Dinner with strangers? Hongkongers craving real-world connections turn to ‘secret’ meet-ups
Services have popped up to meet demand for authentic interactions in post-Covid world and amid social media fatigue
03:29
Instead of apps, these Hongkongers attend secret dinners to meet new friends
In a tapas restaurant in Hong Kong’s Causeway Bay, about 80 people are chatting away on the packed second floor, clinking glasses and sharing small plates while discussing issues ranging from mental health to childhood dreams.
Anyone glancing over at the tables may think they are long-time friends, given the constant buzz of conversation.
But they only met for the first time that evening, taking part in a “secret dinner” in which participants sign up without knowing where the event will be held and the identities of the other guests.
Such gatherings among strangers have become more popular around the world and in Hong Kong amid growing social media fatigue and a craving for in-person interactions after the Covid-19 pandemic.
Some diners on the night said they enjoyed the chance to meet new people outside the virtual world, and the event allowed them to expand their social circle as they grew older and became more introverted.
To join a dinner organised by Genie Friends, a Hong Kong-based service which aims to promote friendship, participants indicate their interest and fill out a simple personality test.
