Dating Apps Turn to In-Person Events as Gen Z Struggles with Loneliness

As loneliness surges among Gen Z, dating platforms are stepping beyond swipes and messages to foster real-world connections through in-person events.

In March 2025, the dating app giant Hinge announced a $1 million expansion of its One More Hour initiative, supporting free or low-cost social gatherings in New York, Los Angeles, and now London. The program partners with community groups to organize activity-based events — from reading clubs to nature outings — aimed at helping young adults meet and connect offline.

Man and woman sitting on a bench in the woods | Source: Pexels

"This generation grew up in a period where their core, late teenage years, and early 20s, were spent in a lockdown pandemic situation," said Jackie Jantos, president and chief marketing officer at Hinge. According to a March 2024 Hinge survey of 2,000 Gen Z adults in the U.K., 85% reported experiencing loneliness, with over half of low-income respondents facing severe levels. Many cited affordability and anxiety as key barriers to forming real-life relationships.

The issue is global. A Meta-Gallup survey conducted in 142 countries found young adults aged 19 to 29 reported higher loneliness than older age groups, with only 43% saying they didn’t feel lonely, compared to 57% of those over 65.

Despite being created to foster romantic and social connections, dating apps are now being scrutinized for contributing to disconnection. A 2024 Forbes Health survey found that over 75% of Gen Z users reported feeling burnt out from apps like Hinge, Tinder, and Bumble, citing emotional fatigue and unfulfilled expectations.

Man and woman surfing | Source: Pexels

As user numbers decline — with Hinge losing 131,000 U.K. users between May 2023 and May 2024, according to Ofcom — platforms are pivoting. Bumble has launched Bumble IRL events, and Grindr is partnering with London’s Mighty Hoopla festival to host queer-focused performances.

"Gen Z’s social muscle has atrophied," said Josh Penny, Hinge’s social impact director, attributing the issue to the pandemic, smartphone culture, and a lack of accessible social spaces. Activity-based gatherings, he says, are less intimidating and more effective. Penny explained that instead of the usual "come make friends" narrative, they are shifting it to "come try surfing, come try poetry."