It's Just Lunch :: Press Center

The Oprah Winfrey Show February 2004

"When Andrea McGinty was dumped by her fiance just five weeks before her wedding, she came up with a unique idea: a dating service called It's Just Lunch! 'Suddenly you're single again, you're busy, you're working a lot of hours and it's hard to meet people,' Andrea says. 'And I found that when I was getting fixed up, I would either do lunch or a drink after work. But I learned really fast that lunch has a beginning; lunch has an end. It's kind of easy to say goodbye, there's no good-night kiss—it's just really easy!''

CBS The Early Show December 28, 2004

Andrea McGinty proves anything can be the inspiration for a business.

"I was engaged," she tells The Early Show national correspondent Hattie Kauffman, "And I was getting married and about five weeks before the wedding, he changed his mind. And that pretty much, you know, that changed everything. It was devastating."

In despair, McGinty returned to the dating world, only to find her friends weren't very good at setting her up.

"It didn't matter that, you know, I'm five foot nine and, you know, he was (nowhere near my height)…and they would say. 'Oh, he's single. Just go out with him.' "

In those days, "go out with him" meant go out to dinner, Kauffman points out.

"It meant, like, a three-hour date," McGinty recalls.

That's when she got the idea for It's Just Lunch, which arranges lunch dates set up by professional matchmakers.

"It was totally my own frustration with dating," McGinty admits, "because I never in a million years thought, you know, I would own a dating service or be a matchmaker."

Was it difficult selling the idea to banks for financing? "No bank would give me money," McGinty says with a chuckle.

So, in 1991, she maxed out her credit card and started the company with just $6,000.

"You know what? I had to make it," McGinty says. "That's all the money I had. …I worked seven days a week. And I had a blast."

Today, her multi-million-dollar business has 70 branches in the U.S. and overseas. McGinty claims more than 30,000 clients.

"I think it was probably just being really busy and not having time to go out and meet people on my own," says It's Just Lunch client Melissa Trunnell, an attorney.

She is four months and several dates into her contract with It's Just Lunch. For $1,500, Melissa is guaranteed 16 lunch dates, all pre-screened by McGinty's company. "I could go to a store and look through racks and racks of clothing on my own and spend a lot of time finding what I like," observes Trunnell. "This is like somebody goes through the racks of clothing for you and pre-selects what they think you might like."

It's true, Kauffman notes, that some still try bars and singles clubs, and many are trying the Internet, but even people who haven't tried McGinty's service find the idea of a pre-screened, face-to-face lunch date appealing.

"You're not in an awkward situation where you might have met at a nightclub and someone gets a little bit out of control," one single man told Kauffman. "You get an immediate interaction with the individual," a single woman said. "It's all about efficiency these days, so if they can make dating more efficient, then they've already got a good leg up," another single woman chimed in.

McGinty says her lunch dates have led to nearly 11 thousand weddings. "Sometimes we don't know about it, because sometimes people don't tell us," she says. "And sometimes, you know, we get a card a year or two later and people say, 'Oh look, we had a baby.' We're like, 'Oh, wow.' "

Does McGinty have any advice for women who may be thinking, "I've always wanted to start my own business. I have an idea, but I just can't take that step?"

"You know what?" McGinty responded. "They just have to do it. Sit down. Put it on paper. And then go for it."

She went for it, Kauffman says, and not only launched a business, but found her man.

"He came in. He joined. I sent him out on two dates. And it turned out that it kind of worked out between us. He resigned his membership. And we got married three months later," McGinty smiled.

Now, her husband works for It's Just Lunch, and she's expecting their first child.

Who knew being left at the altar could bring such rewards?

McGinty's timing couldn't have been better. According to It's Just Lunch, 10 years ago, only 8 percent of the U.S. population admitted to using any kind of dating service. Now, that number has grown to 49 percent.

Inc. Magazine, February 2005

It's Just Lunch

It plans everything, down to when and where you meet. What happens: Once staff members find a good match, they'll tell you about your date, coordinate your schedules, and select a nice spot for lunch or drinks. You take it from there -- continue dating that person or ask the staff for someone more outgoing, taller, etc. Requirements: Join through one of 70 local offices. Fee: $1,000 to $1,500, for six months to a year. If you get in a relationship, you can put your membership on hold for up to a year. www.itsjustlunch.com

San Diego Union Tribune San Diego Union Tribune - August 7, 2005

 

Michelle Mendez has been playing matchmaker for as long as she can remember and prides herself on the marriages that have come from her knack for bringing people together. A few years ago, Mendez took the opportunity to turn her pastime into a profession when she and friend Cathy Loe became the owners of the It's Just Lunch franchise in San Diego.

