Danny Park, a Dunedin office worker, did not want to let a $200 mystery bus tour, dinner and entertainment ticket go to waste after breaking up with his girlfriend, so he took to the city's streets yesterday in search of a date.
With a sign saying "Need a date" and his phone number prominently displayed, Mr Park caught the early morning traffic and, in little more than an hour, garnered plenty of contenders for tomorrow night's event.
Mr Park said he was pleasantly surprised by the amount of interest generated as he stood in Princes St, near the Jetty St intersection.
One woman even handed him her business card.
By 3.30pm, he had whittled about 15 applicants down to one.
He spoke to the "top four" by phone and picked the "most bubbly" candidate.
Some of the prospective dates had been volunteered by friends and family.
Mr Park said he could go by himself on the mystery dinner and tour, but it seemed a shame to waste half the ticket's value.
He and his mates came up with the "scheme" over a few drinks, thinking it might be a "hard case" way to find someone.