New research finds 51% of couples forget or run out of time to plan one-on-one time over Christmas
YO! has launched Spice Cards, a deck of 12 playful questions created with dating expert Vicki Pavitt, alongside a new Sriracha Blackout Christmas menu. The launch follows new research from YO! which found that 51% of couples forget or run out of time to plan one-on-one time over Christmas, while two in five (40%) Brits have cancelled or skipped a date because of festive plans.
Each Spice Card question comes with a heat rating, from Mild to Blackout, covering everything from first dates to long-term relationships, with the aim of helping couples “ditch the small talk and discover something new about each other.” The research also found that almost half (46%) of single Brits say dating is harder in December, while 42% admit to having started dating someone, or stayed with someone longer than they wanted, to avoid being single at Christmas. One in five (21%) said they had received a present from a partner so bad it made them question the relationship.
On date-night habits, the research found dinner out remains the nation’s go-to choice (60%), while more than three quarters (77%) of couples admit to repeating the same date-night routine. A quarter (25%) said they can’t remember the last time they learnt something new about their partner, and almost half (49%) said things have lost their spark at some point. Despite this, 57% said they want to bring more excitement into their dating lives.
The Sriracha Blackout Christmas menu swaps the traditional turkey dinner for what YO! describes as a “fiery Japanese-inspired feast.” The menu features the JFC Sriracha Blackout Feast (£14.95), bringing together Sriracha-dressed chicken katsu, Sriracha Blackout sweet chilli karaage, charred corn ribs with miso mayo and shichimi, fries, YO! slaw and Sriracha Blackout curry sauce.
To mark the launch, YO! is hosting Spice Cards Date Nights on Tuesday 1 and Wednesday 2 December across seven restaurants: Westfield Stratford, Bluewater, Birmingham Selfridges, Liverpool One, Aberdeen, Leeds and Sheffield Meadowhall. According to the release, the first 230 bookings made through YO!’s website will receive a complimentary Sriracha Blackout JFC and a pack of Spice Cards to take home, while a later section of the release states that spaces are limited to the first 200 bookings. Bookings can be made at yosushi.com.
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Vicki Pavitt, dating expert, said: “With so much going on in December, it’s easy for couples to fall into the same routines or let quality time slip down the priority list. But making time to connect doesn’t have to mean planning an elaborate date night. Sometimes, simply asking each other a question you wouldn’t normally think to ask can open up a whole new conversation. Whether you’ve been getting to know someone new, or have been together for years, a little curiosity can go a long way in keeping the spark alive.”
Samantha Kemp, Group Marketing Director at YO!, said: “We’re all familiar with the usual Christmas dinner, but this year we’re giving Brits something a little different to get stuck into. Our Sriracha Blackout Christmas menu brings together bold Japanese-inspired flavours, from Sriracha-dressed chicken katsu to Sriracha Blackout sweet chilli karaage, with plenty of heat. It’s all about bringing people together over great food, having a bit of fun and making those festive get-togethers a little more exciting. And with Spice Cards on the table, there’s no excuse for date night conversation to run dry!”
Pavitt also offered five tips for keeping the spice alive in December: sharing a Christmas tradition and explaining what makes it special; going beyond small talk by asking about highlights of the year and hopes for 2027; making affection part of the everyday through small gestures such as a compliment or a hug; telling someone you appreciate them with a note of gratitude; and not losing yourself in the Christmas rush by taking time purely for yourself.
