BlendAbout: Friend Matching Over Group Meals

Barbara Maldonado December 1, 2011 Tweet

As we grow older, we lose touch with friends, move to new cities, and start new jobs.  No matter how socially savvy we are – how many Twitter followers, Facebook friends, or Circles we have -  sometimes it is tough to make new friends.  San Francisco-based BlendAbout wants to match you with new friends using their recently launched social dining platform.

BlendAbout users set up an online profile that details their favorite cuisine from 75 options, their meal budget, favorite restaurants and the types of new friends they would like to be matched with.  This includes some profile categories similar to those you would find on a dating website, with some big differences – matches are with groups of 4 to 6, and outings are organized by the BlendAbout team.

BlendAbout is free to join, but a subscription service is required to attend the events.  Restaurants receive some great benefits – new customers and free visibility on the BlendAbout website.

BlendAbout has incorporated some great features, like managing event information and invitations to ensure privacy and giving subscribers the opportunity to rate the restaurants and those whom they met with to make sure that those who fall outside appropriate conduct are flagged and possibly removed.  Additionally, users can set up a Blended profile with a friend or significant other that enables them to attend events together.

As founder Kate Spivak stated, “User experience means everything to us.  Our user’s comfort and privacy are our chief concerns.”