It's Just Lunch - Irate Men

N of Chicago, IL June 11, 2009

I wanted to let everyone know about this dating service that I recently was a part of and why NOT to sign up for it. I signed up for the year membership which costs 1, 800. I decided this would be a good investment into my future to find a wonderful woman to spend the rest of my life with. The dating world is not easy here in Chicago and the typical "bar" women are far from the best. So this was another option other than the online dating scene. Anyway, throughout the year membership I went on over 25 dates with different women, so I feel I am experienced on how this works. IJL leads you to believe that they have the perfect matches for you, which they don't! They call and tell you about the new match: What they like to do, their looks, their activities, their travels, etc. After hearing basically the same description for each woman, I eventually told them to not waste their time in telling me about the details. Every one sounded fantastic, until you went out on the date! Out of these 25+ dates, I would say that only 2 were good looking. Only a few (6) could hold a conversation, and many had completely different views/likes etc. and weren't even close to a match.

It is very frustrating to go through that many dates throughout the year and not find 1 woman that I would like to date. This service had no idea of what I was looking for, after several conversations stating what I was in search of. They only meet with you once and somehow they "know" you. You have to explain your likes/dislikes over the phone to someone you have never met. Supposedly, there are a group of people who sit in a room and go over all the different profiles to match you up. I think they just grab the closest match and that's who you will be meeting.

There was never a good match and then after complaining several times, IJL had the nerve to ask me to sign up for another year! Crazy! I haven't even spoken to the woman who interviewed me initially (Since I signed up). You would think that she, being the one who "knows" you, would do her best to advise or help in any way possible. She explained that she knew exactly what I was looking for, and I believed her. Unreal.

IJL doesn't even show you a picture of the person you are about to go on a date with. If they did that, it would have saved the woman and I a bunch of time. There were very few good looking women, and the ones that were good looking, couldn't hold a conversation or didn't have the same likes/dislikes as I. And I'm sure that everything is vice versa as well...if I wasn't the woman's type, it would have saved her time/money. Several dates (10) that I went on said they hated the service as well and they weren't listening to what they wanted. Some tried to cancel the membership, but IJL wouldn't let them. Throughout the 25+ dates, there wasn't 1 compliment about IJL. Only complaints. Anyway, to make a long story short: IJL DOESN'T LISTEN TO YOUR NEEDS IJL DOESN'T ADVISE YOU ON DATING, OR HELP WITH MATCHING IJL DOESN'T MATCH YOU WITH PEOPLE THAT YOU CAN RELATE TO IJL DOESN'T MATCH YOU WITH GOOD LOOKING PEOPLE IJL ISN'T ANY BETTER THAN ONLINE DATING, WHICH IS MUCH CHEAPER IJL DOESN'T FULFILL...SIMPLE. IJL has been more of an annoyance than anything else. No one seems to know what they are talking about and they are just reading profiles. you could do that online for much less than 1800 + all the food and drinks that you have to spend when you go on these dates. Back to the real dating world...in fact, already have 2 dates lined up WITHOUT the service! Good luck.

Brian of Cleveland, OH June 23, 2009

Its just LUnch[ IJL] is a dating service that arranges personalized dates for its clients based on preferences. They make you sign a contract for about 1600.00 guaranteeing at least 14 dates over 12 months period After posting or complaining about IJL here on this website, they did call me. Stacey from one of there offices called me and we did talk about the past dates I went on. Stacey was very nice and it’s trying to resolve the issue here. They did fix me up with another date, her name was Micki, she was 49, we meet one Sunday night, we seem to hit it off, but , as you know it drama., stuck it’s head out again, she gave me her number to call, told me to call her anytime, but she never called back. Why, she gave me her number to beging with? God only knows why?

I am waiting on another match, from IJL, I havan’t hear back from them yet, it’s been over a week now, for another match? Micki was match #19 ., I am waiting to see if they will extend, my membership for all the dates they sent me on , that were not my preference?

I hope by writing this someone will learn from mine and other’s experiences about all dating services, not just IJL , they are out to make money, they are a business, just like any other. The dating service business is a tuff business to be in, the most challenging I think to be in. Sometimes, it just can’t be fixed, if the right person you’re suppost to meet is not a member.

brian of Cleveland, OH May 26, 2009

Its just LUnch[ IJL] is a dating service that arranges personalized dates for its clients based on preferences. They make you sign a contract for about 1600.00 guaranteeing at least 14 dates over 12 months period. I am very upset with the Cleveland, Ohio office, I meet with Cathy B, there director at that location, when I signed up back Aug of 2007, we meet, face to face one evening during the week, she asked, me what type of ladies would you like to meet and I told her, slender ladies, in the age range of 35 – 49 years old and they not to live too far from me, that’s about it, well., I guess, I was talking to the wall, the very first 4 dates , they all were all over weight ladies, but nice.

