Tired of swiping endlessly on dating apps? Exhausted by blind dates or the need to join a running club to meet someone? If you’re in Spain, there’s a more exciting and unconventional way to find your perfect match and it involves your local grocery store. Yes, you read that right!
Over the last few months, singles in Spain have been flocking to Mercadona, a popular supermarket chain with over 1,600 locations across the country, in the hopes of meeting someone special.
The trend takes place between 7 to 8 p.m. every evening, and the grocery aisles are becoming the new dating hotspots. But this isn’t just casual grocery shopping; there’s a quirky system in place to signal your romantic intentions.
Team Pineapple or Team Lentil?
The concept is simple: you declare your dating intentions by the item you place in your cart. As TikToker Ana Gildersleeve explained, “The pineapple is changing the dating game in Spain.” Singles who want to participate in this unique dating scene grab a pineapple and place it upside down in their shopping cart.
While the pineapple has long been associated with another social group, here it’s an indicator that you’re looking for love — or, at the very least, interested in mingling.
Once your pineapple is in position, the next step is to head to the wine section. The game is on if you spot someone else with an upside-down pineapple in their cart. In a playful twist, participants are supposed to crash their shopping carts into each other, signaling mutual interest and kicking off the conversation.
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Looking For More Than a Casual Date?
If you’re hoping for something more serious than a brief encounter, ditch the pineapple and pick up a bag of lentils instead. As Gildersleeve jokingly pointed out, lentils “last forever in your pantry,” symbolizing a desire for a long-term relationship.
On the flip side, if you’re just looking for something casual, a bag of lettuce in your cart sends the message that you’re in for something short-lived, as lettuce tends to spoil quickly.
The TikTok Trend That Started It All
This trend likely took off thanks to Spanish actor Vivy Lin, who suggested on TikTok that singles should meet and flirt at grocery stores during these designated hours. The idea immediately caught on, and now, when you search the #mercadona tag on TikTok, you’ll find countless singles documenting their experiences in hopes of finding love or just having a bit of fun.
Too Much Of a Good Thing?
While the trend has been met with enthusiasm, the overwhelming response has caused some chaos. As reported by BBC, the trend became so popular that police were called to one Mercadona location to help control the crowd. It’s a clear sign of how challenging the dating scene in 2024 has become, with people eagerly flocking to try something fresh and exciting.
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Other grocery stores are also catching on. Supermarket chain Lidl launched its own dating campaign called “La Hora del Amor” (The Hour of Love), offering singles another chance to meet and mingle while shopping.
In a clever twist, Lidl swapped out the pineapple for a watermelon as their symbol for romance. With all the hype surrounding grocery store dating, it might not be long before U.S. supermarkets like Stop & Shop or Whole Foods host their own version of this innovative social event.
Is It Time To Head To The Aisles For Love?
If you’re in Spain, traveling through the country, or simply looking for an alternative to modern dating methods, why not take a stroll down the grocery aisle between 7 and 8 p.m.? Whether you’re holding a pineapple for a casual connection, a bag of lentils for something long-term, or even a lettuce for something light, you might just crash your cart into someone special.
And who knows? With the global dating scene constantly evolving, maybe it’s time we all head to the grocery store and embrace the shopping-cart love life. It’s a fresh, fun way to meet someone — no dating apps required.