It's Just Lunch :: Press Center

Meeting Your Match in Today's Hectic World- February 2008

Caroline Skelton, North Shore News

Published: Wednesday, February 06, 2008

Throughout her professional life, Jacquie Brownridge has been a matchmaker.

Her first eligible suitors were company owners and potential buyers, which she brought together as a business broker. Then it was bright, upcoming entrepreneurs in the Shad Valley program that she worked to match with internships at local companies.

Then, on Valentine's Day, 2007, Brownridge, a West Vancouver resident, took the reigns at the B.C. franchise of It's Just Lunch, an international company that does matchmaking in the more literal sense: between two eligible, relationship-ready singles.

Jacquie Brownridge is happiest when a match set up by her company, It's Just Lunch, leads to something more.

The company pre-screens potential daters -- both to determine good personality matches and weed out any truth-stretchers -- then sends them out for a lunch date or after-work drink. After the date, the clients call their matchmakers and let them know how it went, and whether another date is on the horizon.

If not, it's back to the drawing board, and Brownridge and her team scour their list for another potential match.

It was one of these successful matches that first inspired Brownridge to buy the business. At a New Year's Eve party, she ended up chatting with a couple who had met through the service, and says she was intrigued by the business -- at the same party, she adds, a couple who she had personally set up was also in attendance. It was only days later that she heard the franchise was up for sale.

"When it actually became available I thought this is just absolutely perfect -- I love the nature of the business," she says. "I look at the dating industry as an HR strategy as well, because when someone's happy in their home life, they're definitely more productive in the business."

Though Brownridge says she loves hearing of successful matches -- her greatest triumph these days is successfully setting up her accountant -- it wasn't just her cultivated matchmaking skills that led her to her current career in the dating industry. She took over the franchise, at least in part, because of the industry's growth potential.

"The dating industry is definitely in a growth pattern right now," says Brownridge, who's hoping to expand the B.C. operation into Whistler, the Fraser Valley and Vancouver Island.

On an international scope, It's Just Lunch has grown rapidly since it was founded in 1996 by a Chicago woman whose engagement was called off just five weeks before her wedding. Since then, it's grown into a 70-office, worldwide organization, with US$30-million annual revenues.

With 13 million singles in Canada, according to the company website, there are plenty of people looking for meaningful relationships -- the company is in touch with about 1,000 of them in Vancouver alone. Many of those singles, says Brownridge, are ready to get serious about a relationship, which is why they end up contacting a service like It's Just Lunch, rather than posting their profile online, or heading to the bars.

"People come to us because of confidentiality, for starters, and they want to know that the people that they meet are in fact who they say they are. Their photos are not online, their profiles are not online, they know that we've met everyone face-to-face," says Brownridge.

Before singles meet, the company will give them the basic low-down on their match -- their first name, their profession, and a few interests, just enough to get conversation started. But they never give out last names or phone numbers, which makes the connection relatively risk-free.

Clients also contact the service because in today's business landscape, it can be tough to fit meeting people into the Daytimer.

"People are really busy these days. People travel for business, they're working from 7 in the morning to 8 o'clock at night, they don't have time often to meet people," says Brownridge.

In the future, she hopes to expand the franchise, and also expand into the area of image consulting (getting people who may have been out of the dating loop for years back into the game).

But for now, Brownridge is just happy to keep doing what she loves: making matches.

"We don't promise love or marriage, but we measure success by first dates leading into second dates (which happens about 60 per cent of the time), and of course we look forward to the phone ringing and someone telling us their either engaged or going on hold for each other," she says.

For more information, see www.itsjustlunchvancouver.com.

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.

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%."