You may remember that not too long ago I embarked on a journey into the online dating world. I had mixed results, to say the least. However, I picked myself up, dusted off the creepers and decided to keep at it. Hey, free dinners, right? (Kidding... but not totally.) Weaving my way through online dating services, I came upon Grouper Social Club. 

Grouper? Social Club? Sounds like a whole bunch of malarky, I know but stay with me. Here's the deal: Grouper is kind of like a twist on the double date. It's a group date with three ladies and three gentlemen. You sign up for Grouper with your Facebook account and with that information, they find a suitable match for you. On your Facebook page, they look at your job, your likes and recent photos to see what your interests are. Once they've found you a great guy, they let you know and set up a date for you. You invite two of your friends to be your 'wing women' and your date will invite two of his friends to be his 'wing men'. It's a social club, which means that they focus primarily on introducing you to new friends but after you meet, well, you take it from there. 

Grouper is $20 a person, per date. They set you up with a location and email you a date and time. It's usually a bar/lounge, they make a reservation for you and the first round is on them. At the moment, it is available in the U.S. and Toronto. 

We had a chance to speak to Michael Waxman, Grouper's CEO and he answered a few of our questions about Grouper:

 
How did the idea for Grouper come about?  

"After moving to New York in 2011, I was newly single and was looking for a fun new way to meet people that wasn't some lame online dating site or networking event. A week later, I invited two of my groups of friends that didn't know each other to meet up, and the first version of Grouper was born."  

Who would you say is Grouper's demographic? Who does it appeal to?  

"Because our members go on Groupers for many reasons, the concept appeals to a variety of people.  I'd say our average member is a young professional, mid-20's, college-educated from a top-50 university, social and decently outgoing. And because we're not a dating site, you don't have to be single to go on Groupers --- and going to support your friend as a wingman is totally fine. A huge portion of our members have never used a dating site, for instance."

Is there a reason behind the magic number of 6 in a group?  

"We've found six to be the magic number. 2-on-2 is too intimate, 4-on-4 is too much of a crowd and not everyone can talk to each other, but 3-on-3 is the perfect balance." 

What is it about the service that has made it so successful thus far?  

"Grouper is unlike any other meet-up or dating site because it's basically a better alternative to your average night out.  Our members go on Groupers for a variety of reasons - to make new friends, expand their social circles, find boyfriends/girlfriends, or maybe hook up - and the Grouper setting is good for all those things. Worse case is that you're a round of drinks in, out with your buddies, and have a great story to share, and best case - sky's the limit."

Obviously, when I heard about Grouper, my interest was piqued. At the time, it was only available in the U.S. but I decided to sign up on a whim, what could it hurt? A few weeks after signing up, I was accepted and I had a date set up. When I received my first email from Grouper, my most immediate reaction was, 'I was not emotionally prepared for this'. I've mentioned this before but for some reason, dates are the most nerve wracking thing in the world for me. More than public speaking or job interviews. I need time to just accept the idea that I will be going on a date in the near future. So, yes, I was terrified. 

My first Grouper was subdued but the conversation flowed pretty well and the guys were over all pleasant people. Not my type exactly, but fun people to meet. My second Grouper (yup, I braved another), was a lot more lively and I found the guys really interesting. I would recommend Grouper to any of my friends. With Valentine's Day on the horizon, I am sure many people are contemplating injecting some fun into their dating lives, so let me give you a few experienced Grouper insights: 

Tip #1: Choose your wing women carefully. This is probably one of the most important tips I can give you. The wrong combo of friends can make for an awkward evening. Choose a mix of personalities and choose people who are easy going and talkative but who want to support you, not take away the spotlight. 

Tip #2: Drink responsibly. Alright, here's a confession: I was going on a date with this guy and I was petrified and I didn't want any awkward silences so I drank....everything. Three mixed drinks and two beers later (okay, three), I was having an amazing time but because my judgement was clouded, I missed a lot of red flags about this potential mate. Keep your head in the game and have fun (just not too much). 

Tip #3: Don't raise your expectations. Don't go in looking for a soul mate, instead go in looking for good conversation. 

The bottom line is: it's just a fun time. You meet new people in a low pressure environment and there are drinks involved (always a win!). 

What do you think of Grouper? Would you ever try something like this?