The Single Best Pick Up Line That Always Works

What are the best pick up lines? And do pick up lines work? When I asked my Twitter followers this question, only 30% of people said yes! 

While I wasn’t surprised by this response, I do think that the negative reputation that pick up lines have isn’t entirely earned.

In this article we’ll show you how to use a pick up line successfully, the single best pick up line out there, and some pick up lines to avoid at all costs.

Let’s dive in!

The Single Best Pick Up Line Ever

Don’t sweat if you’re worried about using the best pick-up line. This is one of the best lines out there:

Hello, how are you?

It’s really that simple! That question works because it’s easy for the other person to answer, appropriate, non-invasive, and shows you’re interested in hearing about them.

If you’re at a networking event or a party, an even more effective version is:

Hi, I don’t think I’ve met you yet. My name is [your name]

This line is effective because when you ask someone for something, they are far likelier to say yes if you provide a reason, even if it doesn’t make sense!

Saying “I don’t think I’ve met you yet” implicitly communicates a reason. When someone hears this line, they’ll generally feel very natural shaking your hand and sharing their name.

If you’d like more ideas, below are 10 more winning pick up lines.

The 10 Best Pick Up Lines to Get You Started

For this article, we’ve avoided the traditional (often tacky) pick up lines, and instead have curated some lines that are genuine and personal to help you connect with a new person. They work as conversation starters on a first date or even just approaching a stranger. 

Do you come here a lot? “Do you come here often?” is overused, but the sentiment is remarkable. It opens a conversation about the other person and helps you connect over a common experience. It’s also a great chat line because you can use it almost anywhere—the pub, cinema, nightclub, etc.

What are you drinking? Simple, to the point, and non-invasive, this chat up line works to open a conversation and break the ice for you to get to know each other more.

What are you reading? A variation of the above (but more suited to the bookworms among us), this is the perfect chat up line in a store when you see someone looking through the books or reading a book. If you’re both in a bookshop, you may already have something extraordinary in common. 

What did you think about the [event]? Depending on the situation, you’ll have to change this, but whether you’ve just walked out of the theatre or watched a band at your local pub, this pick-up line works to start talking about a common interest.

Wow, look at that. This is an opener where you remark on something in your shared environment that you find noteworthy. It could be, “Wow, look at this cool flower!” or even, “Wow, look at the stain on this chair I almost sat on!”

Do you have a pen? If you’re a smoker, it could be, “Do you have a lighter?” Or, if you need to jot something down, you can ask for a pen. It’s best if you want to use the thing you’re asking for. But this opener is excellent because it immediately creates warmth between you. After all, they have offered you something.

Do you know the way to [a place you’re going]? This can be a bit hit or miss as it tends to involve approaching someone completely out of the blue. But it does open a conversation. You can ask if they know the place and what they think about it. If the conversation is going well, and you’re getting good body language vibes, you could even invite the person to join you.

Can I ask your opinion on something? Be careful with this one, as it can come across as weird or intimidating, but it can be used in almost any situation. If you’re speaking to someone at the bar, you could ask their opinion on a restaurant someone else recommended, or perhaps you’re writing an assignment in a library and could ask their opinion on the title of your work. It can be a great segue into a natural conversation.

Isn’t this [building/area of the town/room] beautiful? Again, when commenting on something mundane, remarking about the area around you is an excellent way to connect with someone.

Oh, what’s that? This works excellent in cafes, bars, and even restaurants. Be careful you’re not intruding on someone else’s time with their friends, but commenting on something someone has ordered (an interesting cocktail or an exotic dish) is the perfect way to start talking to someone.

Also, check out our 57 killer conversation starters.

While you can go in with one of these pre-packaged pick up lines, it’s also often effective to make up an opener on the fly. Below are some tips for how to do just that. 

Do you think pick-up lines work? Watch our video below to find out!

The Two Elements of a Great Pick up Line

While people use plenty of pick up lines that are awkward, confusing, and/or just flat-out inappropriate, they’re not supposed to be that way. 

A pick up line is supposed to do two things:

1. Intrigue someone enough that they begin to reciprocate your interest.
2. Initiate a conversation.

In other words, a pick up line is supposed to be intriguing and captivating. 

When researching for my book Captivate, I sought the most effective ways to spark conversations and make great first impressions. I found that the mistake people make with pick up lines is that they forget to consider what the other person would be comfortable with–this is true of both online dating and meeting people in real life.

When trying to come up with pick-up lines, think to yourself:

What would intrigue you?

How to Come Up with the Best Pick Up Lines

So you’ve read our articles on attraction and confidence, bought a new outfit, and are ready to meet the person of your dreams.

The secret to coming up with pick up lines that work is context. Usually, when people think of pick up lines they look to other person’s appearance for inspiration. This leads to many of the bad pick up lines that people are used to hearing and that often come across as offensive.

The key to coming up with the best pick up line is context.

Instead of looking at the other person or agonizing over how to be funnier (although working on your sense of humor does help!), look at your surroundings when thinking of a conversation starter. Here are some examples:

• Ask them how they know the host if you’re at a friend’s party.
• If you’re at a bar and they order an interesting drink, ask them what it is.
• If you’re at an event, ask them what brought them there or how they’ve liked the activities.

Think of coming up with a pick up line like playing the game I Spy. 

Look around the room for something interesting and bring that up to someone around you.

Why does context work for making good pick up lines? They are comfortable commonalities. If you are in the same place it is a commonality. You don’t have to guess or probe; you only have to look around. 

And for my fellow recovering awkward people—if you struggle to approach new people because you have social anxiety and it makes you feel awkward, check out my book Captivate where I’ll teach you social skills to help you feel way more confident.

