Tinder is partnering with Lyft to offer the ability to gift rides to dates without having to leave the Tinder app. It’s a small convenience if you already have the Lyft app downloaded, but like adding video chat in the app, it’s one less reason to switch your focus away from your match and to another app.
There’s no firm release date for the Lyft integration other than it’s “slated to roll out in the coming months” and Tinder has no visuals to share yet for how it will work in the app. Tinder does say that Lyft’s usual safety features like location sharing with family and friends will be available from the Lyft app for gifted rides.
Adding Lyft rides could be convenient, but there are some potential scenarios to be concerned about. It’s not clear at what point you’re able to order a ride, or whether both you and the person you matched with have to agree. It would be annoying (not to mention a little unsettling) for both the person you matched with in Tinder and the Lyft driver if you called a ride and they didn’t actually want it.
When asked for more details, Tinder declined and said more information would be available in the coming months. Until then, Zoom dates or Tinder’s built-in trivia feature might be the way to go.
