Blind Dinners Take China by Storm as Strangers Meet Through a Dinner App
In China, a new social habit has emerged: dining with absolute strangers picked by an app. It’s a kind of roulette for finding new friends, dating, and who knows what else. Many Chinese people study and work long hours, commuting from home to work and back. They find it hard to break the monotony; they’re often too tired to feel motivated. The app suggests where to go and who to go with, helping people inject variety into their routine.
In This Article:
- Not a Date It Selects Groups of Six or More, Not Pairs
- Two Main User Groups: Students and Working Adults Seeking Social Reconnection
- From Blind Boxes to Blind Dinners A New Cultural Trend Rises
- Modern Youth and Social Anxiety Driving a New Offline Experience
- Dialect-Based Grouping Ensures Understanding Across China
- The Coolest Part: Step-by-Step Instructions to Get Along
- How It Works: Assigned Roles and Conversation Starters
Not a Date It Selects Groups of Six or More, Not Pairs
That selection costs 59 yuan per person (about 670 rubles). The app does not match couples; it matches groups of six or more people. The platform is called BlindGo.
Two Main User Groups: Students and Working Adults Seeking Social Reconnection
Beyond young students, the second largest user group is adults aged 40–50. Their children have grown up, and they feel a lack of social connections. They want to return to society and expand their circle of acquaintances.
From Blind Boxes to Blind Dinners A New Cultural Trend Rises
Essentially, a year ago China went crazy for ‘blind boxes’ — boxes with goods where you don’t know what’s inside. That approach let people buy an unexpected gift for a small price. I once ordered a blind box; it turned out to be more expensive than everything inside it combined, and I was disappointed. There was no point in checking the prices. Now the trend has shifted to ‘blind boxes’ where you buy a place at a dinner with strangers, blind to who you will dine with. An entry fee is required to prevent scammers or worthless sellers from filling all the slots.
Modern Youth and Social Anxiety Driving a New Offline Experience
Modern youth find it hard to make friends offline; they don’t understand how to form new connections. Here everyone gathers to meet, and it’s less scary.
Dialect-Based Grouping Ensures Understanding Across China
China is so big that the app even matches people by dialects. For example, to ensure everyone understands each other, no table seats people who chose Mandarin at the same table as those who chose the Shanghainese dialect.
The Coolest Part: Step-by-Step Instructions to Get Along
The coolest thing is that you are given step-by-step instructions on how to get along with everyone.
How It Works: Assigned Roles and Conversation Starters
Once the group is formed, everyone receives a task to help start the conversation. Each person has their own role: for example, someone starts the conversation, and someone asks questions.
