More singles are choosing organised in-person dating events over endless swiping, according to BBC reporting published on October 20, 2026.
Organisers say working patterns have played a role: with more people working from home since Covid, the chance encounters that once started relationships happen far less often, according to Lissy Cleminson, director of events at Love at First Sign, as reported by the BBC.
New research from Match Group, which owns Tinder and Hinge, surveyed 3,007 single people and found that, among those who had ever been in a relationship, 20 percent met their most recent partner through an app and 20 percent met through friends, according to the report.
The generational contrast was sharp: about 21 percent of baby boomers surveyed met their most recent partner at a pub, bar or club, compared with just 4 percent of Gen Z, according to the same research.
Match Group said Tinder has added interactive music and astrology features, a double-date option for friends, and its own in-person events in the US and now the UK, in response to demand for face-to-face contact, according to the report. Meeting in person lets daters gauge a connection in one evening rather than spending weeks messaging, organisers say.
Photo credit: Fons Heijnsbroek, CC0 1.0.