If they were average, I’d only say yes if I’d talked to them before. Even if it was only in passing. I have to feel some sort of vague connection to a person, at least. That doesn’t mean a second date would always be forthcoming, though.
Average looks, hard to say, since what is average in one person’s eyes is not in another’s. Not a deal breaker, but it would certainly help to have some attraction.
Education/IQ, again, depends. As a general rule, being intelligent and well educated myself, I have a hard time meshing with someone that isn’t as well. But, I’ve also known people who had high IQs and were well educated who were conversational morons and basically knew just a couple things, and plenty of people who have nothing beyond high school but have other passion that I can talk to and hold great conversations with. So, again, could mean pretty much anything. If someone is of average intelligence but still loves to learn, has curiosity, is a good conversationalist, then it’s fine.
Personality. I’m not sure what average personality means. Is that like somewhere between a party girl and a book worm? Halfway between the adventurous outdoorsy type and the shut-in that likes to marathon shows on Netflix? Personality is, by far, the most important part, and I couldn’t even begin to say what average is, other than more or less the mode of various characteristics. If that’s the case, probably thoroughly uninteresting, as that would mean she’s basically just casually into whatever is popular in various common categories and, thus, about as boring as it gets. If that’s the case, absolute dealbreaker, even if she were smoking hot and smart and wealthy.
Depends. Do I know them at all in any capacity?
You’re getting a different answer if, for example, I am standing in line at the post office and some random person I’ve never met and know literally nothing about walks up and asks me on a date, as opposed to the guy who works at the news stand in my office building who I see on the regular asks me on a date.
If a random stranger walks up out of nowhere and randomly asks me on a date, my first reaction is likely to be to think “WTF?” and decline on general principles because I would find that to be slightly creepy.
On the other hand, if it were a guy whose face I recognize who troubled himself to chat a little first, (and I were single) chances are solid I’d say yes happily. You never know, after all. I dated some average and below-average looking guys when I was still single. To tell the truth, within probably three standard deviations from the mean (so to speak), looks don’t crack my top 5 qualities in a partner. They might not even crack the top 10.
Wait, I know this one… I accept, but then it turns out I’m the one who placed the ad?
This thread is making me want to go hug my GF right now.
I AM that average person, Yet, my GF is above average in piratically every aspect. She has (way) above average looks, above average intelligence, and a more outgoing, likable personality.
Glad she doesn’t think like some of you guys or else I might still be single! 
No. Even if I was interested in dating and being in a relationship, the answer is no.
I don’t care about looks, unless there’s a third eye ball or poor grooming. The person has to be in at least the 40th percentile in terms of physical appearance (grooming and hygiene have to be way above that, though).
But I want to be impressed by something in a person. You only have your GED? That’s fine, but you better have your own successful business or non-profit. You’re not physically fit and have no interest in being physically fit? OK, but you better be able to throw down in the kitchen so well that I don’t care about getting fat either. You can’t match me in the intellect department? Fine, but you better be able to make me laugh so hard that I don’t care. I don’t want to be in a relationship where I feel I am better at everything. I can get that experience just being by myself.
So that means when you ask if I want to go on a date, I’m going to need to know something about you before I feel I can say “yes”. If everything I know about screams “average”, then the answer won’t be “yes”. I’m not the type to say “yes” without knowing what I’m getting into.
In the poll, I had suspected that most men would say yes and most women would say no.
Actual results so far:** 79% **of men would accept; 57% of women would accept. So the gender stereotypes are still somewhat true.
This, if I was single.
Assuming their sense of humor and their conversational quality is also average, and the activity on the date wasn’t my cup of tea either, I’d much rather stay home with a book or do something with friends. And, it is less awkward to reject a romantic plan before the date then after the date.
I’d be flattered to be asked, because I would assume the guy would be interested in me, and that it took him some courage to ask me.
