Updated October 2026 ยท Written by The Dinner Table Club. Details about the apps come from the sources at the end; check each one for current pricing.
Which apps help you meet people over dinner?
The apps people use to meet strangers over dinner are Meetup, Timeleft, 222 and Bumble BFF. But you do not need an app to do it. The Dinner Table Club is a hosted dinner party for 10 to 20 strangers at a partner restaurant in New York, DC, Los Angeles or Miami, booked on the website like any ticketed event, with the multi-course meal included and a host who does the introductions.
What the apps do
- Meetup: Organizers run interest groups and events, and some run dinners. Free to join groups; no matching and no meal from the platform.
- Timeleft: Matches strangers by algorithm into a table of 4 to 6 at a restaurant it picks. You pay for your own food and drinks at the venue.
- 222: An iOS app that groups strangers by questionnaire for outings at partner venues, about six at dinners.
- Bumble BFF: Free friend matching, one on one or in interest groups. You plan the dinner yourself.
Each one helps you find people. Most then leave the dinner itself to you, or to a small table nobody is running.
How it works without an app
- Pick your city and a dinner on the calendar. You see the restaurant, date, time and price before you book.
- Buy a ticket for that night on the event page. No app, no profile, no membership.
- Show up, alone or with a friend. Most guests come solo.
- A host welcomes you, runs the night and moves the table: guests switch seats between courses, so you meet most of the 10 to 20 people there.
Most dinners cost $80 to $135 per person, with the multi-course meal included. See the dinners in New York, DC, Los Angeles and Miami.
App or no app: which fits you?
- Go without an app if you want dinner included, a full table rather than three to five people, and a host who makes sure you meet the room.
- Use Meetup or Bumble BFF if you want a free way to find people through a shared interest, and you are happy to plan the meal.
- Use Timeleft or 222 if you like being matched by an algorithm into a small group.
Related
- Timeleft alternatives, compared
- The Dinner Table Club vs Timeleft, 222, Closer, Meetup and Bumble BFF
Sources
- Timeleft, FAQ on timeleft.com (food and drinks paid at the venue; matching on age range, personality and language; tables of 4 to 6), accessed October 2026.
- TechCrunch, April 2026 (Timeleft algorithmic matching and conversation game; 222 personality-based groups and pricing).
- SF Gazetteer (222 questionnaire, six-person dinners, per-event fee or subscription).
- Closer, homepage (member-hosted dinners, 8 to 25 guests, annual platform fee, listed seat prices), accessed October 2026.
- Meetup Help Center (members join groups and RSVP for free; Meetup+ adds premium features; ticketed events carry a service fee paid by attendees, not organizers), accessed October 2026.
- Fast Company, September 2025 (BFF launched as a stand-alone app, replacing Bumble For Friends in the United States) and Yahoo Finance, September 2025 (groups from small circles to thousands of members, in-app calendar). BFF App Store listing (free, photo verification, member-hosted events), accessed October 2026.