The Random Business Contact Lunch is a lunch hour 'theme' hosted by a particular restaurant. The Random Business Contact (RBC) Lunch is for professional people who are interested in building their network of contacts. The catch is that the contact that you make is randomly decided by whoever happens to show up that day for lunch. The intent is for business people to make contacts with business people from other industries, thus building a diverse network of contacts, yada yada yada.

The RBC Lunch would be advertised by means of flyer distribution to local businesses. The flyer, or brochure, would list the day of the week of the RBC Lunch, the specials, and the 'rules' (which are only loosely adhered to):

- Reservations are not required, but appreciated.
- It will be assumed that you would be willing to join a table that was recently seated.
- Give your business card to the Maitre d' so that he may invite individuals to your table as they arrive.
- Separate cheques are assumed, unless otherwise stated.
- The Maitre d' may discreetly provide certain dining tips, like "Monsieur, zat eez ze dinner fork; ze salad fork eez zis one" in the interest of propagating proper business dining etiquette - try not to be offended.
- You may order, pay, and leave according to your own schedule.

The Maitre d', or host, would try to place people together to provide interesting combinations of people. He would also try to seat people so that they are starting and finishing at roughly the same time.

Whether or not the RBC Lunch would result in a fruitful business, or networking, contact is speculative. It does, however, prevent you from eating lunch by yourself, and it optimizes seating for the restaurant. Note as well that the RBC Lunch is backward-compatible with regular lunch: the two can be hosted concurrently.
-- xrayTed, Feb 12 2004

Lunch + Network + Club http://www.networki....com/PowerLunch.php
Power Lunch is one of 450.000 Google entries for networking clubs designed to provide this exact experience for eager entrepreneurs. [jurist, Oct 04 2004]

Dunno. I think regular 'mingle' luncheons are better (at least in the sense of achieving the network expansion goal) because they allow you to branch out beyond the persons you'd be seated with as this idea describes.
-- waugsqueke, Feb 12 2004


I used to encourage (and compensate) my salespeople to actively participate in clubs like these 25 years ago because they had worked so well for my father before me in growing our business. It's not a bad idea; just extremely well known in virtually every permutation of the idea. (see link for example)
-- jurist, Feb 12 2004


I've had some fascinating business conversations at the sushi bar....there is a level of communication there that you won't get in any other part of the restaurant. Something to do with ordering small portions that can be shared, marveled over, or apalled by, in close quarters.
-- normzone, Feb 12 2004


I like to look as homeless as possible of these kind of occasions ... worked out well a number of times to excercise my will among local business giants ...
-- Letsbuildafort, Feb 12 2004


//I've had some fascinating business conversations at the sushi bar// How about a human sushi bar, where half of the businesspeople sit on the conveyor belt? You'd be sure to make more contacts.
-- Fishrat, Feb 12 2004


"You gonna finish that?"
-- k_sra, Feb 12 2004



random, halfbakery