FoodNeverComes: The “Dopamine Site” Recreating the Joy of Food Delivery

FoodNeverComes belongs to the internet’s growing genre of “dopamine sites”—websites that recreate the rituals of consumption without the actual consumption. The trend includes fake shopping sites, simulated delivery services and even fake holidays.

What Are Dopamine Sites?

The genre gained popularity in South Korea, external and has since expanded into an ever-growing collection of websites, including Dopamine Shop, external and Fake Haul, external. These sites mimic familiar experiences, from food delivery and online shopping to travel.

Why Do We Enjoy the Ritual of Buying?

FoodNeverComes raises a simple question: What exactly are we enjoying when we enjoy buying something?

The idea grew out of the founders’ own online shopping habits. They met during a computer science diploma course and later launched NeuroX AI, which builds software and AI products and creates Instagram content. They noticed that their online baskets were often filled with things they wanted but never actually bought.

One founder browsed electronics, filled his online basket and then abandoned it. His mother followed a similar pattern. “She added things to her cart and said, ‘I’ll order this later,’” he recalls.

From Abandoned Shopping Carts to Food Delivery

Another founder’s version of the experience centered on food delivery. During a two-month project in Mumbai, he said he was spending between 5,000 and 10,000 rupees a week on food. Sometimes he ordered treats he did not necessarily need, such as Belgian waffles and ice cream. On other occasions, he ordered large jars of sour cream and handed them out to friends without asking for much in return.

“Maybe the real desire wasn’t necessarily the food, but the ritual of ordering it,” he said.