I reported back to the girls at IJL, and I told them, that I wanted to speak with Cathy, we did talk and I told her about the weight issue, and to be more careful next time, she agreed too. I did meet a few more, just a few of the 16 ladies that , I meet were slender, about 4 maybe., she set me up with this woman, named Denise, that claimed to be 49,, LOL. She was much older then that maybe 56 or 57 and she was very much over weight as well, we did have a second date, the second , well she WAS very boring.. nothing in common, I called IJL and told them, please watch the weight, Denise was date 13 or 14, lost count, I was very upset with IJL at this point, very much so, so they fixed me up with this Jill , when we meet that one Sunday night, well, I had to take a breath, or

I was going to faint onto floor, in walks this red head, 5’5” tall, very much over weight, I was shock, that IJL would even take her on as a client . Cathy told me that, IJL does not take on clients like that, just the fact, that it would be hard to fix someone up with a weight problem.

By this time, I WAS SO SO UPSET WITH IJL, THAT I WROTE AND called again, how you just don’t listen to me! I paid 1600.00 to be fixed up, with slender women. I was on the phone with one of the girls for about one hour, explaining “DON’T YOU UNDERSTAND” I do not want to be fixed up with overweight women! They finally listen. They set me up with 3 more ladies, that were slender, but was not interested in dating., finally, they set me up with this post office lady, she was 31, a bit young for me, I am 45 years old, but I meet with her anyhow, she was very slender and nice, we had a great time, for the hour we were together, she gave me her number and email address and agreed to a second date..LOL , well, that’s what I thought., We were to see each other later that week, for a second date, well? She write me a day later, saying she just join IJL and wanted to date a few more guys and not ready to get close to anyone right now and she went on to say, that she need to talk to Cathy about going out with me on a second date.., she is 31 years old. From that point on , I knew this service was a Joke and I was not going to get anywhere with this service at all. I wrote Cathy telling her again, what kind of service are you running here, that someone needs to get a okay from you to go on a second date.LOL

I can go on and on about IJL, but I won’t, myself, I took every date that I went on serious, that’s why I join IJL, to meet someone special not to be friends. I always showed up early, with flowers for my dates, everyone of them, received, them to show them, I am interested in meeting someone nice and special, I always had a positive attitude when I meet with my dates, at all times, I even paid for their dinners, just to be nice, and hoping to meet someone., I was always dress to impress, clean shirt and pants, well groomed and nice cologne on

GAGAN of NEW YORK, NY May 16, 2009

Its just LUnch[ IJL] is a dating service that arranges personalized dates for its clients based on preferences. THey make you sign a contract for 1000 guaranteeing at least 6 dates over 6 months. After the initial 2 dates, NONE of whom were matched as per my requests and preferences, I never heard from them again. I called at least 5 times to their office number, reached the Voicemail EACH time and never got a reply anytime to ANY of my messages. I was never contacted for the remainder of my dates in my contract and never heard from them again despite my numerous attempts at contact.

I have also had to report them to the FTC for unfair consumer practices. They are the worst, most unscruplous and disastrous dating services that has EVER existed. Please Please spread the word around so that they never have the guts to propogate their scam business EVER again

Rakesh of Seattle, WA March 16, 2009

After my last posting, It's Just Lunch set up another date for me. However, shortly before the date, they discovered my posting, and their response was sadly consistent with their other behavior. First, the director called me, told me that they were going to cancel my date and put my membership on hold while they resolved the situation. She went on to blame me for the situation; she claimed that she was very solution oriented, and that I should have left her a voice message. She continued that rant even after I told her that her staff had hung up on me when I started expressing my frustration, which was one of the things that pushed me over the edge far enough to demand a refund.

I don't think that anyone will be surprised to learn that since then I have gotten no response from them. I will attempt to contact their corporate offices this week, but I can't say that I expect much; their behavior up to now doesn't provide much reason for optimism; if they either improve their service to the point where it offers some value, or give me a refund, I'll post to that effect here, but don't be surprised if my next posting indicates further dissatisfaction.

1800 for services that they failed to provide.

Mark of Stillwater, NY March 14, 2009

they failed to provide the service will not give me a refund

Rakesh of Seattle, WA January 23, 2009

I went to meet with these folks in the hopes of meeting some quality women. The idea sounds good; they claim that they arrange dates based on your preferences, and as you provide feedback they improve the quality of the matches. So I joined, thinking it might help me to meet some quality single women around here but no such luck. Even though I told them up front that I dislike Indians, the first person that they introduced me to was an Indian with no interests or hobbies, which was also against my preferences.

