Search Results: good first dates

I have had at least 75 first dates as a result of online dating, and a few were horrible (pictures not current, lied about age, etc.) Most of them weren't that awful, but we just weren't a good match. When I got some experience with rejecting a lady, I eventually decided that the best thing to do was to walk the lady back to her car, no good night kiss, no hug, tell her that I enjoyed meeting her, she seems like a nice lady, but I don't think we're a good match and I wished her good luck with her search. That stopped any expectations from developing and avoided the appearance of misleading her in any way. Maybe that isn't how she wanted to hear that message, but I thought it was better than taking the easy way out by texting or simply not calling her again.

If you were the lady on one of those first dates, how and when would you want that message conveyed to you? If you were the guy, how do you think that message should be delivered?

(Yes, I know that it isn't entirely up to me to decide whether to have a second date; a woman can reject me after the first date, and I have had that experience. I'm just asking about this from a guy's perspective. If you want to ask about how a girl should reject a guy, you can post your own question.)

Hello!

I had my first date with a girl yesterday.

Everything went smooth and actually pretty good, in my opinion.

• Chat went smooth, no awkward silence.
• Laughed a lot together.
• Saw her stare (in the periphery) at me when she showed me something on her phone.
• She had open body language: No arms across or wandering eyes on the surroundings.
• She let me pay the bill.
• Bumped shoulders a lot during walk.
• Physical contact (during laugh or showing/pointing at something etc): Stroke her back/arm/hand on knee, and no signs of withdrawal, so I assume she was comfortable with me.
• Didn't kiss, because I don't want to do that first date, but we did a farewell (long) hug.
  *We said we had a good time, before we part.

So withing one hour I also sent her a follow-up message, yet again that I had a great time with her and I'm open to have a second date.

Now she have been online on FB-Messenger 2-3 times since the date.
She haven't "read it" it though, but I'm sure you can read it in the notificationbar and then swipe it away.

My question.

• Why would you not respond to a successful date?
• How long should I wait before sending a text again, and what should I say without come out as needy?