I paid to have dinner with strangers and this is how it went
To my left was a globetrotting photographer, lured by the same late-night Instagram ad. Across from me were a Luxembourger who had recently moved to Melbourne for love, and a teacher who crocheted human anatomy in her downtime. We discussed food, travel, work, life in the city and the novelty of dining with strangers.
Loading
The app I used markets itself as a way to meet strangers and help combat 'big-city loneliness', rather than as a dating app. Let's be frank, making friends as an adult is hard. No wonder there are plenty of new businesses offering to help.
Communal dining, running groups, games nights, bars full of singles ready to mingle, speed dating, the list goes on. Canny enterprises are capitalising on our collective loneliness, offering social experiences for generations burnt out by dating apps and yearning for the magic of real-life encounters.
Tellingly, people are clambering for in-person human experiences over virtual ones (though you probably need a digital screen to find out about them). Melbourne's First Timers Club, which invites strangers to try out new things and meet people in the process, began as an Instagram post and now has almost 30,000 followers.
While dating apps may be one of the most popular ways to meet a romantic match in modern times, swipe fatigue is real. According to a 2024 Forbes health survey, 79 per cent of Gen Z feel burnt out by dating apps.
We've never been more digitally connected, yet one-third of Australians feel lonely, according to a 2023 report from Ending Loneliness Together. Something is wrong. Worryingly, the report researchers also found that the stigma and shame around loneliness is also high, preventing people from getting the connection and support they need early on.
The results are alarming; loneliness can be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation, people lacking social connection face a higher risk of early death. Social isolation and loneliness are also linked to anxiety, depression, suicide and dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke.
I can't say the lofty ideals promised by the app were achieved with a simple weeknight dinner – plus the $24 booking fee – but I'm glad I decided to go and have the conversations I did. The night appeared to be a success, the banter flowed and everyone who came along seemed uplifted by the experience – we didn't even need to reach for the ice-breaker games.
Sadly, efforts to continue communications over WhatsApp died quickly, but I found my night out with strangers was a tiny act of rebellion in a world pushing us to be increasingly insular.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Perth Now
30 minutes ago
- Perth Now
Hailee Steinfeld shares details from her wedding
Hailee Steinfeld carried a single crystal rose instead of a traditional wedding bouquet. The 28-year-old actress married Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen last month and now the couple are home from their honeymoon, the Sinners star has shared some of the details from their big day in Santa Barbara, California. She wrote in her Beau Society newsletter: 'Instead of a bouquet, I held one single crystal rose. Suffice it to say, it was perfect — the whole entire thing. The next day, Josh and I ran off into the sunset to our honeymoon. … Now we're back, and it's been a whole 13 days of being married, and we'll be staying on this high forever!' The 29-year-old sportsman - who wore a custom Tom Ford tuxedo - was left "stunned" when he saw his bride for the first time in her custom Tamara Ralph strapless mermaid-style wedding gown. Hailee wrote: 'Josh says we have to talk about my dress now because I 'stunned' him when I got to the altar. It's easily the most perfect gown I've ever put on my body. 'It's easily the most perfect gown I've ever put on my body. Tamara Ralph designed it custom for me. Her tailoring is exquisite. 'We were on the tightest timeline. Six weeks before the wedding, my mom and I flew to Paris straight from the Sinners premiere in London for the fitting. I really had to lean into the whole 'trust the process' thing and thank God for Rob, Mariel, Tamara and her team for pulling it all together in time.' "On our wedding day, when I put on this dress, I actually lost my breath. I've never felt more like myself and more beautiful.' Josh recently gushed that he made "the right" decision in marrying Hailee. When asked about his achievements in 2025, Josh told reporters at a press conference earlier this month: "They've all been big. None other than marrying my best friend. "She makes everything easier. I don't really focus on the other stuff, that was the most important decision I'll make in my life, and I made the right one." The couple were first linked romantically back in 2023 and went on to announce their engagement in an Instagram post last November before tying the knot in Malibu on May 31. The pair previously opened up about their engagement with Hailee revealing the NFL star's proposal caught her by surprise. Asked if she suspected that Josh would pop the question, the Sinners star told Who What Wear: "Oh my God, no! You talk to your girlfriends about that, right, where you're like, 'I just don't want to know'." She added of the proposal: "It was magical. That's the word."