Now the duo is being paid to play Cupid for singles from the company's Carlsbad and downtown San Diego locations, though their success isn't necessarily measured by a trip down the aisle.

Self-proclaimed first-date specialists, Mendez and Loe say their goal is to get a couple through the sometimes dreaded and often overrated hours of the first date.

"Really, the name says it all," said Mendez, 34. "It's just lunch. If you don't have the chemistry, you just go back to work. There's always a beginning, a middle and an end."

"The dating world in North County is interesting. It can be tough," said Loe, who runs the Carlsbad office. "The population tends to be a little older, and we're in suburbia up here, so there's not as many outlets to meet people. They spend a lot of time at their jobs or commuting to their jobs. For them, It's Just Lunch is a real timesaver."

The lunch date concept originated in 1991 when company founder Andrea McGinty ended her engagement. She found herself single and wanting to meet well-educated professionals she could relate to, so she became proactive in her search and created It's Just Lunch.

The company began offering franchises in 2000 and moved its headquarters to San Diego, giving Mendez and Loe a shot at running a dating service they believed had a successful formula.

Between the two county locations, It's Just Lunch coordinates meetings among 1,000 clients, who are mostly in their 30s and 40s. According to company statistics, 70 percent of first dates result in a second date.

Mary of Del Mar met her fiance through It's Just Lunch a year ago. She said her membership was worth the try and the money.

"I went out on dates and had a really good time with it, but I never ever thought I'd meet somebody I'd want to spend the rest of my life with. It's like a fairy tale that I did," said Mary, who spoke in an interview arranged by the company on the condition that her last name not be used, in accordance with the company's confidentiality policy.

The cost for a year membership is $1,500. There's a face-to-face interview to discuss personal interests, relationship history and what qualities or characteristics are desirable in a partner.

It's Just Lunch directors rely more on instinct than on a computer to choose pairs for lunch dates or after-work drinks.

Clients are described to one another over the phone before the date. To maintain confidentiality, pictures, last names and contact information are never given out. The company guarantees each client at least 14 arranged dates within the year.

"I like being referred to as old-school," Mendez said. "The point is that our customers don't have time to read through online profiles, start up communication by e-mail and then follow up with a phone call. People come to us because of the minimal time involved. We're sort of managing their personal lives."

Despite the increasing popularity of online dating services, Mendez and Loe say It's Just Lunch maintains a segment of the dating service market.

Loe points to other matchmakers as their toughest competition.

"There are so many services for singles out there," Loe said. "Because we do things the old-fashioned way, I'd say our closest competitor is somebody's mother trying to set up her son or daughter. But we have the advantage because we know a lot more people than they do."

Although they declined to discuss company revenues, Mendez and Loe say their matchmaking business has been profitable.

With its 80 franchises worldwide, It's Just Lunch has grown 30 percent annually in the past five years, and the San Diego franchise has followed suit, Mendez said.

The plan is to continue using local television and radio ads to grab the attention of single professionals throughout the county. Ultimately, though, it may be success stories like Mary's that draw in clients.

"You get so caught up with your life and your job that you have to kind of step out of your routine and be willing to try something new," Mary said. "You really never know what could happen or who you're going to meet."

For more information, call the Carlsbad office at (760) 268-0004, the San Diego office at (619) 232-8999, or go online to www.itsjustlunch.com.

Its Just Lunch in USA Today

Can you find love on the road? For help, a new series of romance-focused guidebooks pinpoints the best places for singles to meet in dozens of U.S. cities. Its Just Lunch, the dating service known for penciling social lives into busy professionals' calendars, so far has compiled nearly 50 local guides ($9.95 each) that give the top dating locations in 36 categories. While bigger cities (Milwaukee, Phoenix) get their own guides, some books cover whole regions. Culled from local It's Just Lunch offices, the guides go way beyond the bar scene. Among the meeting places listed: health clubs, bookstores, places to take a class. Plus, there's a ton of dating advice (be open; don't play games). If you make a love match, think of the frequent flier miles you'll earn!

Take me out to the ballgame - on a date

A survey of over 8,500 singles nationwide by It’s Just Lunch, the premier dating service for busy professionals, with 90 locations worldwide, found that over 2/3 of women, but only half of men think a baseball game is a good place to take a date. What’s more, nearly 3/4 (74%) of women think a baseball game is a good place to meet men.

