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It's Just Lunch

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It's Just Lunch

Overall Rating

3.3

101 Customer Reviews

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Summary

It’s Just Lunch is a personalized matchmaking service designed to help business professionals go on dates with others. However, customer reviews indicate many members think the service overcharges for the quality of their matches.

Pros

  • Great way to meet local people without online dating
  • Many people found love
  • You can pause your membership if you click with someone

Cons

  • No refunds
  • Many people shared their matches were nothing like their specifications
  • A small pool of potential dates unless you are willing to go to a major city

It's Just Lunch Review: Is It Worth It?

By Lydia Noyes

Updated on: Aug 6, 2020

For busy professionals struggling to squeeze dating into their already packed agendas, It’s Just Lunch claims to offer a personalized matchmaking service that works behind the scenes to set them up on personal, private, and convenient dates.

Founded in 1991, the company now has over 150 locations around the world where professional matchmakers seek out suitable dates for their clients.

It’s Just Lunch members are interviewed about their lifestyle, relationship goals, and dating preferences by the matchmakers.

These matchmakers then seek out appropriate matches from their pool of members, coordinate the first date, and debrief with them afterward to learn what worked and what needs to change for the future.

Instead of seeing each person as a profile on a website, IJL matchmakers conduct confidential phone interviews to answer any questions about the service as well as discover the personal attributes, previous dating experiences, and life goals of their potential clients.

In this analysis, we take a detailed look at what It’s Just Lunch offers, to help you decide if this service is right for you.

Benefits

As an industry, professional matchmaking services seek to guide the process of finding love for people who are too busy or too disillusioned to set up dates for themselves.

It’s Just Lunch lets you outsource the partner search process, similar to how you might trust your investment decisions to a financial planner.

In this way, the company claims to streamline the modern dating process, so you don’t spend hours endlessly scrolling through online profiles.

Once you sign up, you’re guaranteed to go on dates with hand-selected partners. The company handles every detail of these dates, from the destination to the dinner reservations.

It’s Just Lunch has a customer support team that is available by phone to offer coaching, dating advice, and general service information for their clients.

But this begs a bigger question—is signing up for a matchmaking service a good idea in the first place?

Amber Artis has worked as a professional matchmaker since 1998, and she is the founder and CEO of the boutique matchmaking firm Select Date Society. In her view, working with a matchmaker offers advantages for falling in love you won’t get otherwise.

“Working with a matchmaker is a better strategy for meeting the right partner than using online dating for a number of reasons,” she told us.

“A matchmaker makes it her full-time job to find her clients the one! In my 22 years as a matchmaker, clients often share with me that they make great decisions in every area of their life except when it comes to love.

“A matchmaker is an expert when it comes to dating and can introduce you to the right potentials without wasting your time.”

In other words, working with a matchmaker can be a great way to get some expert insight into your dating life, especially if you don’t have the time or inclination to sort through potential options yourself.

How It’s Just Lunch Works

If you’re intrigued by IJL, the first step is letting the company schedule a free phone-based private interview. This gives them a chance to answer your questions, gather your personal information, and clarify what you are looking for in a match.

The purpose of this interview is for the matchmakers to learn what did and didn’t work in your past relationships, as well as learn about your hobbies, passions, and long-term relationship goals.

Once you complete the interview, you have the option to sign up for your preferred level of membership. After you commit, It’s Just Lunch matchmakers will comb their collection of clients to search for potential matches.

When IJL finds a good fit, a matchmaker will call both parties separately and gauge their interest in each other.

You will only receive each other’s first names, and email addresses; phone numbers, and additional personal information is never disclosed before a first date.

Assuming both parties are interested, a low-pressure date is scheduled for meeting face to face. If sparks fly and you choose to continue seeing each other, you can suspend your It’s Just Lunch membership to see where things lead.

No matter the result of the date, the matchmaking team will debrief with you to get your opinion and start seeking out a different match if necessary.

IJL states that honest feedback is an essential part of the matchmaking process, as it provides the information the matchmakers need to fine-tune future matches and improve your dating experience.

While the company can’t guarantee that you’ll find your soulmate, they do promise that you will go on dates that can open you up to new possibilities for your personal life and renew your enthusiasm for falling in love.

It’s Just Lunch doesn’t perform background checks because it believes that they would provide clients with a false sense of security.

Instead, the company strives to empower clients to use good judgment and take responsibility for their own safety.

Pricing

Signing up for It’s Just Lunch guarantees you’ll go on dates with a variety of matches, personalized attention from your matchmaking team, and further aid and guidance along the way.

The cost of an IJL membership will vary, depending primarily on your location and the number of dates you want to go on. If you’re willing to travel, you can sign up for multi-city packages for a larger pool of prospects.

From our assessment, you can expect to pay around $2,000–$5,000 for a basic membership. You’ll get further information about your personal costs during the interview process.

