It’s Just Lunch… Or Just a Franchise Scam?
February 8, 2007 by Sean Kelly
Filed under IT'S JUST LUNCH, xBuyer Beware
According to the It’s Just Lunch! website, It’s Just Lunch! is a dating service franchise that caters to busy professionals. They advertise heavily in business and airline magazines, touting their services in colorful two-page spreads with lots of pictures of young, attractive sales associates eager to help busy professionals find their Ms. or Mr. Right. Here’s how It’s Just Lunch! describes their service:
…We are a specialized dating service for busy professionals. We minimize stress and maximize efficiency by sending people on casual dates over lunch, brunch, or drinks after work. It’s Just Lunch is a fun proactive approach to your personal life. As first date specialists, we arrange quality lunch dates and drinks after work for busy professionals in a discreet, no-pressure setting. It’s Just Lunch started in 1991 and now has over 90 locations all over the world, with thousands of clients, and many wonderful success stories!
[Source: It's Just Lunch! website]
It’s Just Lunch! characterizes its franchise opportunity as “a white collar, attractive profession,” and a chance to be “a ‘celebrity’ in your own city.” Their website describes the franchise as a relatively low investment that boasts regular hours (Monday-Friday) in an office environment: “No late nights or weekends (unless you choose).”
If one believes the scathing editorial and bitter (alleged) testimonials on the self-described “independent Web-based consumer news and resource center” ConsumerAffairs.Com, the company might be more aptly named “It’s Just a Scam!” In addition to their overview article (It’s Just Lunch… Or Is It?), their alleged testimonials are so numerous they have to organize them in categories: Irate Men, Angry Women, Settled in Court, Emily’s Story, Sandra’s Log.
According to ConsumerAffairs.com, they tried to reach It’s Just Lunch! on numerous occasions for an interview or response. According to It’s Just Lunch CEO Daniel G. Dolan, both he and others at It’s Just Lunch have called and written to ConsumerAffairs.Com many times “in an attempt to correct the inaccurate and outdated complaints” but the company refused to respond. However, ConsumerAffairs.Com did post Dolan’s faxed response disputing the authenticity of the testimonials.
Other links to negative comments about It’s Just Lunch! suggest that if you are interested in investing in an It’s Just Lunch! franchise opportunity, you’d be wise to do extra homework and diligent research, and proceed with caution.
Also read:
Rip-off Report, 9/27/2006 1:21:22 PM: Its Just Lunch ripoff, fraudulent business practices, deceptive service offers Boise Idaho
Rip-off Report, 1/1/2006 2:18:13 PM: Its Just Lunch dating services Franchise ripoff poor customer service, rude receptionist Columbus Ohio *UPDATE ..Sent email to corportate…no response
HAVE YOU HAD ANY EXPERIENCE - GOOD OR BAD - WITH IT’S JUST LUNCH? DO YOU THINK IT’S A GOOD FRANCHISE OPPORTUNITY? Leave a comment… Share your opinion.
Investigate before investing. Visit FranBest.com.
Hi there,
I also had a terrible experience with IJL in Southern California. They promised me about 1 date a week, but it was more like 1 date every two or three months. Most of the women were terrible matches, and looked like they only wanted to be bought lunch or dinner.
In my opionion, this was a terrible disaster for me, and a good learning experience. I should have checked into it more before signing up.
I washed the money away, and will never go back for sure.
-Al
Well, Al, it could have been worse.
You could have used Hand-in-Hand for a mail-order bride.
Or worse, bought the Mail Order Bride Franchise
(We never did hear back from Joe Weiner…)
This has been a HORRIBLE experience—NO customer service—COMPLETELY incompatable dates–I want my $$$ back!!!!!
My question is… how much did the guys pay for the service? I paid $1500 for a year. After a few months I noticed that I was driving a substantial amount. I started asking the guys where they lived - and 100% of the time it was around the corner, whereas I was driving 30 minutes to an hour EACH WAY.
In addition to that, the guys they set me up with were absolutely not my type.