I would be not flattered if the guy was just playing a numbers game. Then I would be slightly insulted for the assumption I would be in his 'average" league, for disturbing me in my own train of thought, and for putting me in the position to have to be the bad guy by having to reject him.
I’d probably try to make the rejection less awkward by pretending he hadn’t asked me out, but had just been making conversation.
Average guy: "Say, I know this nice Italian place around the corner…
Me: “Oh, yes, that is a nice place. But I think that other place near the station is better, what is it called, Gino’s? Well, modern Italian restaurants are usually better then the more traditional ones anyway, don’t you agree? Oh, is it that time already? Well, it’s been really nice talking to you, gotta go, bye!”
2 eye patches? A flock of parrots? Rolls her Arrr’s?
One last edit: asking a stranger out on a date, like in the US, is not customary in the US. We used to meet our dates through friends or school, work, or other social groups, or by going out.
Now we use Tinder like the rest of the civilised world. 
I’m married, so I’d say no no matter who asked me out.
If I were single, I’d say yes, though.
There’s a thing you’re not considering though - there’s a non-zero percentage of women who wouldn’t accept a date from any complete stranger, regardless of how average or not-average they appear, due to safety considerations.
In my experience, men typically do not consider their physical safety when deciding whether to accept a social engagement. Many women do. And there is a fairly substantial portion of women who wouldn’t accept a date from any random stranger who asked them. I’m not a timid person by any stretch of the imagination, but I will say that the less I know someone, the less likely I am to accept an invitation for a social engagement from them. I’ve never been one for random hookups - ain’t my thing.
This is not to say that if some strange dude were to come up to me in a public place and say something like “Hey, I noticed you from over there - you’re pretty cute, let me buy you a cup of coffee and chat?” I’d mace them and run screaming. In my single days, I’d have been happy to sit and chat (time permitting). After that I might or might not accept an offer of further socializing - but then they’re not a total stranger anymore either and I have some sort of baseline impression of them.
Context matters, yo.
I’m sure I’ve dated people others would consider average, so I don’t see why I wouldn’t do that again, if I were single. People can be “average” and still completely lovely, wonderful people. There really isn’t a scale that reflects someone’s likability or desirability or compatibility.
As others have said, I have no idea what an “average” personality is, though.
I’m an average looking woman. Dating an average looking man would be perfectly appropriate for me.
The fact that she is asking me — a person as off-the-radar as I am to most folks seeking dates — out makes her sufficiently interesting. (In fact all by itself it kind of ruins your hypothetical. Women who ask me out must pretty much by definition have some non-average interests and inclinations). I don’t know that we’d hit it off but I’m amenable to finding out.
Hmm, I’m assuming this person is a she. Well, if a he-type person asked me out, he would also by definition be a bit of a departure from the average. ** ponders ** Sure, what the hell? Depending on the content of the “asking out” verbiage that gets deployed, I might be inclined to issue a cautionary disclaimer, but I’d be curious in at least one of the dictionary-definition senses of the word.
If I perceive someone as average, then by definition I’m not attracted to them. It’s just how I’m wired. I’m drawn to people who strike me as different and interesting. Atypical in some positive way. If the best I can say about someone is that they are “nice”, then they will probably bore me after a while.
The reality is that there is something about everyone that sets them apart from others. No one is really average in all respects. Our perceptions may tell us otherwise, but perceptions can be illusory.
But I can’t see myself agreeing to a date with a guy that seems average to me.
Yes, that too.
:rolleyes:
There is, though, in the sense of ‘typical,’ ‘common’ or ‘ordinary.’
Seconded! If I were single and a woman asked me out, this would seem rather improbable unless there were some sparks going on between us. And if there were, I’d accept. If we’d been acquaintances for long enough for sparks to develop, but there were no discernable sparks, then I’d ask her why she was asking me out, and whether I said yes would hinge on her answer. If she was pretty new to my office/church/circle of friends, but no sparks yet, I’d say yes just to see if there was more to her than I’d seen so far. And even in this enlightened age, how often do guys get asked out by women anyway?