Does pressing the “buy” button satisfy cravings even without purchase?

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Pressing the “buy” button can satisfy cravings even without a purchase being completed
The idea behind FoodNeverComes is that simply pressing the “buy” button can satisfy the craving, even though nothing is ever cooked, paid for, or delivered. The concept is tied to the psychology of dopamine, a pleasure- and motivation-related brain chemical that is released more during anticipation of a reward than when the reward arrives. In theory, the act of initiating the order is enough to provide that satisfying feeling without completing any transaction.
FoodNeverComes replicates ordering without any fulfilment
FoodNeverComes is built to look and operate like a typical takeaway delivery app, including browsing restaurant menus, customising orders, entering a delivery address, selecting a payment method, and tracking a courier on a map. The key difference is that nothing is cooked, paid for, or delivered after users go through the ordering flow. The experience is designed to stop at the point where users press the “buy” button.
The concept is linked to dopamine released during anticipation
The app’s premise draws on the idea that dopamine is often released while anticipating a reward. It is described as happening more before the reward arrives rather than at the moment the reward is received. That framing supports the claim that pressing “buy” can satisfy the urge even if no purchase is completed.
The developer framed it as fulfilling the urge to “order something”
The app was created by a South Korean developer known as Malhee, who said the idea came after repeatedly opening and closing food delivery apps. Malhee described starting it as a joke, but said satisfying the urge to “order something” became “weirdly fulfilling” without actually ordering. The app is positioned as a way to break the pattern of opening delivery apps out of boredom or habit.
Public reaction includes debate over whether it can help
Online discussion has been mixed, with some users saying it could help in limited ways for people trying to curb compulsive habits. One comparison likened it to drinking non-alcoholic beer while recovering from alcohol addiction, describing it as scratching the itch at the beginning and helping people move on. Others argued it would frustrate them because nothing would actually arrive.

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Does pressing the “buy” button satisfy cravings even without purchase?

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