Dry dating is going on dates without alcohol, meeting over coffee or activities instead of drinks.
Dry dating is the practice of dating without drinking, choosing sober settings rather than the default bar or wine date.
It looks like meeting for coffee, a walk, a museum, or a daytime activity where alcohol is not the centerpiece. People do it for health, clarity, cost, or simply to read chemistry without a buzz.
It overlaps with affordating, since skipping drinks also lowers the bill.
The benefit is a clearer first impression. Without alcohol smoothing the edges, you get a more honest sense of whether you actually enjoy someone, which makes early dating decisions easier to trust.