Co-lunching has mass appeal

An online register, which invites everyone from students to stay-at-home mums to meet and eat in mass social meals, has launched in Melbourne.

Colunching.com.au, dubbed the first in-person global social networking brand, vows to refresh workers’ social lives with “new, interesting people”.

The initiative launched in Paris earlier this year, attracting almost 10,000 members, with a secondary club in New York.

Rachel Bajada, community member of the site’s Australian events, says eating with strangers has its benefits.

“People join the co-lunches on their lunch break because they want to change something in their daily work environment and are a bit fed up with their industry peers,” Bajada says.

“We all work longer and longer office hours now and it leaves less time to meet new, interesting people.”

The concept isn’t limited to Melbourne – Sydney and Brisbane have also held co-lunches.

As people become increasingly time-poor, perhaps there are other ways to help facilitate new friendships. Can you think of any?