‘Dopamine Apps’ Go Viral: Millions Order Products They’ll Never Receive

A growing global phenomenon involves "dopamine apps" that simulate the experience of online shopping and food ordering, providing users with a psychological thrill without the actual delivery of products. These platforms, which originated in South Korea, are attracting millions seeking the instant gratification derived from the process of selection and ordering.

Users can "purchase" imaginary items, add virtual supplements, and even track non-existent delivery couriers. Apps like FoodNeverComes, which replicates the food ordering experience, have reportedly "satisfied" nearly a million virtual cravings. Developers created these apps partly as a joke, but their popularity highlights issues of loneliness, stress, and a desire for escapism, according to experts.

Specialists explain the appeal through the brain's dopamine system, which is crucial for motivation and reward association. These apps exploit this by creating a sense of anticipation, choice, and confirmation, even though the final reward, the product, is absent. The satisfaction stems from the purchasing process itself, rather than the acquisition of goods.

While seemingly harmless entertainment, experts caution about the potential long-term consequences. Research on similar simulated experiences, like video games and social casinos, suggests they can influence future behavior. Additionally, many of these services collect user data on preferences and choices, raising privacy concerns.

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The application Food Never Comes allows users to choose food, add supplements, and track a fictional courier without paying or receiving anything; its creator, 23 years old, developed it as a joke, but experts say its popularity reflects loneliness, stress, and the desire to escape from everyday life.