Why Do All Dating Apps Suck Now?

Would you pay over $60,000 to find a date? In this episode of Do As We Say, Not As They Did, Harris O'Malley and Dr. Liz Powell skip the Reddit disasters and get right to the source of modern dating…and why it sucks so much. Reading articles from The Cut, Wired, and the New York Times, they explore the problem with dating apps, why people are leaving them in droves, and how poor dating prospects are even affecting high-status, wealthy people. The only difference is that they're turning to 5 and 6 figure matchmakers instead of Tinder and Hinge. Highlights of the episode: Grindr's gayborhood rebrand and their selection of GLP-1s Discussions of what makes someone "worthy" of a relationship Hinge thought Harris was a lesbian (and made it hard to get dates) Liz and Harris mourn the loss of OG OKCupid A breakdown of what Mrs. Doubtfire was actually about… An open call for any freaky rich people to fund a freaky dating app When capitalism impacts literally every aspect of our lives, inducing romance, how are we actually supposed to date in 2026? Well, Liz and Harris come in clutch with the ways you can actually connect with someone instead of endlessly swiping right. Time Stamps 00:00 - Welcome to the episode! 01:34 - Bumble changed the one thing that made it stand out 03:05 - Why dating apps all feel the same now 04:12 - Feeld's vanilla invitation & Grindr's GLP-1s 08:37 - Remember when OKCupid was actually good? 10:03 - Why people are abandoning dating apps 16:03 - What happens when niche dating apps go mainstream? 18:43 - Rose jail and paywalls on apps 19:59 - The "good man shortage" and 6 figure matchmakers 24:35 - Why are high-earning women hiring matchmakers? 27:29 - How money and gender roles affect relationships 34:04 - How are matchmakers finding eligible men? 40:59 - Hundreds of first dates (but still single) 42:43 - Do your first dates look more like job interviews? 44:47 - Questions worth asking on a first date 51:46 - The strangest dating checklist we've ever heard 52:42 - You probably don't know what you want 54:34 - What actually makes people compatible? 56:54 - Dating apps, capitalism, and the death of third spaces 58:30 - Dating apps are designed to frustrate you into paying 01:01:17 - Sometimes the problem in dating is you 01:03:38 - Why dinner can be a terrible first date 01:08:12 - First date ideas that are actually fun! 01:08:12 - In defense of the "low-effort" first date 01:15:24 - Use dating apps as a supplement to meeting people 01:17:19 - Where to find Harris & Dr. Liz Stay Connected 🌐 Website: http://www.doaswesaypod.com 📩 Business Inquiries: doaswesaypod@gmail.com 📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/doaswesaypod/ 💙 BlueSky: https://bsky.app/profile/doaswesaypod.bsky.social 🐦 Twitter: https://x.com/DoAsWeSayPod 📘 Facebook: facebook.com/doaswesaypod ⏰ TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@DoAsWeSayPod