There’s a post on the AskLosAngeles Subreddit where a woman asks “Where did you meet your current partner in LA?”. After fourteen hours, it got hundreds of responses, which I’ve compiled below. I found the results to be pretty interesting.
Note that folks of all ages answered, including some who have been together for decades, so the results are not necessarily the most recent, though judging by how many people met online, many of the answers do reflect recent history.
So, here’s how a sampling of Reddit users in Los Angeles met their current partners, ranked!
38 Couples Met on Dating Apps / Online
Not surprisingly, the most popular way couples met was online. Out of all of the online services mentioned, the most met on Tinder (10), followed by Hinge (9), then Bumble (4). The full breakdown is below:
- Tinder: 10
- Hinge: 9
- Bumble: 4
- Grindr: 2
- Twitter: 2 (wow, I didn’t know this was possible!)
- Feeld: 1
- Match: 1
- Social Media (not specified): 1
- Video Game: Call of Duty: Warzone: 1
- “Online” (not specified): 7
I was somewhat surprised to see Tinder at number one; I had thought it was more of a hookup app, but I guess it also works for relationships. I was also a bit surprised to see very few of the old traditional dating sites like Match.com (only one), eHarmony, Coffee Meets Bagel, etc.
16 Couples Met In Public Spaces, Stores, Mass Transportation
The distant second most frequent place people met was in various public places. It just goes to show that striking up a conversation with a complete stranger can pay off! Here’s the breakdown:
- Walking a dog / dog park: 3
- Public transportation: 3
- Sidewalk: 3
- Grocery store: 2
- Food Truck: 1
- Bookstore: 1
- Home Depot: 1
- Art Fair: 1
- Farmers Market: 1
Interestingly, all of the people who met on public transportation didn’t just meet randomly. They were either coming from or going to a common event (i.e., Dodgers game), or regulars on the same line who saw each other every day.
As a dog owner, let me say, if you’re single and don’t have a dog, borrow one and walk around a popular area of down. You’re almost guaranteed to be able to strike up a conversation with other dog owners.
15 Couples Met Through Friends / Networking
Meeting people through friends is one of the most common ways that couples meet. It pays to network!
- Through friends: 8
- At a friend’s party: 5
- Setups: 2
If you’re single and want to meet someone, never turn down a party invitation for Pete’s sake!
15 Couples Met Through Work
Dating at work can bring complications, but hey, a lot of couples meet there. Here’s the breakdown:
- Various workplaces: 12
- TV production set: 3
Only in Los Angeles would there be this many folks who met on set!
12 Couples Met at Bars / Restaurants
Although some don’t like the bar scene, it remains a place where single people do meet other singles:
- Bars: 9
- Restaurants: 3
7 Couples Met at Concerts
If you meet someone at a concert, you’re guaranteed to have at least one thing in common – you both like that band.
6 Couples Met Doing Outdoor Activites
These include skating in Venice, kickball, working out at the beach, hiking, and skiing.
6 Couples Met at School / Classes
I would have expected this number to be higher. Three met in school, while three others met in post-education classes (sculpture workshop, martial arts class).
3 Couples Met at Dance Clubs
This one is very telling. The very place where you’re supposed to go and meet other single people is near the bottom of the list.
I personally think that dance clubs are terrible places to meet new people. It’s too loud to talk and establish any kind of rapport, other than purely physical. If you’re single looking for a soul mate, skip loud EDM clubs and do almost anything else on this list.
2 Couples Met at Church
This isn’t very high on the list, but I submit that is because most people on this Reddit thread don’t go to church. If you are religious, it’s actually a great place to meet single people. I met my future wife at a church retreat.
2 Couples Met While Volunteering
I’ve always said that volunteering is a great way to meet quality, like-minded single people. Interestingly, both of the people in this article met because they volunteered at retirement homes. No, they didn’t date residents. One ended up dating a grandchild of a resident though! Grandparents are always looking out for their grandchildren!
2 Couples Met at the Gym
This is another place where singles supposedly meet tons of other single people, but it’s near the bottom of the list. This is especially low considering how many people go to the gym in L.A.
I’ve found that most people at the gym don’t want to be bothered. I don’t think it’s a great place to meet single people. The exception might be gym classes where you have to partner up.
1 Couple Met at a Country Music Dance Club
I put this in a different category than “dance club” because it’s a totally different thing. I’d lump this in with partner dance clubs (i.e., Salsa, Swing, Tango, Ballroom). Read why I think partner dancing is a great way to meet other single people.
Actually, Salsa dancing was discussed very prominently in the Reddit thread as a great way to meet single people; I just didn’t include Salsa clubs on this list because no one confirmed that they met their current partner while Salsa dancing.
I can personally attest that partner dancing is a great way to meet lots of single people. The only catch is the barrier to entry is high; you need to take dance lessons and practice a lot! But, it’s great fun once you get into it.
1 Couple Met in “Other Communities”
One couple met in “sci-fi fandom”. They didn’t provide any details, but I have a friend who met her future husband at a light saber class and I imagine it would be something like that!
Los Angeles has tons of “communities” centered on all kinds of activities. You just need to seek out the ones that your kind of people go to!
Conclusion
I hope you found this list interesting. If you are single looking for a partner, if hope you found it enlightening.
If you currently have a partner, tell us how you met in the comments below! – Brian
Featured image Photo by Joshua Case on Unsplash.
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