Tinder launches 'Group Hangouts' feature as it pivots toward social, real-world dating
Tinder has rolled out a new feature called Group Hangouts, letting groups of friends find and match with other groups for shared activities. The move is the latest step in the app's push to make dating feel more social and rooted in real-world experiences.
Tinder announced on Wednesday the launch of 'Group Hangouts,' a feature aimed at users who are increasingly tired of endless swiping and want dating to feel more social and connected to real-world experiences.
The feature lets groups of friends choose a shared activity and invite at least two friends to join. Once a group has at least three members, its profile can appear in Tinder's main card stack, where other groups can discover it. Groups can have up to 15 members. Users browse other groups and 'like' ones that interest them — if at least one person from each group likes the other, the two groups are connected in a shared chat to plan meeting up.
Tinder is giving users some control over the experience: members can leave a conversation without leaving their friend group, and can block or report other participants if they feel uncomfortable. The feature is rolling out in phases, starting in the U.S. and select markets, with more markets to follow.
Building on group-dating push
Group Hangouts builds on last year's 'Double Date' feature, which let users pair up with a friend to browse other pairs. The new feature expands the number of people involved, shifting the experience further away from a traditional one-on-one date toward a more social outing.
VP of product management Claire Watanabe said the idea was partly inspired by a college women's volleyball team that made a Tinder profile while traveling for away games to explore new towns and meet locals. She noted that in practice, most groups stay small, with people hanging out with their close circle of friends rather than organizing something large.
Tinder has been steering users toward real-world experiences since March, when it launched an Events tab featuring local activities such as bowling and pottery classes; this month it expanded in-person events to additional cities. Rival Bumble is pursuing a similar strategy with its 'Plans' feature.
The launch comes as Tinder faces a difficult stretch, with revenue declining in its latest quarter and monthly active users falling 7% in the second quarter, following an 8% drop the prior quarter.
