Dimitri B. writes about online dating safety and modern scam tactics. With a background in international communication and psychology, he focuses on practical ways people can protect themselves in digital relationships. Originally from Ukraine, he now lives in Canada.
If you’ve ever spent time watching Catfish or scrolling TikTok stories about online dating gone wrong, you know how creative scammers can get. But a new twist has shocked many online daters — this time, the catfish might not even be a person. It could be a restaurant.
Yes, you read that right. Some restaurants are being accused of catfishing on dating apps — pretending to be singles to lure users into dining at their business. It’s part marketing trick, part scam, and completely humiliating for anyone who falls for it.
What Is the “Food Digging” Scam?
The trend, now known as the food-digging scam, started appearing on social media after several users shared their stories. One of the first was Taylor Paré, a TikTok user who posted a video in November describing a strange and embarrassing night.
“I met this guy on a dating app, and he immediately asked me on a date to a specific restaurant,” Paré explained. “He confirmed the day of, I got there — and he was nowhere to be found.”
After trying to message him through the app, she realized she’d been unmatched. At first, she thought it was just bad luck. But later, while browsing online, she discovered a very similar story from another woman — at the same restaurant. That’s when she started connecting the dots.
Paré added that once you’ve dressed up, traveled all the way, and sat down, “they know you’ll probably still buy something.”
That’s how the food-digging scam works. Restaurants create fake dating profiles or hire promoters to pose as singles, invite someone for a date, and then “stand them up.” The victim, embarrassed and already seated, often orders a meal anyway — giving the business an easy sale.
How This “Restaurant Catfishing” Works
The setup is simple, and that’s what makes it so sneaky:
A fake dating profile appears on an app — attractive photos, generic details, and a flirty message.
The “person” quickly suggests meeting at one specific restaurant, sometimes even the same one mentioned by others.
Once the target agrees and arrives, the profile disappears. The date never shows up, and the user is left sitting alone with the menu.
It’s not just limited to one place. Some stories have surfaced from Delhi, France, and even the U.S. A coffee shop owner in France was accused of running a similar scam, asking “dates” to order for him because he was “running late,” then never showing up.
On TikTok, one online commentator responded to Paré’s video, warning that social media users in Delhi had seen this happen regularly. Some restaurants reportedly even inflated menu prices for these victims.
A Mix of Humor, Skepticism, and Disbelief
When Paré’s story went viral, the comments section exploded. One user called it “the most humiliating experience ever,” while another joked, “So the restaurant didn’t think to host a singles event instead?”
Others admitted this wasn’t new. One bar promoter confessed to doing the same thing years ago to bring in customers. “LMAO, I was doing this back in 2013,” they wrote.
But not everyone believes this dating catfishing trend will last. On Reddit, one user wrote, “There’s no way restaurant owners or employees have the time to do this. It sounds like nonsense.”
Still, whether or not every story is real, the idea of being scammed by a restaurant is unsettling — and it raises questions about just how far businesses will go for attention.
Why Restaurants Might Try It
Behind the scenes, this is about marketing — even if it’s the shadiest marketing tactic possible. The goal isn’t love; it’s money. If ten people get “stood up” and all buy dinner, the restaurant profits.
It also plays on emotion. Getting stood up feels personal and embarrassing. Many victims say they stayed to eat simply because they didn’t want to look foolish leaving. That sense of pride becomes part of the scam.
And according to social media, many chain restaurants already use manipulative tricks on food delivery apps — like operating under different names to trick customers into ordering from them twice. This is just another version of the same deceptive mindset, moved from delivery apps to dating apps.
What Makes It Dangerous
Even if it sounds almost funny, catfish dating scams like this can have real emotional effects. It’s not just about losing the price of a meal. It’s about trust.
Online dating already involves risk — from romance scams, catfish money scams, or online catfish scams that steal personal data. Adding restaurants to catfishing on dating apps only makes people more cautious and less willing to meet new people.
For someone genuinely looking for a connection, that can be discouraging. And for businesses, this kind of food digging doesn’t just hurt their reputation — it’s unethical and possibly illegal.
How to Protect Yourself from “Food Digging”
Here’s what every online dater should do before meeting someone for the first time:
Video call first. If your match refuses or avoids showing their face, that’s a red flag.
Suggest a neutral location. If they insist on one specific restaurant and seem oddly pushy, think twice.
Check social media. Look for consistency between photos, accounts, and tone.
Arrive prepared. If you decide to go anyway, tell a friend, share your location, and keep receipts.
Report suspicious activity. Most dating apps let you flag fake profiles directly.
And if you suspect a restaurant is involved in food digging, warn others by posting about your suspicious experience — but do it responsibly, with facts and proof.
What This Means for Online Dating
Catfishing has taken many forms over the years — from fake lovers asking for money to chain restaurants operating under new names on delivery apps. But this new version of catfish dating scams shows how quickly businesses can blur ethical lines to drive traffic.
Even if the food-digging scam doesn’t become widespread, it’s a reminder that online deception keeps evolving. Whether it’s a “guy on a dating app” who disappears after inviting you out or a restaurant using fake profiles to get extra sales, it all comes down to one thing: manipulating trust for profit.
Final Thoughts
The internet loves outrageous stories, but behind the jokes and disbelief lies a real lesson. Before you go on an online date, remember that not everything — or everyone — is what it seems.
Restaurants pretending to be singles might sound like a punchline, but it’s also proof that scams can hide anywhere people let their guard down.
So next time someone immediately asks you to meet at a specific restaurant you’ve never heard of, pause before confirming. Do a little research. And if anything feels off, trust your gut — or, better yet, your own appetite for safety.
Because while being stood up is bad enough, being catfished by a business is something no one deserves to experience on their first date.
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