The dating scene is trickier to navigate than ever in the midst of lockdown, but now some brave singletons have opted for a unique approach to standing out from the crowd in the hope of finding a Valentine’s Day match.
This weekend, 30 daters from around the UK will have their Tinder bios printed on fried chicken boxes in the hope of catching the eye of their perfect match as they tuck in to their takeaway.
The daying hopefuls include a drone pilot, a dapper male model, a glamorous engineering student who says she’s looking for man to make her melt by chatting about electic cars and a singleton who says she’s ‘pretty great’ and boasts her own podcast.
Customers ordering from Wingstop restaurants on Deliveroo, will be able to opt-in to the new service, which will see their food arrive in a box with a QR code to scan if they fancy the profile advertised.
Here, FEMAIL reveals the eligible singletons taking part in DeliverDate…
Armita, 21, Mile End
Tinder has revealed their top singletons as they launch a two-day ‘DeliverDate’ service for Valentine’s Day – including Armita, 21, (pictured) who lives in Mile End
Having spent the pandemic enjoying long walks, coffee dates and video calls, Armita told FEMAIL that the past three months is the longest she’s spent single since she was aged 17.
She revealed she’s made online friends on Tinder but hasn’t found any long-term romance, saying: ‘I am quite open in terms of what I am looking for whilst dating on Tinder. You never know – a simple conversation, may grow into a relationship.
‘Obviously I’m newly single so I’m just trying to meet new people, have interesting conversations, and if the special person comes that I fall in love with then I’d love to be in a relationship again.
She continued: ‘I love Tinder because not only can you quickly see if you’re attracted to someone, but people can update their bios with their favourite Spotify song and include their passions, so you can quickly tell if you’ll have something in common with a match.
Armita (pictured) who has been single for three months, said she hopes to meet someone entrepreneurial and highly ambitious
‘The pandemic has generally made everything much harder. But on the plus side, because we can’t meet up in real life, people are forced to get to know each other’s personality over message and call, so I guess that’s a huge bonus.
‘It means I’ve formed deeper and more meaningful connections on Tinder. I’ve played a lot of online chess games with matches that have lasted weeks and that’s been such a fun ice breaker.’
Armita who is currently studying Medicine & Biomedical Engineering and works front line in hospitals part-time, enjoys creating melodies on the violin and playing chess in her free time.
Speaking about who she hopes to meet, she added: ‘Someone who’s loyal, charming and intelligent. I’m very attracted to people who are entrepreneurial and highly ambitious.
‘Talk to me about electric cars and I will probably just melt. In terms of appearance, I’m not really specific about it, character is way more important to me.
‘I look for clues of someone’s personality in their photos, what they put in their Tinder bio, how they carry themselves, whether they’re self-absorbed, if they dress well, if they seem like they have kind eyes.
‘It all comes together and then I make a decision about swiping left or right for them on Tinder.’
Gillian, 23, Clapham
Gillian, 23, (pictured) who lives in Clapham, revealed after three years of being single she’s hoping to meet a male version of herself
Gillian, who works as an international distribution assistant at a women’s luxury fashion label and has her own podcast, believes dating during the pandemic has been easier than in normal times because people have more free time to dedicate to it.
She went on to say that being single for three years has given her great stories and helped her to meet a mixture of people.
‘I’ve been on a few dates in person whilst I’ve been single, of course being careful and mostly in Summer, when restrictions eased – all in Clapham Common,’ she explained.
‘I actually think that dating during lockdown has been easier than normal times, as people have more time to date and are having to put in more effort to make it work.
‘In between, I have been enjoying chatting to people on Tinder and even enjoyed a few video calls whilst the weather is too cold for a walk in the park.’
The semi pro-sailor, who has taken part in the Tall Ship Races on two separate occasions, revealed she’s looking for the male version of herself.
Gillian (pictured) said she doesn’t like to put label on things, so hopes to meet someone who is willing to talk and see how things go
She has planned a back-up Galentines dinner with her housemate if she’s unable to find a date for Valentine’s Day.
Gillian joked: ‘Without blowing my own trumpet, I’m a pretty great person! I’m spontaneous and I find it extremely hard to say no to anything, so I think your chances of a date this Valentine’s Day are pretty high if you scan my QR code.
‘Personally I don’t really like to put a label on things as it absolutely freaks me out. So to start with I guess I’m just looking for guys to chat to on Tinder and we’ll just see how it goes from there.’
Ife, 22, Enfield
Ife, 22, (pictured) who lives in Enfield, revealed he’s hoping to find a match who enjoys talking about a variety of subjects
Ife, who is a freelance performer, writer and presenter and also works as an Arts Engagement Officer for a University, is hoping to find someone new who loves chatting.
He told FEMAIL that he’s impressed when a match takes the time to read his bio and makes a reference to something that he’s interested in, such as being a huge fan of Prince.
He has taken a slowed-down approach to dating during lockdown and found it easier to builder connections with new matches, thanks to a sense of shared experience.
Aaron, 22, Birmingham
Aaron, 22, (pictured) who lives in Birmingham, has been single for a year but has spent lockdown having virtual dates
Aaron, who is looking for a funny and independent woman with a good fashion sense, has been single for about a year.
Aaron, who hasn’t been on many dates since being single, said: ‘Not as many as I’d like. I miss dating so much in person, the whole ritual of getting ready for a night out, getting to know someone, going to cool bars, I enjoy it so much.
‘But Tinder has been really great for getting to the stage of virtual dates, which I have been on a couple of. Using the Face to Face feature, you can speak to someone via video chat, which is a great way to find out if you’re a good match with someone, good conversation is so important to try and build a connection right now.
