In a quirky twist on modern dating, TikToker Natalie Louise (@wanderlusqt) has gone viral with her “grocery store edition” of cold-approaching strangers in a viral video, amassing 17,000 views and counting.
Her tutorial is a crash course in supermarket romance. “Walk into one of your favorite aisles, grab a can of mangoes, and ask the cute person nearby if they’ve tried it, aiming for a sarcastic tone to gauge their sense of humor,” she advises.
The goal? To spark a conversation with a potential date over shared wit. As they say, funny people have higher IQs, right?
The comments section of Louise’s video became a comedy show in its own right.
One user shared a less-than-fruitful outcome: “Tried this and got slapped by a can of mangoes. 10/10.” Another joked suggestively about cucumber sizes, highlighting the risky nature of such approaches. “You could ask her what size cucumbers she like,” they said, which undoubtedly would also result in a slap.
Skeptics voiced their doubts, with one user saying, “Who is going to Piggly Wiggly to pick up chicks? That’s so weird lmao I would die of embarrassment if someone tried that on me.”
Another recounted a bizarre encounter. “Guy just showed me organic ketchup and asked me if it tastes the same as normal ketchup,” they wrote.
Other folks criticized the idea of heading to the grocery store in order to scope out potential romantic partners.
There is data suggesting that more Gen Z-ers could be heading out “into the real world” so to speak instead of relying on dating applications to try and find a romantic partner. According to Savanta, “21% of young people who are single and actively looking for a partner no longer use dating sites they’re registered with.” The Washington Post also penned a piece speaking to this trend of Gen Z’s decreased dependency on dating applications for romantic fulfillment, however, there are other factors that complicate these findings of how younger generations are dating in general.
Much of this has to do with the fact that more and more folks are adopting different definers for their relationships. The Deseret News called Gen Z the most “undateable” generation ever, highlighting how new relationship qualifiers like “situationships” have been implemented in order to excuse folks from commitment. There’s also been a reported increase in folks engaging in openly polyamorous relationships, and while this may sound the alarm bells of sexual hedonism in some folks’ heads, Gen Z is actually having way less sex as compared to other generations.
@wanderlusqt Cold approaching to pick up a stranger #natalielouise #wanderlusqt #coldapproachpickup #moderndating ♬ original sound – natalie louise
While the nature of romantic interactions is shifting en masse, there are still plenty of folks serving up advice on how to interact with potential romantic partners. TikTok has become a repository of dating dos and don’ts, but Louise’s video serves as a reminder that even the most well-intended advice should be taken with a grain of salt—it is the grocery store, after all.
For those brave souls searching for love between the produce and the pantry, it’s clear that creativity can be key. Perhaps the best takeaway is to choose your grocery items as conversation starters wisely; after all, a unique pick might just lead to a genuinely engaging chat. And who knows? That chat over exotic fruit or artisan condiments could be the start of something special. Durian fruit, Za’tar spice, or the aging process of Ribeyes all sound fun. Just remember, as TikTok’s dating gurus would say, “Try at your own risk.”
The Daily Dot has reached out to Louise via Instagram direct message for further comment.