(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Dating is migrating from apps back to real life.
The first singles bar opened in the 60's and by the 80's they were so common Dolly Parton sang about them.
However, they fell out of fashion in the 90's and disappeared entirely. While they aren't primed for a comeback, New York- based matchmaker Maria Avgitidis tells the Noon Business Hour that today's singles are ditching dating apps in favor of real life experiences like trivia night and pickleball.
"More singles are experiencing fatigue than they ever have before and there is a reach out to dating analog-dating like it's 1988," she said.
She said the in-person experiences are low-stakes and an opportunity to hang out before asking someone out.
"It wasn't dinner across a stranger," Avgitidis explained. "It was 'let's vibe. let's see if we're interacting then I'm gonna ask you out for a first date."
The app eventbrite reported a 42% increase in dating events in 2023 compared to the year before.
The in-person experiences don't necessarily need to be singles events, but could be fun activities such as painting or yoga, she added.
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