From catfishing to reverse catfishing, 2025 is a wild year with ever-changing dating trends that keep blowing up the internet. But with so many filters and common friends in between, and AI-generated bios, you could still end up on a bad date. The real question is, do you have to sit through hours of listening to their political views, their thoughts on cryptocurrency, and how their ex wronged them? Well, not anymore, thanks to the return of the lemon law. The infamous law, given by Barney Stinson on How I Met Your Mother, is the dating hack you need to survive the game. Read on to find out what the lemon law in dating is and how it can help you escape potentially disastrous dates without any guilt.

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What exactly is the lemon law?

As per the inventor of this law, Barney, “The Lemon Law entitles a person to call off the date within the first five minutes with no repercussions.” Basically, you give your date a whole five minutes to decide whether their vibe matches their dating profile or not. If the conversation steers into an interesting direction, like, ‘What’s your favourite poison of choice?’ or turns into a trauma bonding sesh, sit your ass down. But if it goes in the ‘So what’s your favourite colour?’ direction, throw in the lemon law and walk out without a second glance. Simple. Brutal. Effective. You don’t have to feel guilty; you don’t have to end up in an anonymous bad date story thread on Reddit. No repercussions, just a clean exit.

Why does it work so well?

No matter what new age trends say, first impressions are usually the last impressions. And if you’re not impressed by the time the waiter brings out the menus, you walk out. The lemon law is the perfect hack to save your time, energy, and emotional well-being. With squeezing in therapy, drinking two litres of water a day, doing a 9-5 job, having a decent protein intake, and walking 10k steps a day, you don’t need a half-decent date on your to-do list. If the vibes aren’t vibing, be honest and move on. It allows both of you to be upfront and not waste your precious time.

The Gen Z spin on the Lemon Law

While five minutes seems too short, and there could be a chance you didn’t give them a fair chance, Gen Z is very time-centric. Sure, we’ll spend endless hours scrolling on pointless reels, but dates? It’s a straight-up no. And the lemon law, the polite cousin of ghosting, as we like to call it, is a considerate and mindful way to call things off without hurting anyone. It saves the small talk, everyone’s time, and dignity. Setting boundaries and knowing what you want out of a date is more important than pretending to be polite. It’s self-care, but in dating terms. So, the next time you’re trying to force a connection and make the sparks fly, cut it short instead and, in accordance with the lemon law, call it a day.

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