When I tried to cancel a date due to a schedule conflict, the “dating consultant” told me that I should just show up anyway. I call her back and left her a message that I would not be there. She called me the next day SHOCKED as to why I blew off this perfectly nice guy….
So, yes, customer service is horrible and it’s a big rip off in general. Match.com is cheaper!
After a small breakup with my boyfriend, I figured this would be a good way to meet nice, normal people. My justification for spending the $1200 was that one who is willing to spend that kind of money must be a professional because its a lot of $$$ to spend if you dont’ have a decent job. Well i went on the interview with a director we will call Sara. She kept jotting down what I liked/disliked and all the while kept saying, oh i know of 3 or 4 guys right off the bat for you. Well I was almost duped. I paid the $1200 but told her not to cash the check until the following Monday. Thank God i came to my senses because I realized this was a bunch of crap. I called ILJ and told them i don’t want to do this and that they need to rip my check up. Sara called me the next day and basically bullyied me into staying there. she very forcefully said, oh i have a dentist and he’s perfect for you, etc. I told her NO over and over and she wouldn’t give up. She finally did and i went on my merry way. I ended up looking online a week later to see if this company had any complaints against them and wow, i was surprised how many there were. Long story short, I felt so ill at ease with the way she bullyied me that i felt compelled to email my local ILJ under a disguised name and email address. I told them how Sara was so pushy and that the only reason she pushed was to get her commission and she could care less about me. Guess what, she called me hours later. How did she know it was me? because they have so few clients that of course she would know, even though it was a month later. I emailed back using my real address and told her to never contact me again. My advice is to really check on the background of this company in your city.
its me again. I bet $10,000 Sara from IJL will find this posting and call me again. Watch, they are like hawks there at IJL. I didn’t even use her real name or city i’m in and i guarantee she will call me. Its spooky how they find you.
I work at an Executive building of about 20 offices and businesses. Summer of 07 “its just lunch” took about 4 offices up. I saw them but the furniture in.. but never saw people going in or out. I heard the commercials and wondered why there wasn’t more people going there. Dec of 07 various men and women started showing up asking us if anyone worked in the its just lunch offices, they told us their stories about how they paid so and so amount of money and haven’t heard anything or received anything remotely close to what was originally promised. needless to say they abandoned the building, rent wasn’t paid and they were evicted.. they left all their furniture.. but not before the rep from tampa stopped in grabbed the files and ran out.
So if you ask me.. its a scam.
Learn intimate information regarding how It’s Just Lunch not only scams their customers, but how the Company scams franchisees out of hundreds of thousands of dollars. Learn how many families have lost everything they have while the Company claims it is solid and successful. Lawsuits in Manhattan, NY and California will shed light on how this Company operates.
I need the link for the California website FOR CLASS ACTION lawsuits, please, please, please! I was preyed upon and duped big time NO dates that matched my criteria and NO refund pursuant to the refund based on a PRO-RATED basis shown clearly in paragraph 3 of the contract for matches that meet the member’s criteria . . . I AM NOT AN ESCORT OR A HOOKER!!
this scam has now hit Australia, however they take the money and don’t set up any dates at all.
they pretend to have offices in states and don’t.
Where are all the franchisees now? Are there any left? A lawfirm in Manhattan has stated that there were over 100 franchisees at one point but now there are just a handful. They have stated that there are many bankruptcies and numerous franchisees both young and old have lost their entire life savings. Isnt there any government regulation that can stop this corruption? Are theystill selling franchises? Isnt this illegal? What about customers? Sorry state this country finds itself in. Rich get richer and hard working families get poorer. Sad sad.
I WORKED FOR IT’S jUST LUNCH AND ITS A TOTAL SHAM. DONT WASTE YOUR MONEY. CLIENTS HAVE NO CLUE WHAT REALLY GOES ON IN THAT OFFICE. IF THEY DID THEY WOULD ALL JOIN THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT AGAINST IT’S JUST LUNCH. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED CONTACT ATTORNEY JOHN NORISBERG AT 212-791-5396 AND ALSO CONTINUE TO PLACE THE TRUTHFUL NEGATIVE YOU HAVE TO http://www.consumeraffairs.com.
