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A woman living in New York recently shared a detailed story on TikTok about a disappointing Hinge date that, according to her, ended in one of the most unexpected and awkward ways she had ever experienced. She explained at the beginning of the video that she had reluctantly returned to Hinge after almost three years away from most dating apps and thought stepping outside her comfort zone for a moment could be refreshing for her.
Although she matched with a man she admitted she was not particularly drawn to, she still decided to give him a chance, hoping he might “surprise” her. They got in touch and agreed to meet in the East Village.
The Date
On the day of their date, the woman made the commute from Brooklyn and arrived at the restaurant they chose, ready to enjoy the evening with an open mind. However, the man, whom she identified as Les, seemed extremely nervous from the moment he sat down. She recalled that he shook noticeably when pouring water at the table, talked unusually fast, and appeared overwhelmed throughout their brief interaction. She even paused several times during the conversation to check on him, asking if he was alright and reassuring him that it was just a simple date.
Their exchange stayed on basic introductory topics: where they were from, what they did for work, and the usual questions that come up in early conversations. The woman kept her own answers vague, telling him only that she worked in marketing and tech, without mentioning her position, company, or field. She noticed his discomfort deepened as soon as the subject of work came up, and she sensed that he was beginning to feel out of place. She also mentioned that their lifestyles, education, and income levels seemed to fall into very different brackets, and that may have added to his uneasiness.
More on What Happened
When the time came for them to place an order, the woman chose a glass of wine and a plate of wings, and her date ordered a Guinness. Shortly after, he told her he needed to use the restroom. The woman thought nothing of it at the time and assumed he would return in a few minutes. Instead, after a few minutes had passed, a hostess approached her table and informed her that her date had left the restaurant and had asked the staff to tell her it was because of an emergency.
The woman said she was “gobsmacked” at that moment, because not only did he leave without saying anything to her directly, but he also left before the food even arrived, effectively abandoning the date altogether. She left the restaurant afterward without paying the bill since nothing had been brought out yet.
Still confused about what had happened, she later opened Hinge to message him, thinking there was a small chance he truly had an emergency. But when she checked his profile, she realized he had already unmatched her. Out of curiosity, she then visited his Instagram and his business pages. That was when she came across screenshots he had posted showing that he had used ChatGPT as a substitute for emotional connection, even instructing the model to call him “babe.”
The Man’s Response
In her post, the woman tagged the man’s TikTok handle, so most people who watched her video ended up finding out who he was. In response to the backlash, he eventually posted his own message, acknowledging his faults and attempting to explain his perspective. He wrote, “I was definitely wrong for how I left and handled the situation. Never dined at all, but still should’ve communicated that I wasn’t feeling it and that my mind was pre-occupied.”
He continued, “I take accountability for that and will work on that for the future. Even said I was sorry, but she didn’t accept. So, I left it alone and moved on. Sorry again for the commotion this caused.” Looking at his other posts on his TikTok page, the man has been open about dealing with anxiety and dating.
Here’s How Netizens Are Reacting to the Woman’s Story
Many viewers sympathized with her experience and said they were glad she shared the story. Someone told her, “I’m sorry that happened to you. God is preparing you for someone special❤️.” Another commented, “Girl I just saw his page. Don’t do that again. You’re too pretty and sweet.”
Several people said the man likely felt insecure or overwhelmed. One person wrote, “He knew you were out of his league so he didn’t want to waste your time.” A second said, “The men that aren’t your type do you the worst!” A third remarked, “He clearly felt inadequate,” while a fourth added, “He couldn’t just say he didn’t like you & you couldn’t just say you didn’t like him lol. the energy was matched unfortunately 😭.”
