Monday lunchtime, you're bored at work. Checking your diary, you realise you've got nothing planned for this Friday and you quite fancy getting out.

You bash off a quick email to randomdinnerparty.com, where you've already got an account set up, saying you fancy dinner this Friday and what you're willing to spend.

On Wednesday you get an email. If there have been enough similar random sign-ups to put together a group of, say, six people (3 each gender) then you'll all get emailed the restaurant details and the name it's booked under.

If there wasn't enough interest, or the gender balance couldn't be met, then the email says as much and suggests a DVD and a pizza (sponsorship opportunity!)

You could think of it like speed dating, but without the speed.
-- Neid, Apr 30 2006

Frilly, cream-stuffed version already baked http://www.meet8.co.uk/
But I had a much more basic version in mind [Neid, May 01 2006]

Not approved by the health department. http://www.ghetto-gourmet.com
[miggavin, May 02 2006]

Table for six.
-- methinksnot, Apr 30 2006


Sounds like most any networking lunch/dinner club. I belong to several.
-- DrCurry, Apr 30 2006


Kind of sounds like establishments that serve "family style" dining, but without the mystery, to me.
-- blissmiss, May 01 2006


DrC - writing from UK, not sure we have so many of those sorts of clubs? Aren't they quite elite too, charging for membership etc?
-- Neid, May 01 2006


I'd try it.
-- Letsbuildafort, May 01 2006


[Neid/DrC] Pretty sure I've never encountered a club in the UK quite like this idea proposes.
-- kuupuuluu, May 02 2006


Sort of baked. Underground restaurants her in the US. "Every Monday night, 15-30 strangers continue to gather on their living room floor for a chance to make new friends, be entertained by local artists, and enjoy deliciously creative cuisine." Sometimes it cloak and dagger, you get emailed the location cause it changes each time, a different house, apt., trailer. Heard this on NPR, never been to one.
-- miggavin, May 02 2006


"six people (3 each gender)" Don't you mean nine people?
-- wittyhoosier, May 05 2006


Sounds a bit three-quarter baked already, but I like the cleanliness of the email part and it seems more mainstream than the others, so it's all good. However, with email, location would have to be given. Remember that recommending a restaurant in Texas is no good for somebody emailing from the UK.

Apart from that, I cordially invite you to this croissant, to be consumed with five random strangers. Ooh. Exciting stuff.
-- bookends, May 05 2006


I quite like this notion-for those of us working in large institutional companies it would be a neat motivational, human resources ploy, for meeting up with likeminded coworkers, whom you never cross pathes with ordinarily, but whom your employer wants you to share work vision with. Then again, it would probably be a major whine session over microwaved dinners :-)
-- AH, May 05 2006



random, halfbakery