Go on an Expiration Date—Love’s a Limited Shelf Life

They say love is timeless. On Hungary, love is a gamble against rot.

There’s no compatibility quiz, no carefully curated matches—just a blind date and the quiet hope that your partner isn’t actively spoiling. Go on an Expiration Date is Hungary’s most beloved, feared, and wildly unpredictable tradition, where travelers are paired with sentient foodfolk whose lifespans range from “fine wine” to “last week’s seafood special.” Some matches are perfectly aged, deepening in flavor and complexity over the course of an evening. Others turn rancid in real time. Mid-conversation, a date might soften, collapse, or start leaking brine. Chemistry is irrelevant when one of you is ripening faster than the other. There are stories of couples who lasted decades, defying every expiration prediction. There are more stories of matches that had to be quarantined before the check arrived. It’s not romance. It’s a ticking clock with table service.

The Friendly Robot Travel Agency won’t promise a perfect match, but we can promise a story. Maybe you’ll find something rare, something worth keeping, something that gets better with time. Or maybe, halfway through your drink, you’ll realize your date has started fizzing at the edges. Either way, it’ll be a night to remember—preferably before it sours.

Wishbone Cost:

Rick’s Review:

"Date was going well until they checked their reflection in a spoon and went completely silent. Just stared. Muttered something about ‘not having much time left.’ Reached for my hand, started to say something profound—then stopped. Waiter appeared, shook their head, and just quietly removed the chair. Table for one."

Rick’s Tee-Hee Rating: