The date debate

Friday night dinner and the conversation turns to this blog.
"It's not a dating blog because New Zealanders don't date," I explained to some friends.
"That's not true," cried my flatmate.
"Well, have you ever been on a date?" I asked.
"Yeah, when I was like 14," he replied sheepishly.
"We don't date. We just sort of hook up. And then if we want to see the person again, we start going out," I continued.
"You're right," chimed the table in chorus. (Okay that didn't happen but it's my blog so I'm ad-libbing.)
After chatting some more, we deduced there are three relationship states in New Zealand - Singles; Couples; Friends with benefits.
Rarely will you hear someone say they are "dating". Rarer still will you find someone dating multiple people in the way that Americans seem to.
(As an aside, is this actually true? Do Americans really date several people at once or is that just on television?)
I'm undecided on whether this is a good thing or not. Sometimes, I think it would be nice to go out for dinner with someone, chat and decide if you like them or not.
But then part of me thinks you already know if you like someone. If you're not sure, then you probably don't.
Most of the couples I know were friends to begin with, and have gradually got together through socialising in group situations.
I suppose there must have come a point when they decided to ditch the group and hang out alone, but that's not quite the same as dating. At least not as I perceive it.
I always think of dating as a meeting between two acquaintances that barely know each other. Someone that's caught your eye and you'd like to know better.
So maybe I'm wrong. Maybe New Zealanders do date, but just not as I define it.
What say you readers: Do we date? And if not, should we start?