A Reddit post about awkward endings to first dates prompted commenters to debate what a hesitant goodbye hug might mean. The poster said his dates can appear to go well, with laughter and flirting, but that women rarely initiate a hug at the end and sometimes seem reluctant to accept one.
In the post, shared to r/datingadviceformen on Oct. 7, 2026, he described one date who reached out for a handshake instead. He asked whether these moments pointed to a lack of attraction and wondered if he should text afterward to say he was interested and ask whether she felt the same.
The poster also asked whether asking for a kiss might make a woman more interested in a second date, or whether that kind of move should happen naturally. He said another date on Oct. 7 included a greeting hug, a goodbye hug, and him touching and squeezing the woman’s arm.
Commenters offered differing views. One suggested that someone who hugs at the start but hesitates at the end may have lost attraction during the date, particularly if there is no second date. Another challenged the assumption that a woman’s behavior should be treated as a signal—or that she must be comfortable with a hug.
Other replies advised asking directly instead of trying to infer hidden meaning from a goodbye. The Daily Dot said it could not independently verify the experiences described in the post; the account and commenters’ responses reflect what was shared on Reddit.
Sources: The Daily Dot.