Tired of dating apps, Spaniards have moved on to a more personal approach, where deciphering the contents of someone’s purchase has become the latest way to express interest. The phenomenon, which combines the name of the local supermarket giant Mercadona with Tinder, involves sending specific signals through the items people choose to put in their carts. Chocolates and sweets mean the person is looking for a casual relationship, while opting for legumes indicates something more serious.
“Tinder-dona” is a new dating trend in Spain that is making people swap their phones for shopping carts as local Mercadona stores struggle to manage the massive influx of singles looking for love
Share icon Image credits: Greta Hoffman / Pexels (not the actual photo) The idea was popularized by television personality Vivy Lin, who shared a TikTok video inviting hopeful singles to visit their nearest Mercadona between 7 pm and 8 pm to meet potential partners. The clip has more than 1.6 million views and 3,400 comments, and it sees the presenter walking around the supermarket with a friend while filming their surroundings. Share icon Image credits: @nachopla12 “There’s a lot of people walking around with nothing on their carts,” she said, pointing out that some customers were making use of the 7 pm to 8 pm timeframe to find potential matches. Lin then asked the cashier, and she confirmed that the workers of Mercadona were already aware of the dating trend. “My dad asked my mom out [in] a Mercadona years ago, it has always been a romantic site,” wrote one fan of the Spanish celebrity.
Participating in the “flirting hour” at Mercadona requires participants to follow a series of steps, including putting a pineapple upside down on their carts and bumping them to “match” with other singles
Share icon Image credits: shehitrefresh As the video gained popularity, the concept of a “flirting hour” at the supermarket started taking off. Hundreds of Spanish singles have swapped their cell phones for shopping carts, creating what’s now known as “supermarket Tinder.” “Tinder-dona” comes with its own language, with certain items, alleys, and behaviors all being used as secret ways to signal interest.
A post shared by She Hit Refresh | How to Move Abroad After 30 (@shehitrefresh) Unwritten rules include placing a pineapple, specifically an upside-down one, in a trolley to signal that a person is open to conversation. Picking vegetables and certain legumes helps express interest in a serious relationship, and chocolates are for casual flings. Once the desired products are selected and the cart is ready to go with the appropriate “message,” participants are supposed to reunite at the wine aisle. Once the signals are recognized, a person can bump the other’s cart and inquire about their items, which counts as a “match.”
Lin’s video made the trend go so viral that a Bilbao Mercadona had to call the police due to the influx of people, which far surpassed the store’s maximum capacity
Share icon Image credits: yosoyvivylin Share icon Image credits: bettyabroadd The “game” got so popular that Mercadona was forced to call the police last Friday (August 30) to control the influx of young people flooding one of their supermarkets in Bilbao to participate in the “flirting hour.” The emergency was short-lived, however, as clients quickly abandoned the premises upon seeing the security officials arrive.
A post shared by Betty Galindo | Travel + Life Abroad (@bettyabroadd) “Young people and customers slowly and without incident left the supermarket, which had become the scene of dozens of recordings during the ‘hook-up hour’ in Bilbao,” reported local news site El Mundo. “People were carrying upside-down pineapples and recording on their phones. The number of customers rapidly exceeded the capacity of the premises.” Share icon Image credits: twinmelody The site also stated that Mercadona has refused to address or comment on the viral trend due to the problems its increasing popularity might cause in the future. “I flirted with a young man at a Mercadona at 7pm!” wrote one viewer on Lin’s clip, to which she responded, “It’s because of this video!”
The trend continues to expand, with Spanish netizens sharing other secret dating spots. Others, however, dislike the popularity of the “game,” wishing they could just shop in peace
Share icon Image credits: nachopla12 Far from stopping at Mercadona, the trend seems to be expanding to other stores, such as El Corte Inglés, a department store where the perfume aisle between 2 pm and 3 pm has become another hotspot for love-seekers. “Girls, I recommend El Corte Inglés, the perfume section at lunchtime. That’s when executives take a break to have a snack,” recommended another of Lin’s fans. Share icon Image credits: ___100limites “Ok so my dating to-do list includes going from 2-3pm to the perfume aisle of El Corte Ingles, and then from 7-8pm to Mercadona. I’ll keep you all posted!” said another. Spaniards joked about the situation below other videos related to the trend. “The only happiness in an adult’s life is going to the supermarket. Now look at this!” joked one user on a video that showcases a Mercadona packed with teenagers. “Oh how I wish for school to start again,” wrote another.
A post shared by 💯LimiteS (@___100limites) Upon being interviewed, some locals believe the trend is actually fake and part of a marketing campaign by Mercadona. “It’s clearly a fake viral campaign. Technology might be different, but this is a tale as old as time,” one user told Bored Panda. “This is a publicity stunt. It’s very hard to distinguish fact from fiction in this day and age. People see a viral TikTok and immediately believe it to be authentic.” Comments in Spanish were translated to English for this article.
“When is this becoming global?” asked one user as others pondered about the implications of the trend expanding beyond Spain
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