There's no denying that approaching someone you find attractive can definitely take some guts. This is particularly true if you're an empowered woman who decides to say goodbye to gender norms and make the first move, maybe even deciding to open with a pick-up line. But most memorable pick-up lines tend to fall into the following two categories: painfully corny or awkwardly sexual. Not to mention, using the same gimmicky phrase on a bunch of different people can come off as insincere at best and weird at worst.
Particularly now, at a point in modern dating where we have immediate access to thousands of eligible singles with the swipe of a finger, the dating game has become much more competitive. Gone are the days when your dating options consisted only of people in your work or social circles. These changes also mean that we are likely much quicker to dismiss someone who swoops in with a cheesy line or overly sexual remark, simply because we can swipe on to the next person.
But of course, there are always exceptions to the rules. Sometimes, a funny, flirtatious, or even ridiculous one-liner is actually the perfect opener (or at least a memorable one) to break the ice and give both of you a chance to get a more organic conversation going. I've gone ahead and asked some fellas to chime in with some of the most over-the-top pick-up lines they've ever heard.
1. The Lost Key
I was at this bar, and toward the end of the night, this girl who had been giving me the eye finally came over and said she had lost her key and was wondering if she could borrow mine.
— Jack*, 30
2. The Snake
An older woman who was a regular at a cafe I worked at, who I had flirted with in the past, told me that she wanted to 'squeeze me until I popped, and then proceeded to ask for my number. Needless to say, I was a bit spooked.
— Dan*, 22
3. Squirrels And Their Nuts
I seem to remember a girl drunkenly coming up to me and asking to bum a cigarette before saying something like, 'Are you a squirrel? 'Cause I can see your nuts,' which was pretty awkward.
— Tony*, 24
4. The Bubble-Butt Booster Seat
I went up to the bar to grab a drink and to chat up this cute girl, and before I could think of something to say, she said that she was much shorter than she looked sitting down, because of some added inches from her bubble butt. I was pretty caught off guard, but her confidence was definitely hot.
— Marc*, 24
5. Breakfast In Bed
One girl told me that she'd love to see me devour a stack of her homemade pancakes. And I never turn down free food, so I was sold.
— Jim*, 23
6. The Leaky Faucet
A co-worker whom I ended up having a fling with lured me to her apartment by asking if I could help her 'fix a leaking faucet.'
— Jeremy*, 26
Ultimately, it's totally up to you whether or not you want to use a pick-up line as a conversation starter. Some say yes; some say no. But the truth of the matter is, anyone who's a good match for you is probably going to share your humor or flirting style. Instead of focusing on — or being discouraged by — the people who aren't into your quirks, only give your time and energy to those who are into it. And when in doubt, food-related bribes are clearly almost always a safe bet.
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*Names have been changed.
