I am petrified

Well good luck.
Do make sure you take all the necessary safety precautions. A prearranged phone call from a friend in the course of the meeting is a recognised way of getting out of a tricky (or frankly boring) situation.
Meeting over a meal is probably a very good way of forming an initial impression. He may be as terrified as you OR he may be a dead loss (older, false teeth, toupee, lecherous, thoroughly boring) or just nice but dim.
Don’t give away too much information about yourself or your family and (dare I say it) don’t expect too much.
But do let us know how it goes!

Relax a little Rolande I know its a big step for you but it is just one date. Wear something smart casual which you are comfortable in. He is lucky to be meeting you so enjoy the evening, if there is anything about him you don't like no second date. Be safe, tell someone where you are going and arrange to call them when you get home. Don't accept a lift ensure you have transport available. Enjoy.

Just wear what you would normally wear for dinner out. Don't do anything you wouldn't do normally. He must get to know you as you are, or you'll be acting a part for the rest of the relationship.

Good luck and have a nice time!

However, I have no experience of this sort of thing, so I will follow the thread with interest.

I would just treat the meeting as if you were going to meet a new woman friend you'd been chatting to, because that's all it needs to be. Just meeting a friend and seeing how you get on.

Been there, done that. I agree with everything others have said. I was also told, reverse park the car in case you have to make a run for it, but that is really unlikely.
I'm still with the guy after 15 years :-)

It's lunch, so just chill out! Even if nothing comes of it you will have have been out for lunch and have made a start. Wear whatever you feel comfortable in, smart trousers and a jumper would be fine. Just chat - if the conversation runs dry just ask some questions. What does he like to do for holidays? Read? Hobbies? TV? Theatre? Always useful to find out about his family and friends - good pointers to how a person makes and keeps relationships. People always like to talk about themselves. Open ended questions work best - what, where, when, etc. You may make a new friend or not but you won't know unless you try. So have a nice lunch and see how it goes.

I can understand the cold feet; it's bound to be daunting, but at worst you will have been out to lunch and at best you will really enjoy it. Brace yourself and go for it I say. (One of my foster lads met a lovely girl this way and three years later they were married.)
p.s. Do please come back and tell us how you got on.

What ga said. But also reverse park your car for a fast get away if necessary.

Good Luck from me too. I haven't been on a date since 1967 so sorry no advice from me but I am keen to hear how it went!!

Hi Rolande, good luck. Remember he is just a person and you're meeting somewhere public so it will be fine. I hope you have a bit more luck than me, I've had loads and still haven't found the right one! When I'm meeting someone for the first time, I try not to worry if they like me or not, that only becomes important if I like them and more often than not, I'm not that keen. In my experience, they normally give you a quick peck on the cheek when you first meet, which is fine. So try not to worry and analyse everything. Hopefully you will have a great time. Will you post and let us know? I had a date last Sunday but he looked like Lord Farquaad from Shrek (basically a short little man who jumped out of a huge Audi). That was a first and last date although he was keen to tell me how rich he was, think he might have been compensating for something???!! Who knows?

Rolande that was me ten years ago. We met in a local car park, I remember my first impression was 'oh not very tall' although taller than me. We walked to a restaurant I had booked for lunch, had a lovely lunch, chatted for hours and have been together ever since.
Smart casual clothing and try not to worry too much, he is probably just as apprehensive as you.
Good luck and enjoy yourself.

Rolande have a nice time. I met up with a gn friend this week for lunch. We have been in touch for some time but had never met. Pleased to say it went well and I hope we meet again.
I know this is somewhat different but take things slowly.
Don’t look too far ahead and be yourself as someone upthread said. Also try to get your daughter or a friend to ring or text you just in case you need an excuse to run.
Good luck, relax and hope you enjoy yourself.
Do let us know how it goes.

Some great advise already given, nothing to add apart from I hope all goes well for you

Gosh you’re brave long time since I had a blind date I d be terrified too No advice just good luck?

Good luck! I hope it goes well for you. Will you post an update for us all afterwards?

Good for you making that first step.. I'm far too chicken and I was widowed six years ago.

I agree - take the sensible precautions just in case, but then enjoy yourself. At worst you'll have nothing in common and what have you got to lose but an hour or so of your valuable time, but at best this may be your new best friend. Have a great time and - yes - let us know how it went. As for clothes, smart casual that you feel good in and be yourself. Good luck.

It's an adventure, Rolande! 17 years ago I was in the same position - we met in a pub carpark and went in for a drink. We'd already, like you, been chatting online, so we knew some bits about each other. We ended up having dinner, and didn't stop talking and laughing all evening. We've been married for 16 years now and still laugh every day.

Good luck, and enjoy! Just meet a friend for lunch, and see what happens. Do come back and let us know how it went.

Modern technology happened since you last dated so consider using it.

Take your mobile phone. Arrange to receive a call an hour in. Then either ignore the call or take it politely, make your apologies and leave.

Wishing you the very best.

Yeh try not to pitch your expectations too high. It got to the point with me I was so relieved to get away from them... that I stopped doing it. But some are lucky. So that’s it. Good luck

Take the book you're reading and read some while you wait. The book itself can be a topic of conversation ... "do you like biography/historical fiction/ gardening books?", and then you can find out what he likes to read. Have a few topics of conversation ready in your mind, but I suggest avoiding Brexit or Trump!

Have money ready to pay for yourself.

If he is really nice, see if he has a ny brothers, plenty of us here waiting for nice men.

Rolande

I worry about this sort of thing. I had to go for a coffee with my Manager this week, after visiting a client. She was tense and so was I before the meeting with client, but it went wonderfully well. I had worried excessively beforehand.

We had coffee and she confided in me all sorts of things.

I can therefore totally understand the anxiety but if you have chatted beforehand I think when you get there all will go well. Please tell us briefly afterwards if you had a nice time. All the best !!!