Indian Developers Launch 'FoodNeverComes' for Simulated Online Food Ordering

Simulated Consumption Experience

Purvansh Parmar and Anshul Sharma, two 26-year-old software developers from Udaipur, India, launched FoodNeverComes. This website allows users to select food items, proceed through a simulated checkout, and experience a fictional delivery process, all without actually placing an order or paying. The site's slogan is "The food never comes - but the dopamine does."

Rapid User Adoption

Since its launch in June, FoodNeverComes has attracted over 2.7 million visitors. The platform currently features 22 virtual kitchens, 327 dishes, and 319 real recipes, complete with fake prices and a simulated delivery tracker. Users receive a dummy AI-generated call indicating the delivery is outside, completing the illusion.

The Rise of "Dopamine Sites"

FoodNeverComes is part of a new internet trend known as "dopamine sites." These platforms recreate the rituals of consumption, such as online shopping or ordering, without the actual purchase or delivery of goods. This genre originated in South Korea and has expanded globally, with other examples including Dopamine Shop and Fakehaul, which mimic various online services from shopping to travel.

Inspiration Behind the Concept

The developers were inspired by their own online shopping habits and observations. Sharma frequently filled online baskets with electronics he never bought, and Parmar's mother did similarly. Parmar noted his own tendency to order unnecessary food items, concluding that the desire was often for the ordering ritual itself rather than the food. This insight led to the creation of a platform that provides the ritual without the consumption.