n
How has dating changed over the years?
Frommyperspective, technologyhaschangedeverything.
Whenwestarted
It’s JustLunch
eighteenyearsago, singles
simply introduced themselvesandbegan talking–done.
Now, coupleschat, email, instantmessage, tweet, textand
evenvideochat.People relate through theircomputersand
mobilephones.Thismakes iteasier thanever tostay in touch
withsomeoneyoualreadyknow–butnearly impossible to
meet someoneyoudon’t. Now themethods thatpeople
used to relyon for romantic introductionsaregone, and
peopleusuallyfind themselveswith justone
network in theircity: theoffice.That’snot
always ideal andbusysinglesdon’thave the
timeordesire tocruise thebarsor scanonline
profiles.This isexactlywhere
It’s JustLunch
comes in.We introduceourclients to real
people–notonlineprofilesorphonenumbers.
Weprovide thatmissingnetwork, andwedo it
inaway thatfits intoeveryone’shecticschedule.
n
What about internet dating sites?
While thesesitesarehighlyaccessible(especially for singles
who are alreadyon a computer all day), they canbecome
extremely timeconsuming.There’senrollments,questionnaires,
email correspondence, followedby looking through literally
thousandsofprofiles, and then–finally– trying toarrange
ameetingovermore email. I thinkmany singleswindup
discouraged.There’s just so littleyoucan learnaboutaperson
froman internetprofileanda low-resolutionpicture–and
thereare thousands to look through.Either it’sa fruitlessgame
of trying tochooseabookby thecover, oryou’re trustinga
computer todecide if youwouldclickwithsomeone.
n
How does It’s Just Lunch “match” singles?
Webelieve that nothing replaces thehuman touch, and
wedon’t believe in “computermatches.” It doesn’tmatter
if youboth like to jog, both likeChinese food, andboth
would like something long term– you can like all the same
things and still not like eachother. That’swhyweuseour
intuition to create thematch. First, we interview each
client like youwouldget toknow anew friend, learning
about their personalities, their likes anddislikes, and
their relationshipgoals. Then, we call to arrange their
first date.We contact both clients, get their schedules,
find a convenient time andplace for them tomeet, and
evenmake them a reservation. There arenoonline
profiles for theworld to see, and it’s up to the clients if
theywant to sharemoredetails during their date and
exchange cards inorder tomeet again. As part of our
policy, wedon’t giveout our clients’ last
names or phonenumbers.
n
What kind of peoplewould I
meet through It’s Just Lunch?
It’s Just Lunch
clients areadiversegroup
representingmanydifferentprofessions,
career stages andeducational backgrounds.
Somehave justmoved toanewcityand
want to fast-forward tomeeting like-minded
people.Wecommonly see singles spending
mostof their timewithpeople fromwork, but they realize
thepitfallsof datingcoworkers.Theycome tous to
expand their social circleoutsideofwork.Our clients
dohaveone thing incommon, though: they’re ready to
meet someonenew.
n
Any advice for the first-date
conversation?
Rulenumberone:Never talkabout
apast relationship. It can instill feelings of jealousy,
awkwardness, or insecurity inseconds. If itcomesup, give
abrief answerandchange thesubject.Avoid topicssuchas
politicsand religionuntil you’vegotten toknoweachother
better.Makeaconsciouseffort toaskoranswerquestions
fromyourmostpositiveperspective. If youdon’tknow
what tosay, askaquestion instead–studiesshowpeople
findyoumore interestingwhenyouaskquestionsabout
them. If youdon’tknowwhat toask, pause foramoment to
think . . . silencecanbesexyandmysterious.
Meet yourmatch today.
“Whenyou are
ready to
start dating,
youwant to start
immediately.”
AmyBrinkman,
DATINGSPeCIALIST
Over150 locations in theUnitedStates,Canada,europe,Asia,andAustralia | Visit
ItsJustLunch.com
orcall
1.800.335.8624
■
How has dating chang d over the years?