Analysis of Customer Reviews

Below are our key takeaways from IJL customer reviews on our website as well as other platforms:

Common Compliments:

  • Some users had great experiences with quality matches and professional matchmakers
  • Valuable service for making connections if you don’t want to date online
  • Many members connect with their matchmakers and felt they received great personalized service

Common Complaints:

  • Members pay lots of money for the service, often without ever going on dates
  • Many are matched with people who don’t fit their criteria
  • Many had dates suspiciously cancel at the last minute
  • Difficult to get refunds
  • Low-quality date options
  • Members were often shuffled between different matchmakers
  • Expensive, tedious signup process

Alternatives to It’s Just Lunch

It’s Just Lunch Elite Matchmaking
Premise Work with a matchmaking service to go on dates with quality singles. You’re guaranteed to go on dates. Work with professional matchmakers to be matched with singles in your area for dates. You can pre-approve every match and will receive feedback after every date to improve continuously.
Estimated Cost $2,00–$5,000 (price will depend on your location and term length) $3,000+ (depending on service length)
Locations Cities across Europe, North America, and Oceana, including 40+ US states Locations across California, Florida, Texas, Washington D.C., Boston, and New York.
Money-Back Guarantee No No

These two matchmaking services promise similar things. Both claim to let you outsource your love life to experts so that all you need to do is show up on dates.

They also each promise to improve in value over time, as your matchmaker will use your feedback from every date to guide the search for the next one.

However, each of these services suffers from the same downsides. First, you’ll need to put a lot of money down to start going on dates, with a minimal guarantee that you’ll like who you meet in the process.

Likewise, the pool of potential dates might be limited, depending on where you live. Unless you live in a big city or are willing to travel to one, there’s a decent chance that either matchmaking site is working with just a few hundred potential suitors.

If a large applicant pool is a significant concern for you, we suggest going the direction of It’s Just Lunch. This more-established matchmaking business is available in more US cities, which means you’ll likely have more prospects to consider.

The Bottom Line

It’s Just Lunch claims to offer a dating solution for busy urban professionals who want to find someone to spend their life with. Our research shows that this site seems to be a viable option for anyone looking to go in a different direction with their dating life—so long as you’re willing to pay for it.

While the service is more expensive than online dating, our research looking into the reviews left by hundreds of It’s Just Lunch members shows that customers who are seeking a personalized approach to their dating life often appreciate it.

Besides the initial phone interview, It’s Just Lunch clients report that they liked that they didn’t need to put any effort into finding matches or arranging their dates.

However, customer feedback also shows this service can be limiting. If you want to have some autonomy over the search and planning process of your dating life, you could experience frustration with It’s Just Lunches’ top-level management style.

If you live in a city and struggle to find the time to make meaningful connections with potential dates, then we think It’s Just Lunch might offer you an option for making connections with datable partners, without the initial effort of online dating.

Customer Reviews

3.3 Stars out of 101 Reviews
5 Star:43% 4 Star:15% 3 Star:4% 2 Star:0% 1 Star:35%
61% Recommend This Service
Start your review of It's Just Lunch:
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Posted on Mar 6, 2023

IJL is extremely disappointing

By Brittany A., Charleston, SC, Verified Reviewer

IJL is extremely disappointing — from poor communication and a frustrating process to an apparent inability to offer high-caliber matches. Either the coordinators don’t understand “sophisticated and worldly,” or their pool of people is too limited. In any case, several recommendations and 6+ months later, none have met the most basic of my requirements. Please, heed this warning and save your money and time.

Length of Use: 6–12 months

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

No “pros” were specified in this review

Inability to fulfill service promise

Poor communication

Frustrating process

Posted on Feb 16, 2023

IJWM — It's Just a Waste of Money

By Vivienne S., Boca Raton, FL, Verified Reviewer

Three months, zero dates. I was presented with quite a few toads, but decided to keep an open mind and say yes to all. No luck. Something is wrong here. Last week, I finally decided to join 3 dating websites, for the first time, and was deluged with compliments and offers to meet. MUCH better luck on a dating website. $3,400 wasted.

Length of Use: 3–6 months

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

No “pros” were specified in this review

Dishonesty

Lack of dedication to the client

Silence from my IJL Associate

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Feb 17, 2023

Vivienne, we are disappointed to hear you are not enjoying your experience as this is not the norm. The manager of your market will reach out to you to discuss your concerns further. Thank you!

Posted on Nov 19, 2022

Review of It's Just Lunch

By Karim N., Old Bridge, NJ, Verified Reviewer

My overall experience with It's Just Lunch has been pretty good so far. I am excited to meet that special someone by going out on dates and meeting people to see if we are compatible and what we want in terms of relationships.

Length of Use: Less than 3 months

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

Finding matches based on criteria

Setting up date time/location

Sharing pictures of potential matches

Need more matches per month

Need to contact match in case of emergency/cancellation

Need person standby if date on weekend

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Dec 1, 2022

We look forward to the same! Thank you for your review and happy dating!

