By Andrés Muñoz
It is 7 a.m., and the alarm goes off. The first thing you are likely to do is to check your phone. Apart from your standard Instagram, TikTok, and messaging apps, chances are, if you are single, you’ll open your dating app too. You have three matches who want to go out with you, but they’re all available only today. What to do?
In answer to this dilemma, many Gen Z-ers have recurred to “stack dating”, a practice where people schedule multiple dates in a single day or around the chores or activities they already have planned.
Let’s go over the basics of what is also known as “errand-dating”, its pros and cons, and my perspective on the practice.
Origins
With the advent of dating apps like Bumble, Hinge, Tinder, etc., the pool of potential romantic partners for women has increased exponentially. While it’s harder for men to find a match on these apps, women obtain several matches in a relatively short time.
A 2023 Tinder statistics report revealed that women get one match out of every 2 likes, while men get one out of every 40. This is due to the demographic ratios present in these applications. The Tinder study shows a 75:25 men/women ratio, while the popular alternative platform Bumble is 34:65 (the remaining 1% comprises non-binary users). So what happens when women have so many matches?
While the number of prospects has undoubtedly increased, peoples’ time and availability haven’t. Must a woman face the stress of getting ready for an old-school date, in addition to all the pressures life is already throwing at her? Stack dating eliminates that hassle.
By scheduling several dates in a single day or getting their date to join them on errands, women can go over several potential partners relatively quickly.
Uses Of Stack Dating
For this article, I interviewed women in Colombia and the USA and found several stacked their dates for various reasons. The first one was to locate a potential date for an upcoming event. Isabelle from Miami, FL, had a social event at a fancy restaurant coming up, so she set up a series of dates over a week (4 10-minute dates per day) to find the perfect ‘plus one.’
She did mention that because she was looking specifically for a date to attend an event with, her decision-making process was influenced by several factors—but romance was definitely not one of them. This pragmatic approach was oriented towards a specific goal, and the emotional/romantic aspect wasn’t a priority.
Laura from Bogotá mentioned that she is slotting in dates for a few quick meet-ups throughout an afternoon in a fashion similar to speed-dating. She can immediately jump into the big questions by having several shorter dates to see if her date shares her interests.
I thought of this as a personalised speed-dating exercise. Only, instead of doing it with a bunch of random people at a bar, her dates have already piqued her interest—and ending the day with more than one suitable partner is definitely a possibility. She is not bothered by this indecision, though. She looks forward to having more dates with compatible prospects if the opportunity arises.
Considerations And A Personal Opinion
While it is definitely a more streamlined way of approaching the dating game, there are some elements one should consider when stacking dates.
In my opinion, for this system to work, stack-daters should be honest and communicate with their prospects that they’re going on several prospective dates during the day. Honest communication from the start is a great way to establish solid foundations for a good relationship, no matter what the end game may be.
And while it might work for the person who is having several dates, such a quick encounter might give off the impression that you’re not that interested in the date. So, once more, a clear communication strategy should be a top priority. Whether it’s about a short fling or a serious romantic interest, being upfront guarantees a level of respect for all parties involved.
All in all, stack dating should be used by people who like to be in control of their time and don’t beat around the bush when it comes to what they’re looking for in a partner. Personally, I haven’t been into online dating for a while now.
While these apps open a wide range of prospective partners and help women optimise their time, that world just felt repetitive and superficial to me. So, a few years ago, I deleted all my dating profiles and focused on finding genuine connections in the real world.
What are your thoughts on stack dating and online dating in general? Share them with us in the comments section below! Good luck out there!