This matchmaker went viral when her $35,000 client took a date to a soft pretzel restaurant—but he wasn’t subject to the ‘bald tax’ or the ‘short tax’

Matchmaker Blaine Anderson gained notoriety when a client's dating preference went viral. The client, a 32-year-old Jewish finance professional, proposed a first date at a restaurant known for its giant soft pretzels. However, the 26-year-old woman involved wanted a more upscale dining experience and declined the invitation. This incident, shared on X (formerly Twitter), garnered over seven million views and sparked intense debate.

Critics deemed the woman shallow for rejecting a date based on a food preference, while others praised the man for dodging what they saw as a harmful dating expectation. However, Anderson explained that the situation highlighted the unique challenges of modern dating, where preferences can be both a preference and a form of content.

She charges male clients between $35,000 and $100,000 for matchmaking services, with prices reflecting the difficulty of finding suitable matches. Her team spends up to 50 hours on each match, using various networking channels to find potential dates. While Anderson's post exposed the absurdity of some dating preferences, it also underscored the complexities of the dating market and the role of social media in shaping public opinion.