They took their own sweet time arranging matches; they claim that the number of dates that they arrange is limited by your availability, but it's usually two or three weeks before I hear from them, which gives the lie to that statement. They arranged matches with mostly African women, which is fine, except that none were at all attractive to me, and it wasn't hard to see that most of them weren't interested. One I am friends with, and all of them had low opinions of the service and quality of the matches. After being introduced to another Indian, I reminded them that I don't like Indians, and they asked me what I do like. I told them that I like European women so they proceeded to match me with an overweight African, not even close. She was clearly not interested, and our conversation mostly revolved around how poor the service was.

I'm a software engineer, so I have a pretty stable career. I'm also in good shape; in addition to doing a lot of hiking, I also teach martial arts in my spare time. Of the women that I've dated over the years, most of them made the first move (all of those were attractive women), so clearly I'm not the one at fault here. I don't have any problems meeting women, the problem for me has been single women... but the its just lunch folks are clearly not interested in helping me find women that I'm interested in, though it' shard to determine whether it's due to incompetence or a simple lack of cilentele.

The last woman I met believes that they they have the clientele but are terrible at matching. It's been over two weeks now since I gave them my feedback, and I haven't received any further calls, which given the price of their service and the poor matching is simply unacceptable.

1800 for non-delivery of services.

Robert of San Antonio, TX January 13, 2009

It's Just Lunch has ruined my life, shattered my dreams, and destroyed my self-confidence. I will never be the same again when it comes to dating. In the interview process I was humiliated with comments that were made about my long hair which is quite fashionable in this day and age. Then came the string of dates where I allege that the women were paid off. I had about twelve dates and only one of those dates I received a callback. I am handsome and personable and have many friends. I also have a respectable job as a tax lawyer and have a decent income, owning my own house. It just didn't add up when the girl would have an enjoyable time on the date and then there was nothing after that.

I started to smell an onion and reached this website and saw that many other men were experiencing the exact same thing that I did. In addition, whenever I voiced an opinion sbout the characteristics of the woman I wanted to date, I was rudely shut up and told that I was being unreasonable and was stereotyping people. If I told them that I would prefer to not date attorneys, it would fall on deaf ears and I would have to argue them down. They would refuse to listen. Whatever happened to the customer is always right? They would inflict certain dates upon me when I would know that person's characteristics I would not like.

I have a call into the manager. I'm demanding all of my money back. They even threatened to cancel my membership and actually did when my cellphone malfunctioned and I was out of touch with them for three days. They claimed to have told me about this three day policy where they could cancel your contract if they did not hear from you for three days. Isn't that ridiculous? I paid 1500 for this membership and how do they think they have the right to cancel on you if they do not hear from you within three days. I was never told about this policy and never received anything in writing about it.

Whatever you do, do not throw your hard earned money into this service. Not only are the economic damages severe, they are only a pale comparison to what you will go through emotionally. I don't ever think I will be the same around women again. I used to be a confident and secure man and I'm just absolutely shattered.

I basically lost 1500 and any sort of self-respect or self-dignity that I had.

Michael of Plano, TX January 11, 2009

I was told during the interview that they had plenty of women that met my criteria. The woman even said she was thinking of a blonde woman with green eyes that would be perfect for me. I never met any women that met my criteria or that supposed blonde woman. They always tried to make me feel guilty for having any standards. They IJL people acted like they were suprised when I was not happy and that the person did not meet my same criteria. I asked the last person I spoke with if she had seen the picture of the woman they set me up with and she said she had not. I asked her to look at her picture then bring that person back into their office and see if they matched petite. That was never done. The date they set me up on the woman was about 200 lbs and that is definately not petite.

They charged me 1,700. I spent 7 different days driving to, paying for lunch at restaurants they are getting kick backs from. So I wasted money for gas, food, and time I could have been working to make money to meet overweight ugly women that usually had kids.

Robert of Atlanta, GA November 20, 2008

I signed up for this service in July of 2008. I was optimistic but the first date they sent me on was a complete mismatch and they lied about her job (not an excecutive), appearance and hobbies. When I called to complain and give feedback, I left 7 messages at the Atlanta local office and the main corporate office.

Nobody returned my calls for 3 weeks so I tried to get a refund via credit card. The company fought the credit card agency and won, claiming that my contract didn't allow me to cancel after 3 days!

I was finally notified in late October that they would like to work with me again. I laughed and asked how I could possibly trust them again. I demanded a refund. I posted a complaint on the BBB website. The next day someone from corporate HQ called me and tried to convince me to try again. I demanded a refund and told them I had hired an attorney. They gave me ANOTHER corporate number (Claire) in charge of refunds but she has not returned my phone call in 3 days!

They really never provided me with any level of service and still won't return my money. I don't even know if they still have an Atlanta database in this economy! They don't return phone calls, always give excuses. I think the company is dishonest and should be investigated.

I paid 2100 in July and they haven't provided me with any service.

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