Heads Up, Gen Z: TikTok's Pineapple Dating Trend Might Have an Unexpected Ulterior Meaning

OK, my fellow Gen Zers, I love you all, but frankly, we have some potentially questionable dating strategies. Now, I’m not knocking us entirely—we’ve got a lot of good tactics up our sleeves, including contra-dating, setting up our mutual friends, the principal of least interest and looking for a date with fantasy football commissioner energy. But…situationships? “Tarzaning?” Phoning it in with the dating apps? (I mean, I’m tired of all those Hinge prompts, too, but really…) Yeah. And don’t get me started on pineapple dating. PureWow Associate Editor Sydney Meister (our resident dating and relationships expert) put me onto this, shall we say…interesting trend via X (formerly Twitter), but true to form, we’ve run away with it on TikTok, too. It does sound, for the most part, wholesome. Be that as it may, there’s another, shall we say, spicy definition that you probably want to know about. Let’s dive in.

When I first saw the TikTok videos explaining the concept, I thought it was cute. It was something *I* would try, as I continue to attempt orchestrations of a real-life meet cute. As the term suggests, pineapples are involved. Here’s how it (purportedly) works. You roll up to the supermarket at around 7 or 8 p.m. Single and looking to mingle? Grab a shopping cart and plop a pineapple inside—upside down. After procuring the spiky fruit, your next stop is—where else?—the wine aisle. Should you find an attractive stranger there, also with an upside down pineapple in their cart, you must (yes, really) collide carts with them. A final curious detail you can add, if desired: Those looking for a long-term relationship can buy some lentils (because they last forever). Short term fling? Buy some lettuce. So far, it’s proven a popular tactic in both Moscow and Spain.

At this point in history, no one’s reinventing the wheel. Pineapples are actually (to those in the know) a homing beacon to indicate one is part of the swinging community. And by swinger, I don’t mean they’re getting down to big band music—though I find it cheeky that Glenn Miller’s most famous song is “In the Mood.” In this case, we’re referring to a type of ethical non-monogamy. The symbol can manifest itself anywhere, from the door of a cruise ship to someone’s blazer lapel to home decor, as a subtle indication that they’re looking for or are open to an arrangement. 

No matter which way you’re swinging (ha), may the odds of love be ever in your favor.