Why 7?
Because 5 isn’t enough to get a good match. And 10 is so many that people bail halfway through.
We tested everything from 3 questions to 15. At 3, the matches were too broad — "here are 200 bars that vaguely fit." At 15, completion rates dropped off a cliff. Nobody wants to take a survey before going out.
7 is the sweet spot. Specific enough to nail the match. Fast enough to finish in 25 seconds. Each question earns its place by meaningfully changing the output.
Here’s the thinking behind the flow:
Question 1: Your mood. This is the big one. The macro state. It sets the entire direction. Everything after this refines it. We spent weeks on the answer options here. They can’t be vague ("happy" doesn’t help us). They can’t be clinical ("seeking moderate stimulation" sounds like a medical form). They need to feel like how you’d actually describe your mood to a friend.
Question 2: The vibe. Mood is internal. Vibe is external. You might be in a great mood but want a low-key vibe. Or you might be tired but want to be around energy. This question separates the two.
Question 3: Who you’re with. Solo, date, small group, big group. This changes everything. A rooftop bar is magical with a date and logistically painful with eight people. The matching engine weighs venue capacity, seating style, and noise level based on this answer.
Question 4: Category preference. This is where we ask what kind of experience you want. Drinks and nightlife? Food? Live entertainment? Sometimes you know you want a bar. Sometimes you’re open to anything. Both are valid inputs.
Question 5: Budget. Real talk. How much do you want to spend per person? No judgment. We just need to know so we don’t recommend a $200 omakase when you’re thinking $30.
Question 6: Location. Where are you now or where do you want to be? We use this to weight proximity. If you’re already in the Lower East Side, we’ll prioritize nearby. But we won’t restrict you. The perfect spot might be a short ride away.
Question 7: The wildcard. This last question changes based on your previous answers. It might ask about specific preferences, time of night, or how adventurous you’re feeling. It’s the fine-tuning knob that turns a good match into a great one.
The psychology behind all of this: we never ask you what you’ve had before. We don’t ask your favorite cuisine. We don’t ask what restaurant you liked last time. Those are backward-looking questions that anchor you to past experiences.
Moodap asks forward-looking questions. How do you feel? What do you want tonight? Right now?
You’re not the same person you were last Saturday. The quiz respects that.
— The Moodap™ Team