THEY ARE OVERSOLD AND UNDER DELEIVERED. THEY CLAIN THAT THEY DONT TAKE EVERYONE WELL YES THEY DO EVEN IF THERE ARE NO MATCHES FOR A CLIENT. THEN IT TAKES MONTHS TO EVEN GET A RESPONSE. tHEN IT TAKES MONTHS FOR THEM TO GET THEIR MONEY BACK…IF YOU GET IT BACK AT ALL.
THIS PLACE NEEDS TO BE SHUT DOWN FOR ALL THE DECEPTION THAT GOES ON IN THIS COMPANY. I HAVE JOINED THE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT SO I CAN HELP CLIENTS GET BACK WHAT IS RIGHTFULLY THEIRS.
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DISCUSS ANY ISSUES PLEASE FEEL FREE TO CONTACT ME.
TOTAL WASTE OF MONEY!! Terrible agency! They interviewed me in California and then moved to Florida! There is nothing personal at all about the “interview” and service. The men are picked completely at random and may not be at all what you said you liked. Much better to go online and weed out yourself. It cost me over $1200 for a year and they only set me up on four dates. Two of them were complete wackos, I’m serious. It’s not worth it at all and is a total scam. SAVE YOUR MONEY!
I joined in November 2008.
THE FIRST PROBLEM: I too was scammed by Pamela of It’s Just Lunch in Columbus, Ohio. She sold me with her promise to find these wonderful professional men looking for the same things I wanted in life. She said the money I paid would return to me with glorious dates beyond the first meeting. She had men just waiting to spend money and time with the right women. blah blah blah . . . After a few dates, I found that she must not have heard what I was saying during our interview - must have had me totally confused… I only met with a few professional men who never made the second date. I went to the restaraunt a few times, only to have no one show up. A busy mother of three daughters under 15, I could not afford to go to a no show date three times.
THE REAL PROBLEM:
In February 2009, I was diagnosed with Brain Cancer. My statistics are not good. I contacted Pamela to discontinue my service because according to the signed contract, I have a pretty solid MEDICAL reason not to think about dating anymore. I am fighting for my LIFE from this point forward. I am bald and undergoing radiation and chemotherapy. Wouldn’t that stop YOU from dating? Apparently Pamela thinks she has a few good men for me because she refuses to return my phone calls and to consider refunding part of my money…even though the contract states my reason is fair and just. Her office staff has returned a few calls only to state that it is up to the COPRPORATE OFFICE to return my money… Hmmm I wonder if THEY will return my phone calls. Not yet!
If this doesn’t stop you from considering the opportunity to be shmoooozzed by the company, then I don’t know what else will.
DON’T DO IT.
It’s definitely a scam. Their customer service is the worst I have ever experienced. They refuse to listen and make inane arguments such as “just because you’re meeting at 7:30 at a restaurant doesn’t mean it’s a dinner date.” They also refuse to return phone calls or answer messages, and twice they transferred me right to the person I specifically said I did NOT want to speak to (because I was calling to complain about that person). Cherisse in the corporate office was the worst. She would not let me get a word in edgewise, talked over me the whole time, and interrupted constantly. She refused to let me speak to her manager or supervisor. Tell every single person you know NEVER to use this service, they are obscenely overpriced and completely rude to their customers.
SCAM SCAM SCAM!!!! This company is terrible and should be closed down immediately!! What a rip off. They did not listen at all to what i was looking for and set me up with men who were WAY too old for me, one lied about his age, height and other things and then forced himself upon me while i was trying to get into my car after I told him I didn’t want another date. What sort of screening process do they do here?!?!?!? I don’t think they even have one. Terrible terrible company and horrible staff!
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. Pretty extreme, but you can take it however you want. When I first began 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. I wanted to let you know that I wasn’t the only one. 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.
So, in conclusion, if you are considering this service, take my advice and don’t waste your money. 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.