Frommypersp tive, technologyhaschangedeverything.
Whenwes arted
It’s JustLunch
eighteenyearsago, singles
simply introduced themselves
dbegantalki g–done.
Now, coupl schat, em il, instantmessage, tweet, textand
evenvideochat.People relate through theircomputersand
mobilephones. ism kes ite si r thanever tostay in touch
withsomeoneyoualreadyknow–butnearly impossible to
eet someoneyoudon’t. Now themethods thatpeopleused
to relyon for romantic introductionsaregone, andpeople
usually nd themselveswith justonenetwork in
theirnew town: theo ce. at’snotalways ideal,
andbusysinglesdon’thave the timeordesire
tocruise thebarsor scanonlinepro les. is
isexactlywhere
It’s JustLunch
comes in.We
introduceourclients to realpeople–notonline
pro lesorphonenumbers.Weprovide thatmiss-
ingnetwork, andwedo it inaway that ts into
everyone’shecticschedule.
■
What about internet dating sites?
While thesesitesarehighlyaccessibl (especially
for singleswho are alr adyon a computer all day), they can
become extremely timeconsumi . ere’senrollments,
questionnaires, email correspondence, followedby looking
through literally thousandsofpro les, and then– nally– try-
ing toarrangeameetingovermore email. I thinkmany sin-
gleswindupdiscouraged. ere’s just so li leyoucan learn
aboutaperson froman internetpro leanda low-resolution
picture–and thereare thousands to look through.Either it’sa
fruitlessgameof trying tochooseabookby thecover, oryou’re
trustingacomputer todecide if you’dclickwithsomeone.
■
How does It’s Just Lunch “match” singles?
Webelieve thatnothing replaces thehuman touch, andwe
don’tbelieve in “computermatches.” Itdoesn’tma er if you
both like t jog, both likeChinese food, andbothwould like
something long term–youcan likeall the same things and
still not likeeacho her. a ’swhyweus our intuition
tocreate thematch.First e i t rvieweachclient like
youwouldget oknowanew friend, learningabout their
personalities, their likesanddislikes, and their relationship
goals. en,wecall them toarrange their rstdate.We
contactbothclients, get their schedules, ndaneasy time
andplace for them tomeet, andevenmake thema reserva-
tion.Aspartofourpolicy,wedon’tgiveoutourclients’ last
namesorphonenumbers. erearenoonlinepro les for
theworld toseeand it’sup to theclient if theywant toshare
moredetailsduring theirdateandexchange
cards inorder tomeetagain, ornot.
■
What kind of peoplewould I
meet through It’s Just L nch?
Ourclients range frombusinessowners
andengin ers toprogramme sa lawyers.
Someofourclientshave justmovedandare
new t town.Wes m tohavesomeone for
justaboutever on .Allofourclientshave
one thing incommon though: they’re ready
tomeet someonenew.
■
Any advice for the first-date
conversation?
Rulenumberone:Never talkabout
apast relationship. It can instill feelings of jealousy,
awkwardness, or insecurity inseconds. If itcomesup, give
abrief answerandchange thesubject.Avoid topicssuchas
politicsand religionuntil you’vego en toknoweachother
be r.Make consciouse ort toask ranswerquestions
fromyourmostpositiveperspec ive. If youdon’ know
what tosay, askaquestioninstead–studiesshowpeople
ndy umore intere tingwhen
askquestionsabout
them. If yo don’tk owwhat toask, pause foramoment
to think . . . silencecanbesexyandmysterious.
a
da
na
re
Meet yourmatch today.
Over150 locatio s in theUnitedSt t s,Canada,Europe,andAsia | Visit
It JustLun h.com
orcall
1.800.335.8624
“Whenyou are
ready to
start dating,
youwant to start
immediately.”
AmyBrinkman,
DATINGSPECIALIST
