SPEED DATING:

This is a formalized match making process or dating system whose purpose is to encourage people to meet a large number of new people.

The first ever speed dating took place At Pete’s Café in Beverley Hills in late 1998. Soon many commercials and sitcoms began to revolve around this concept. By the turn of the century, speed dating really began to gain popularity.

How does Speed Dating Work?

•	It is usually run by an organization. Men and women meet each other for a series of several short dates usually lasting for a period of three to eight minutes.
•	At the end of each interval, a person rings the bell. This is a signal for people to move on to the next date.
•	At the end of the event, each participant submits to the organizer a list of the people they would like to submit their contact information to.
•	If there is a match, then the contact information is passed on to both the parties.
•	Contact information is not released in the initial meeting itself, so as to reduce pressure (mainly on women) to accept or reject a potential suitor on the face.

Requirements:

•	Usually you need to register in advance for the event - often an online payment using a credit card.
•	Walk in’s are sometimes accepted to balance the gender ratio.
•	Sometimes an age range is also specified, an older range is specified for men.
•	Also, specific nights may be allotted for different classes of people, such as graduates only, gays and lesbians, older men with younger women (and vice versa), book lovers etc.

So why was speed dating popular?

Speed dating was really popular mainly because of the following reasons:

•	Saved everyone a hell lot of time
•	People were able to decide quickly if they were romantically compatible or not.
•	First impressions were usually permanent.
•	Participants can come alone without feeling out of place. Women who like going out in groups can come together.
•	As opposed to loud bars, the speed dating venues are often quiet enough for people to have a conversation.
•	Structured interaction eliminates the need to introduce oneself.
•	Speed dating matches people at random. One might meet different types of people that they might normally not talk to in a bar or a club.
•	Prevents people from monopolizing one another’s time.