Posted on Nov 16, 2022

Eugene is the best

By N V. , New York

I started working with Eugene last month and he has been amazing. He really prioritizes what you are looking for and helps so much.

Length of Use: 6–12 months

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

My new matchmaker Eugene

No “cons” were specified in this review

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Nov 18, 2022

We appreciate you taking the time to share your feedback and experience with your Matchmaker, thank you!

Posted on Nov 7, 2022

Elliot

By Regina B. , Dallas, TX

Elliot has been wonderful to work with and I would highly recommend him to a friend. He has made my experience personal and comfortable and I trust him with my feedback. He is a great person to work with and I look forward to continuing working together in the future.

Length of Use: Less than 3 months

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

Personable

Professional

Convenient

No “cons” were specified in this review

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Nov 7, 2022

We appreciate the great feedback on your matchmaker and the process. Thank you for being an IJL client!

Posted on Nov 2, 2022

Kenia

By Chris M., Los Angeles, CA, Verified Reviewer

Kenia is a great help in getting quality dates. She was involved and listened to my needs. Since she became my matchmaker my experience has been very enjoyable. I finally am dating the people I have wanted to in the Southern California area.

Length of Use: 1–2 years

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Nov 7, 2022

Thanks Chris! We enjoy working with you and look forward to more great feedback on your next IJL date!

Posted on Oct 29, 2022

The 4 stars are specifically for Tamia

By Lauren C., New York City, NY, Verified Reviewer

IJL is a terrible service I wish I never purchased. That being said, Tamia is truly working to fix my experience. She is my 3rd matchmaker after the first disappeared. She is very responsive.

I give IJL 1 star.

Length of Use: 3–6 months

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

No “pros” were specified in this review

I have to put a lot of effort to get a 3rd date rescheduled

In 5 months I've only had 3 matches out of 12

Eva K lied, and I cannot get out of the contract after the 3rd date if the service is not working for me

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Nov 2, 2022

We appreciate your feedback regarding the process and are happy you have been paired with Tamia. We thank you for your partnership in dating and for being an IJL client.

Posted on Oct 8, 2022

Horrible and fraudulent company - save your money!

By Lynda N., Alabama, Verified Reviewer

They will tell you whatever you want to hear to get you to sign up. Then thousands of dollars later when their guarantee has not been met, and you dare to complain, you will finally receive a phone call from a very condescending "manager" who will tell you how wonderful she AND her company are and maybe you should have read the fine print. Followed by, there is nothing we can do for you and have a nice day. Goodbye. If there were a way to take legal recourse I would; however, this "company" knows that after they take your money there is absolutely nothing you can do about it. Save your money!

Length of Use: 2+ years

Bottom Line: No, I would not recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

No “pros” were specified in this review

Cost too much with no results

Management is rude and has no concept of customer service

Matchmakers are out of touch and don't listen

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Oct 11, 2022

Lynda, we are sorry to hear you did not enjoy your experience dating with IJL. Our VP of Matchmaking did contact you to address your concerns and explain the membership in detail, and we regret to hear you are still not satisfied. We wish you all the best in your dating journey.

Helpful Review? 1 Person Has Voted

Posted on Oct 8, 2022

First date, so far so good.

By Fernando V., Long Beach, CA, Verified Reviewer

Kenia has sent me out on one good date. I'm brand new at this but I have to say that IJL delivered as advertised on that first date. It was fun, well planned, excellent venue, my date insisted on paying for 1/2 and that impressed me. Just like the company said. I hope to see this excellent, classy lady again next week.

Length of Use: 3–6 months

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

My date was high quality and compatible.

Kenia had a good feel for what I was looking for.

So far so good.

The follow-up was lacking. I waited six days then finally reached out myself.

I'd like to have more of a selection sooner.

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Oct 11, 2022

We are happy to hear you are enjoying your experience. Thank you for being an IJL client and happy dating!

Posted on Sep 11, 2022

Will D is great!

By Barry K., Virginia, Verified Reviewer

Will D. has been most helpful in arranging dates that please me and the woman I will get to know.

He answers my calls and addresses my concerns. Will has been a great help. It's Just Lunch and Will have been amazing.

Length of Use: 3–6 months

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

Fast

Honest

Fun

Not knowing

Waiting

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Sep 13, 2022

We love to hear this great feedback! Thank you so much!

Posted on Sep 8, 2022

It’s Just Lunch

By William A., Charlotte, NC, Verified Reviewer

Will D was on point with hours of my starting here. He is really good at what he does and totally got where I was coming from. I really recommend this avenue!

Bottom Line: Yes, I would recommend this to a friend

Pros and Cons

Promptness

Professionalism

Comfort level

No “cons” were specified in this review

Company Response from It's Just Lunch

Sep 13, 2022

We look forward to our continued partnership in dating, thank you for the great review!

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