Dating apps have evolved into a kind of marketplace where people look for everything from connection to validation. Swiping has replaced casual introductions, and meeting through a screen has become a routine part of modern life. Yet a new concern is emerging, one that has nothing to do with fake profiles or romantic deceit.
Across TikTok and Reddit, users have shared accounts of being matched with marketing schemes. Some discovered that the person they were chatting with wasn’t real at all, but a promotion created to attract customers.
The practice, known as “food digging,” uses dating apps to fill restaurant tables rather than find relationships. It’s a strange intersection of digital marketing and modern dating, and it’s raising new questions about how far businesses will go to reach potential customers.
How Restaurants Are Pulling It Off
A match invites someone to dinner, disappears before the date, and leaves them sitting at the restaurant, annoyed, confused, and often too hungry to leave.
The first reports appeared in India, where users noticed suspicious dating profiles that always pushed to meet at the same restaurant. Once people arrived, their supposed date disappeared. Soon after, online discussions revealed similar stories across multiple platforms, where diners realized they had been lured to the same spots through identical fake accounts.
By the end of 2023, users in the United States began reporting similar experiences. TikTok creators such as @paretay and @nosybystanders shared videos describing how they were invited to restaurants by fake profiles that unmatched them right after confirming the date.
In one instance, multiple people later discovered they had been directed to the same venue using nearly identical conversations. The scam counts on human behavior because, after showing up ready for a date, most people decide to stay and order something instead of heading home disappointed.
Cybersecurity experts say the scam’s success lies in its simplicity. AI tools now make it easy to generate realistic photos and dating profiles in minutes, which could appear to be convincing “matches.” In some versions, a real person encourages the other party to order an expensive meal, then disappears before paying.
Safety specialists have explained that certain red flags can expose setups like these. A match who immediately insists on meeting at a specific place or uses heavily edited photos may not be genuine. Users should keep screenshots, report suspicious accounts, and avoid confirming plans that seem oddly specific.
Marketing Disguised as Romance
It’s undoubtedly no small feat for restaurants to stand out in a crowded market, but creating fake profiles raises ethical concerns. Online dating is already filled with fake accounts and algorithm-driven recommendations, and inserting corporate promotions into that mix risks eroding trust further.
The tactic shows how easily personal spaces online can be repurposed for commercial gain. The idea of being lured into a restaurant under pretenses is funny to some, but frustrating—if not disturbing—to others using dating apps in good faith.