomfortable due to some word or action from the other person. One person recalled, “He made a joke about my dead Dad on the first date (& told me he found out through my Insta).” Creepy to say the least. Statistics from Dating News revealed 91% of single women worry about their safety before heading out on a first date. 37% come prepared with a “code” to text their loved ones in case they wanted to end the date and leave immediately.
Due to the antics they witness, women choose to speak to the person online via text and a phone call before they can meet in person to better understand what they’re getting into. And 4 in 5 females reported noticing red flags while talking to a potential date online. It’s not about landing a confirmed long-term partner; it's about having a good time while figuring out if the person has a future with you. This woman’s date undoubtedly went horribly, but Olive Garden really saved the day. The internet is swooning over their gestures. @tswoosher wrote, “Walked you to your car? They truly wanted to make sure you were safe.” @matilda12345675 added, “You dodged a bullet, girl.”
You can follow Lila Chapman (@48.lila) on TikTok for more content on lifestyle.
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