If you’ve ever filled up an online shopping cart or started a food order and found a little pleasure in that, only to close the tab without completing the purchase, you’re not alone. In fact, it’s such a common experience that people have created an alternative to real shopping apps known as “dopamine sites.” There, you can replicate the feeling of making and placing an order. However, without spending any money or getting anything delivered.
These sites look pretty realistic. For example, FoodNeverComes, the most popular one, allows you to browse dishes from different places, compare prices, pick flavors, add to cart, pay with a fake credit card provided by the site, and even track a pretend delivery driver until it’s at your door. If you’re actually hungry, the site gets you going by providing a simple recipe so you can cook your “order” yourself.
“The trend started in South Korea, where Gen Z facing high living costs and burnout began using dopamine sites to enjoy the thrill of shopping and takeout without the spending or the buyer’s remorse. FoodNeverComes is the food-delivery version: all the reward, none of the regret. You get the hit of ordering food for free and keep every coin,” the site says, “No real payment is processed, no card details are stored, and no dinner is ever knocking at your door. It’s window shopping for food—a calm, guilt-free little ritual for late-night cravings.”
This feeling is rooted in science. In 2023, researchers Syed Sibghatullah Shah and Zahid Asghar published a study on consumption behavior and online shopping. Among their findings, they noticed that the anticipation often generates a psychological reward equal to, or sometimes greater than, the actual purchase.
More so, these sites have had an actual positive impact in the lives of those who use them. “There are many times when I crave food late at night but hold back to save money. It feels like a real delivery app, so I somehow keep looking at it,” a student named Kim told The Korea Times. “I don’t end up ordering anything, but it feels like it relieves a little stress.”
If anything, these sites reveal how much of our online purchases are driven by boredom. The excitement of potentially owning something can sometimes outweigh actually getting it. While it feels like cheerful pretend play, it can also help us be more mindful of how we move in our digitalized world, and how much it has shaped our emotions and spending habits. Plus, you can save money, and that is the cherry on top of the sundae you never really bought.
Sources: Dopamine Sites: The Emotional Pay-Off of Fake Food Orders; Dynamics of social influence on consumption choices: A social network representation; Gen Z turn to ‘dopamine sites’ for quick comfort
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