Joe and Chris matched on Hinge early December 2020. Though Joe sent the first message, Chris wasted no time in suggesting an actual date. Within the next week, the date was set; a casual and quick lunch at Tony C's in Somerville. It was a Thursday; Chris was in between tennis clients and Joe had the day off. As planned, it was a casual and low-key 90-minute date. Naturally, the basic topics were covered; career, hobbies, music, travel, sports. Joe & Chris immediately realized they had a lot in common. They did not even realize until the end of the date they both ordered the same beer and sandwich. A major green flag for both Joe and Chris came at the end of the date when the check arrived. They agreed to split it, no awkwardness or debate. Joe also noticed Chris tipped well over 20%; the opposite being a dealbreaker for Joe. At that point, things were already trending in the right direction. Neither of them were looking for a serious relationship at the time, but that plan didn’t last long. One date turned into a second, then a third, then a fourth… and before long, they were both regularly making the hour commute between Wilmington and Jamaica Plain just to see one another. At some point during all those drives back and forth, it became pretty obvious, this wasn’t casual anymore. Turns out, a quick lunch date at Tony C's turned into a 5+ year commitment and counting.