‘It’s been a weird experience. My love life pretty much exclusively exists digitally at the moment, as I’m sure is the case for most people. Not being able to meet up with someone has been a real learning curve.
Aaron (pictured), who balances studying with modelling and music, said the personality of his matches has become more important than looks
‘On account of interactions being conversation based rather than led by physical attraction, you actually get to know people a lot better which is quite nice, and when I am looking for a new match on Tinder, personality has become more of an important factor than looks for me.’
Aaron, who is a musician and model, alongside studying English Literature at King’s College London, has previously appeared on a BBC Bitesize segment about men’s mental health and went to the same school as J. R. R. Tolkien, the author of The Lord of the Rings.
The self-proclaimed hopeless romantic, continued: ‘I’ve always had Tinder really, since I turned 18. When I moved to London for university it was a great way of meeting new people.
‘Approaching someone on a night out doesn’t usually lead to anything consistent for me, and as someone who just genuinely loves dating it felt like a good idea.
Aaron (pictured) said he’s a good mix of fun and romance, so hopes to find someone who enjoys dancing and laughing
‘Right now, it’s near impossible to meet new people any other way, so it’s a no-brainer.
‘I feel like, without wanting to sound boastful, I’m a really good mix of fun and romance. I love partying and doing stupid spontaneous stuff, but I’m also quite sensitive and really enjoy expressing intimacy.
‘So, if you want to dance and laugh and get blind drunk but also have poetry and songs written about you, I’m your man. I’m also a surprisingly good cook, for someone who probably comes across as domestically inept.’
Keanu, 25, Redbridge
Keanu, 25, (pictured) who lives in Redbridge, revealed he’s looking for someone who enjoys music and all things electronic
Having completed a sociology degree at the University of Manchester, Keanu is working at KFC while looking for a grad job. His ideal match should enjoy talking about all things electronic and enjoy music.
‘I’ve been single for around five months now,’ he said. ‘Of course it was sad when my Ex and I broke up but at the same time it gave me the space – which I didn’t even realise I needed, to focus on myself a bit.
‘Of course with just graduating and the pandemic outbreak, I found myself in a bit of a whirlwind of what to do with my life, but since then I feel so much more settled and clear on who I am and what I want which is great. Now I can properly get stuck into dating and meeting new people on Tinder.
‘I have chosen not to go on any dates as of yet, instead I’ve taken the time while I’m single to just chill and enjoy my own company.
Keanu (pictured) said he would like to go on a date, but has relied on friends for social interaction during the pandemic
‘Of course going on a date at some point would have been fun, but I have a great group of mates, so going on socially distanced walks and chatting with them etc. has given me everything I’ve needed in terms of social contact.
‘The romantic element has been missing of course but I haven’t quite been ready until now, so bring on DeliverDate and my first date back on the scene with Tinder.’
Keanu, who appeared on Educating Essex, went on to say how the pandemic put a strain on his last relationship because they hadn’t been together long when lockdown began.
‘Now though I honestly think it’s helped,’ he said. ‘It’s really changed my outlook on what I need and want in terms of my love life.
‘As I’m sure it has for many of us, the pandemic has really made us appreciate all the other facets of our life that make life so great; like family, friends and even a roof over your head.
Keanu (pictured, with a friend) said he’s open to having a relationship but is taking dating slow at the moment
‘With my new found appreciation for these kinds of things, it’s made me much more clear on what I’m looking for in a Tinder match and how my love life needs to fit into all these other aspects of life. Only took me 25 years to figure that out but such is life aye.
‘I’ve very much adopted the mantra of ‘why not’ recently. Life is far too short to worry too much about stigmas or opinions attached to things.
‘So I downloaded Tinder since being single, because I feel like it’s a great way to meet all sorts of people that I wouldn’t typically meet out and about. Especially during the pandemic, when meeting new people is much harder.
‘I’m open to the idea of a relationship, but I’d prefer to take things slow for now and see where it goes. You never know what might just blossom out of nothing.’
He added the best opening line he’s received on the app was ‘did your license get suspended for driving all these girls crazy?’
Tom, 22, Birmingham
Tom, 22, (pictured) who lives in Birmingham, revealed he’s had a few virtual dates and in-person meetings since being single
Tom, who has been single for almost two years and whose hobbies include sports and craft beers, said he’s looking for someone who can match his energy and is always up for a laugh.
Since graduation from studying Geography at Cardiff University, Tom has been working as a drone pilot for an AI tech star-up.
‘I wouldn’t call myself a serial dater, but I’ve definitely been on my fair share of virtual dates and in-person when the restrictions were lifted,’ he explained. ‘I really enjoy getting to know new people and finding out about them, but I haven’t quite found Mrs. Right on Tinder yet, so hopefully DeliverDate can help me to find her.
‘I’m just looking for someone I can have lots of fun with. I love trying new things and am always up for a laugh, so someone who can match my energy would be fantastic. I look good in silly hats, so they should too.
He added: ‘It’s definitely been harder to meet people since the pandemic began, especially with not being able to socialise with new people at pubs or clubs. That’s where Tinder has been great though.
‘It’s been really nice to get out of the house and go on socially-distanced walks with people, although I wouldn’t say no to going for a drink with someone when pubs re-open again and it’s safe to.
‘I’m not really looking for anything in particular at the moment, but whatever I find I’m sure it’ll be great.’
Tom (pictured, with a friend) revealed he’s not looking for anything in particular at the moment but is remaining open to who he might meet