The Age
13 hours ago
- The Age
I paid to have dinner with strangers and this is how it went
To my left was a globetrotting photographer, lured by the same late-night Instagram ad. Across from me were a Luxembourger who had recently moved to Melbourne for love, and a teacher who crocheted human anatomy in her downtime. We discussed food, travel, work, life in the city and the novelty of dining with strangers. Loading The app I used markets itself as a way to meet strangers and help combat 'big-city loneliness', rather than as a dating app. Let's be frank, making friends as an adult is hard. No wonder there are plenty of new businesses offering to help. Communal dining, running groups, games nights, bars full of singles ready to mingle, speed dating, the list goes on. Canny enterprises are capitalising on our collective loneliness, offering social experiences for generations burnt out by dating apps and yearning for the magic of real-life encounters. Tellingly, people are clambering for in-person human experiences over virtual ones (though you probably need a digital screen to find out about them). Melbourne's First Timers Club, which invites strangers to try out new things and meet people in the process, began as an Instagram post and now has almost 30,000 followers. While dating apps may be one of the most popular ways to meet a romantic match in modern times, swipe fatigue is real. According to a 2024 Forbes health survey, 79 per cent of Gen Z feel burnt out by dating apps. We've never been more digitally connected, yet one-third of Australians feel lonely, according to a 2023 report from Ending Loneliness Together. Something is wrong. Worryingly, the report researchers also found that the stigma and shame around loneliness is also high, preventing people from getting the connection and support they need early on. The results are alarming; loneliness can be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation, people lacking social connection face a higher risk of early death. Social isolation and loneliness are also linked to anxiety, depression, suicide and dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. I can't say the lofty ideals promised by the app were achieved with a simple weeknight dinner – plus the $24 booking fee – but I'm glad I decided to go and have the conversations I did. The night appeared to be a success, the banter flowed and everyone who came along seemed uplifted by the experience – we didn't even need to reach for the ice-breaker games. Sadly, efforts to continue communications over WhatsApp died quickly, but I found my night out with strangers was a tiny act of rebellion in a world pushing us to be increasingly insular.
Sydney Morning Herald
13 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
I paid to have dinner with strangers and this is how it went
To my left was a globetrotting photographer, lured by the same late-night Instagram ad. Across from me were a Luxembourger who had recently moved to Melbourne for love, and a teacher who crocheted human anatomy in her downtime. We discussed food, travel, work, life in the city and the novelty of dining with strangers. Loading The app I used markets itself as a way to meet strangers and help combat 'big-city loneliness', rather than as a dating app. Let's be frank, making friends as an adult is hard. No wonder there are plenty of new businesses offering to help. Communal dining, running groups, games nights, bars full of singles ready to mingle, speed dating, the list goes on. Canny enterprises are capitalising on our collective loneliness, offering social experiences for generations burnt out by dating apps and yearning for the magic of real-life encounters. Tellingly, people are clambering for in-person human experiences over virtual ones (though you probably need a digital screen to find out about them). Melbourne's First Timers Club, which invites strangers to try out new things and meet people in the process, began as an Instagram post and now has almost 30,000 followers. While dating apps may be one of the most popular ways to meet a romantic match in modern times, swipe fatigue is real. According to a 2024 Forbes health survey, 79 per cent of Gen Z feel burnt out by dating apps. We've never been more digitally connected, yet one-third of Australians feel lonely, according to a 2023 report from Ending Loneliness Together. Something is wrong. Worryingly, the report researchers also found that the stigma and shame around loneliness is also high, preventing people from getting the connection and support they need early on. The results are alarming; loneliness can be fatal. According to the World Health Organisation, people lacking social connection face a higher risk of early death. Social isolation and loneliness are also linked to anxiety, depression, suicide and dementia, and can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. I can't say the lofty ideals promised by the app were achieved with a simple weeknight dinner – plus the $24 booking fee – but I'm glad I decided to go and have the conversations I did. The night appeared to be a success, the banter flowed and everyone who came along seemed uplifted by the experience – we didn't even need to reach for the ice-breaker games. Sadly, efforts to continue communications over WhatsApp died quickly, but I found my night out with strangers was a tiny act of rebellion in a world pushing us to be increasingly insular.
