I actually saw Dine recently and was genuinely enraged by it. It looked very much like bribing people to meet up. Or, to put it another way, it looked like men competing on how expensive of a restaurant they chose instead of just personality.
On a more personal note, I never have (and never will) go on a first date for dinner. You usually know if you like someone in the first few minutes, and it's not worth sitting through a whole (and, if you're male, probably expensive) meal.
(And yes, I know my comments are assuming the man pays. I don't agree with that tradition, but it's very widespread and impossible to avoid when dating.)
It seems like your idea on what Dine's concept is warped. If you live in a big city what do first dates mostly consist of? Getting a drink, getting lunch, getting dinner, getting ice cream, getting coffee. It was only natural to make an app that allows people to seamlessly do what they were going to do any way on other apps or in real life. Men don't have to pay on Dine. Paying for a first date is not mandatory and most millennials are pretty on board for that. You stated how you wouldn't go to dinner on a fist date, but on Dine you have the option to meet up at bars or cafes. Literally could be anymore, for example a cocktail bar or just your local pub. Some people complain about paying for dates but a coffee is like what, $4-5 at most?
On a more personal note, I never have (and never will) go on a first date for dinner. You usually know if you like someone in the first few minutes, and it's not worth sitting through a whole (and, if you're male, probably expensive) meal.
(And yes, I know my comments are assuming the man pays. I don't agree with that tradition, but it's very widespread and impossible to avoid when dating.)