Timeleft, a mystery meetup app is taking cities by storm. Does it work? Instagram has gotten to know me all too wellβ¦. My most recent adventure was with Timeleft , which operates in 45 major cities in around the world. Every Wednesday night, the app organizes group dinners for sets of six algorithm-paired strangers at a mystery restaurant in your city, kind-of a blind dinner date for meeting new friends. The way the app works is simple: You start by filling out a survey about your hobbies, interests, astrological chart really , and what you look for when you dine out with friends.
You can sign up for a subscription, which grants you access to every dinner for a set monthly fee, or you can buy tickets one at a time. The app comes with a built-in list of questions to keep conversations going, and, at the end of the evening, Timeleft hosts a drinks event so diners can mingle with other groups.
I feel like nearly anyone with a pulse will tell you they are exhausted by online dating. Officially, The New York Times reported last year that 80 percent of toyear-olds said they had experienced emotional fatigue or burnout from online dating.
I have felt similarly about dating-like apps intended to build platonic friendships. It takes time, but more than that it takes an openness and willingness from both parties to pursue a relationship that requires effort.
So, it appeals to meet people at an event where the whole aim is to expand your circle of friends. Originally, I was just curious how an event like this would go. Either way, I figured, it would probably turn into a good story. Some dating companies have also shifted to hosting in-person events rather than pushing customers to buy roses and super-likes to engage with gamified apps two of which, Hinge and Tinder, are now being sued for their addictive qualities.
