Cuffing season isn’t fading, it’s evolving, DoorDash data reveals

Audio By Carbonatix

Cuffing season isn’t fading, it’s evolving, DoorDash data reveals

Every fall, cuffing season arrives like clockwork – that unofficial stretch of months from October through February when casual flings turn into something a little more intentional, as couples bunker down for cozy winters. This year, according to insights from DoorDash, cuffing season is in full swing, and the proof is in the data.

The State of Cuffing Up: What the Orders Reveal

The story of cuffing season is written in the receipts. DoorDash data shows that what people order, leave behind, and update says more about connection than any caption could. Order data from September 1 - October 15, 2025, and October 1, 2024 - February 28, 2025 (compared to May 1 - September 30, 2024), along with a survey of 1,000 adults ages 18–58, tells the full story.

Defining the Relationship (and the Delivery Address)

The “What are we?” talk still ranks among the scariest dating milestones, especially for Gen Z. But when it comes to defining a delivery address, people seem a lot braver. The week of September 1 hit an unexpected high in DoorDash addresses labeled “bae” or “bf/gf,” proof that cuffing season (and new connections) kicked off ahead of schedule this year.

By the first week of October, widely acknowledged as the start of cuffing season, the trend was rising again. It’s proof that people often act the part before they say it, and in 2025, defining the delivery address might just be easier than defining the relationship.

Toothbrush Territory

The toothbrush has become cuffing season’s quiet MVP. DoorDash sees nearly a 30% uptick in toothbrush and toothpaste orders between 5-9 p.m. on Thursdays through Saturdays as date nights get underway, and by the really late hours (midnight to 5 a.m.), orders spike over 10%, suggesting some of those date nights are turning into late nights that weren’t exactly planned. But there might be more behind the order. According to a DoorDash survey of 1,000 U.S. adults aged 18-58 who are single, dating, or in a relationship, one in four daters admit to leaving a toothbrush behind on purpose, a small but unmistakable way of marking their territory. As one respondent put it, “I left my toothbrush to let him know I intended on coming back.”

The “Ick” Factor

According to the DoorDash survey, 68% say they’ve gotten “the ick” after seeing someone’s home, with clutter and bad hygiene topping the list. DoorDash data shows orders for sheets, pillowcases, and blankets rise nearly 80% during cuffing season. Call it the navy-sheet cleanout as people swap old habits (and old bedding) for something more cuffing season ready.

The Modern State of Dating

Cuffing season isn’t fading, it’s evolving. Per the survey, 94% of singles say they’re participating in cuffing season this year, proving it’s not a passing trend but a fixture of culture. Nearly all Gen Z respondents (97%) say they plan to or might take part, showing that younger daters aren’t stepping back from connection, they’re just rethinking how it fits into their lives.

Dating today mirrors Gen Z’s mindset: flexible, spontaneous, and a little more on-demand — from late-night hangs to ordering in together. In fact, nearly 70% of people surveyed say ordering in feels just as, if not more, intimate than going out, proof that modern romance runs on convenience.

Culturally, there’s been a shift from talking about a relationship to subtly showing the signs of one, from labeling an address “bae” to that late-night toothbrush order after a date. People are expressing connection in smaller, more personal ways. The receipts often tell the love story before the words do.

Because in the end, cuffing season isn’t just about coupling up, it’s about settling in.

This story was produced by DoorDash and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.