Pick Up Line Do’s and Don’ts 

A few things to remember when approaching someone else–mostly, be polite, considerate, and respectful. Also…

Do:

• Have a real interest in their response. If you just wait to talk, you’ll miss something interesting about them and become self-absorbed. 
• Be genuine. It can be nerve-wracking to approach someone, and you might be tempted to exaggerate or lie about yourself. This will only come back and bite you, so honesty is important. 
• Be aware of how your words or actions might come across. Men, mainly when opening up a conversation with a woman, consider your body language and tone and watch how she responds. If you have any incline that she might feel uncomfortable, respect her and leave the conversation. 
• Take rejection graciously. There’s really nothing worse than someone taking rejection personally. The chances of two people being single, interested, and available are slim, so brace yourself for rejection and be respectful. 

Don’t:

• Comment on someone’s looks. As a general rule, compliments go down better if you’re complimenting an outfit they chose rather than their eyes or hair. 
• Force a conversation if it doesn’t feel natural. You’ll know if your interaction is forced because one or both of you will be acting awkwardly, and they might be giving you short or one-word answers. 
• Be creepy. Approaching a woman alone at a bus stop at night to tell her she smells nice isn’t romantic; it’s terrifying. 
• Disturb people wearing earphones. Earphones are usually a clear sign that someone doesn’t want to be disturbed, so unless they remove their earphones to talk to you, perhaps it’s best to just leave them alone. 

How to Carry a Conversation After the Pick Up Line

Once you’ve started the conversation and the other person is interested in engaging with you, you can move onto more personal topics. Here are a few of my favorite questions to ask when getting to know someone new:

• What does a typical day look like for you? This is a great question to ask to learn about their lifestyle.
• Have you watched any good movies/read any good books/listened to any good music lately? Learn their taste in entertainment and see if you have anything in common.
• Given the choice of anyone worldwide, whom would you want as a dinner guest? You’ll hear about who they admire and what types of conversations they like to have.
• What’s your favorite way to spend a weekend? Find out how they like to have fun and get potential date ideas.
• Would you like to be famous? In what way? It is an easy question to ask to learn their goals and what drives them.

Most important of all—be confident. You are a great catch. All you need to do is find your person.

Avoid These Corny Lines (Just For Fun)

Generally, it’s best to avoid cheesy pickup lines or anything too pre-packaged, as they can come off as pretty cringey. 

With that said, there are some pretty funny pickup lines out there. Take a look through these. But be warned, these pickup lines are bad, and extremely cheesy, and it’d be best to read them more like jokes than actual advice.

• “Are you an appendix? Because I don’t understand how you work, but this feeling in my stomach makes me want to take you out.”
• “Is your name Google? Because you have everything I’ve been searching for.”
• “Do you like my shirt? It’s made of a rare thread called ‘boyfriend material.'”
• “Are you a transformer? Because you’re Optimus Fine.”
• “Do you have a Band-Aid? I just hurt my knee falling for you.”
• “Is your name Spotify? Because I wouldn’t mind you playing in my heart all day.”
• “If you were a vegetable, you’d be a cute-cumber, no doubt.”
• “Do you like Star Wars? Because Yoda one for me!”
• “Are your parents bakers? Because they made a cutie pie like you.”
• “I’m not an airplane, but we just experienced some serious Wright.”
• “Are you French? Because Eiffel for you the moment I saw you.”
• “If kisses were snowflakes, I’d send you a blizzard.”
• “Do you have a map? I keep getting lost in your eyes.”
• “Are you a boxer? Because you’re a total knockout.”
• “Is your name Wi-Fi? Because I’m really feeling a connection.”
• “If beauty were time, you’d be an eternity.”
• “Are you a Jedi? Because I’ve been looking for a love as strong as the Force.”
• “Can I follow you where you go? Because my parents always told me to follow my dreams.”
• “Are you a broken pencil? Because you’re pointless…ly cute.”
• “If you were a fruit, you’d be a fineapple.”
• “Are you a parking ticket? Because you’ve got ‘FINE’ written all over you.”
• “Do you play Quidditch? Because you look like a Keeper.”
• “If you were a triangle, you’d be acute one.”
• “If you were a chicken, you’d be impeccable.”
• “Are you a cat? Because I’m feline a connection between us.”
• “Are you a magician? Whenever I look at you, everyone else disappears.”
• “Are you a time traveler? Because I see you in my future!”
• Are you a snowflake? Because you’re one of a kind.
• “I’m no paleontologist, but of all the dinosaurs, you’d be a Gorgeousaurus.”
• “Do you like soccer? Because I think we would ‘kick’ it off well together.”
• “If we were both socks, we’d make a great pair. Don’t you agree?”
• “They say Disneyland is the happiest place on Earth. But they’ve never been here in front of you.”
• “I’m not a photographer, but I can picture us together.”

Takeaways on Pick Up Lines That Always Work

Best of luck pursuing a romantic partner!

As you approach people for conversation, just keep these tips in mind:

• Intrigue: A pickup line should pique someone’s interest enough that they want to engage further.
• Initiate: The primary goal of a pickup line is to start a conversation.
• Comment on context: The best openers focus on the surroundings rather than just the person’s appearance.
• Approach with interest: Showing genuine interest in the other person
• Awareness of impact: Notice how words and actions land in the other person’s body language. 

And when in doubt, the pick up line “Hi, how’s it going?” is your best bet.

Once you use the pick up line, all you have to do is have a conversation! And if you’d like some tips on what questions can make for an engaging conversation, you might enjoy this article.