However, if going to a game is part of your dating repertoire, leave the cell phone at home. 38% of men responded that they find talking on cell phones more annoying than complaining about the seats (33%) or acting completely uninterested in the game (28%).

“If you’ve met someone you like, going to a sporting event can be a great idea for a date – it’s a fun and casual atmosphere, you’re outdoors and it’s an activity that you both enjoy,” said Andrea McGinty, founder of It’s Just Lunch. Andrea added, however, that the length of a game does not make it appropriate for the first date. It’s Just Lunch recommends lunch or a drink after work for first dates.

Why do men and women get along so well at games? Men are accepting when it comes to not being there for the last out; 77% said they would understand if their date wanted to leave a game early.

The survey also revealed that 90% of women brush up on baseball fundamentals before games, either by reading the sports page (31%), learning the names of key players (30%), or making sure they understand the rules of the game (29%).

Chivalry is not dead, at least among baseball fans. 84% of men said if they caught a ball in the stands, they would give it to their date; although 5% of men would rather make some money than be chivalrous and sell the baseball on eBay.

As far as the players themselves, who would women most like to date? Single women love the sexy Trio of the New York Yankees—Johnny Damon, Alex Rodriquez and Derek Jeter. Single women all agree that the Trio is the hottest on any baseball field. 40% of single women believe Derek Jeter is the sexiest baseball player, 17% Alex Rodriguez and 15% love Johnny Damon’s new Yankee clean cut style.

The infield takes the prize for the sexiest positions: 54% find the pitcher to be the sexiest; 32% think shortstops are sexier. Sorry outfield, only 8% of respondents found you the sexiest.

Additional survey highlights:

• 31% of men think 9 innings is too long, 7 innings would be better, compared to the vast majority of women (85%) who think 9 innings is about right.
• 67% of men feel scoreboard marriage proposals are too public or embarrassing, while 32% of women think they are romantic and sweet.
• If singles had great seats for Opening Day, 37% of men would take someone they want to ask out on a first date, while 29% of women would take a colleague and 13% would take their dad.
• 41% of women are okay with their significant other watching 1 game a week; with 26% saying 2-3 games a week is enough, although 8% of women won’t even consider dating someone who watches sports all the time. • Nearly 1/3 of women have gone to a sports bar solely to meet men.
• Baseball players are cuter than basketball and football players according to 37% of female singles. 7% thought it was because they sweat less.
• The sexes agree. 51% of singles think the New York Yankees are the best looking American League team. As for the National League, 33% of women think the Chicago Cubs are the most attractive team.

It's Just Lunch in USA Today

"CEOs aren't the only ones who have discovered the Waiter Rule. A November survey of 2,500 by It's Just Lunch, a dating service for professionals, found that being rude to waiters ranks No. 1 as the worst in dining etiquette, at 52%, way ahead of blowing your nose at the table, at 35%."

Love Service Sets Up Your Dinner Dates For You January 2007

Jeanette Trompeter, WCCO.com

Minneapolis (WCCO) ― By now you may have read Dennis Douda plans on trying out Match.com in his quest to meet someone, if only to get a little insight into how it is (or is not) working for people.

It's all part of WCCO-TV's February "Focus On Love" series, and we're all eager to hear an update on your online romancing.

For those who are still computer-phobic, there are other options for singles, such as local bars and restaurants, but some question the level of romantic commitment many bar customers demonstrate.

"I don't think people go to a bar looking for a long-term relationship," said one customer at The Local in downtown Minneapolis.

"Blondes, brunettes and redheads, that's all I go for," suggested another customer.

However, there are other food-centric alternatives to the bar scene, such as It's Just Lunch, a service that offers to do your romantic homework for you.

"We meet with each client and really find out what their hobbies are, what type of people they're looking to meet," said It's Just Lunch's Sara Darling. "We do all of our matching by hand, so we'll hand select your dates. This isn't a computer database scramble of any kind. No, we really get to know you well."

It's a higher-priced hook up than on-line services -- $1,500 guarantees you 14 first dates. The thought is you know within an hour if you want a second date with someone, and if you don't, the cupids behind It's Just Lunch get working on your next prospect immediately.

"When I knew something wasn't working out, I could call It's Just Lunch and I could be on a date the next day, if I really wanted to," said client Dawn Brunette. "They call you, they give you the stats on the person you're going to meet. You just show up."

Brunette tested more than a dozen different dates until she met Frank, to whom she is now engaged.