Dramatic confessions and roses, that`s what Valentine`s Day was about. But 2026 is different, at least for some.
A new study by Indian dating app, QuackQuack, shows a split between how the young and the mature daters are celebrating the day of love.
The survey shows Gen-Z choosing Romantic Fasting, while Millennials are approaching the day like a well-planned chess match.
The study was conducted among 10,853 Gen-Z and Millennial daters between the ages of 20 and 35 from metros, suburbs, and rural towns. Respondents were chosen from various professional backgrounds, and all of them have completed over 3 months as active online dating app users.
The app`s founder and CEO, Ravi Mittal, commented, “Gen-Zs are going in total airplane mode this Valentine`s Day. Mostly, it is to avoid the pressure of labelling an ongoing connection, or going over-the-top one day and not being able to follow through the rest of the year. Though the young daters are serious about their matches, they are still in the exploratory phase where there`s no rush to define a relationship. Millennials, on the other hand, are picking up the pace. They are choosing to make an effort and seal the deal on matches they have been courting for a while. It`s not performative. From where we are standing, their effort looks really genuine.”
Gen-Z`s Romantic Fasting
For 33 per cent of daters between 20 and 26 years of age, Valentine`s Day 2026 has turned into a non-event. These respondents disclosed that they are deliberately avoiding new matches and making plans with existing matches on and around V-day.
The romantic pause is a conscious choice made to avoid making promises too soon or rushing into commitment because of the emotional high of the day. The romantic fasting trend among Gen-Z is to say they don`t need to soft launch a relationship on February 14 to validate the seriousness of it.
5 in 7 daters also shared that the day is filled with comparison anxiety, which is never a good foundation for any relationship.
Nikita (25) from Delhi, said, “I am really taking these days for self-care and slowing down on the interaction; just for these few days. I don`t like forced milestones. Just because it`s V-Day doesn`t mean I have to turn my new match into my boyfriend. I`d rather it happens naturally.”
Millennials turning into strategic daters
Millennials have suddenly gone strategic, with 39 per cent of women and 21 per cent of men from Tier-1 and 2 cities using the day as a compatibility test.
They are looking at it as a checkpoint to assess effort, emotional consistency, and if they are on similar wavelengths. Ashwini, a 29-year-old software engineer from Mumbai, said, “My goal this Valentine`s Day is to check if our efforts match. Like, is he making plans or leaving it all on me? Is he communicating well? Is he too indifferent about the day? I`m not asking for a diamond ring here. I am checking the pattern.”
Over 4364 Millennials voted a well-planned coffee date higher than a last-minute reservation at a fancy restaurant. This generation has been through it all, and this year, they are turning pro at reading between the lines.
Quiet Romance Era
6 in 10 Gen-Z daters who are not outright declining the day are opting for a no-gift and no-date policy. Instead, they are choosing quiet check-ins with relatable memes and emojis that say “I am thinking of you.”
This quiet romance version is more about emotional protection. 26 year old Anshu commented, “If it`s real, it won`t need a strong hashtag to take over my heart.”
Feelings with follow-ups
Unlike GenZs, Millennials are not fasting. Instead, they are busy filtering. The survey data shows that almost 43 per cent of daters between 28 and 35 are making Valentine`s plans with matches they see as having long-term potential.
There`s no more drifting; Millennials are now seasoned daters who are seeking direction. While the younger daters are avoiding serious talks on the day, Millennials are comfortable discussing future expectations, exclusivity, and emotional readiness to take the next step.
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