It's Just Lunch Reviews: Cost & Success Rate

At VIDA Select, we've been in the matchmaking industry since 2009. Our team has:

• Reviewed over 200 matchmaking services & dating platforms
• Helped more than 11,000 clients find lasting relationships
• 15+ years of hands-on matchmaking industry experience
• Analyzed hundreds of real client reviews across Trustpilot, Yelp, BBB, and Reddit
• Gathered firsthand accounts from clients who came to VIDA Select after trying It's Just Lunch.

This review is based on comprehensive research, including analysis of 7,000+ IJL reviews, industry knowledge, and feedback from clients who hired VIDA after using It's Just Lunch's services. We aim to provide you with an honest, balanced assessment to help you find the right matchmaking service for you.

Disclaimer: This guide was researched and written by VIDA Select's editorial team to help singles find the service that best fits their needs and goals. As a matchmaking service ourselves, we bring a unique industry perspective. Our insights come from 17+ years of matchmaking experience, writing 200+ matchmaking service reviews, analyzing public information and reviews on reputable platforms, and feedback from clients who used other services before hiring VIDA. While this guide is updated regularly, it may not reflect current pricing for all services.

Matchmaking packages range from $1,000 to over $5,000, with the price tag depending on factors like what city/cities you want to date in, how many matches you want to meet, and how strict your matching criteria are.

Here's how It's Just Lunch pricing compares to other popular matchmaking services.

It's Just Lunch Price Comparison

Insider Tip: Before signing any matchmaking contract, ask how many potential matches exist in your area that fit your criteria. The best matchmaking services will give you an honest assessment upfront. If they can't (or won't) answer this question directly, that could be a red flag.

It's Just Lunch (IJL) first started matching clients over 25 years ago in Chicago. Since then, franchises have opened in over 120 cities around the US, including Atlanta, Austin, Boca Raton, Boston, Charleston, Dallas, Denver, Detroit, Fort Worth, Hartford, Honolulu, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis, NYC, Philadelphia, Phoenix, San Diego, San Francisco, Scottsdale, Tucson, and Washington DC.

The matchmaking giant also has an international presence, with offices in the UK, Ireland, Singapore, Toronto, Alberta, British Columbia, and Australia.

⚠️ Important: Because It's Just Lunch operates as a franchise, your experience will depend entirely on your local branch. Google ratings range from 1.2 stars (Uniondale, NY) to 4.4 stars (Minneapolis). Always research your specific location's reviews before signing up.

It's Just Lunch Ratings By Location

IJL's process starts with an initial phone interview with your matchmaker. You'll be asked basic questions about what's worked (and what hasn't) in past relationships, and why you chose this particular time in your life to work with a matchmaker.

It's important to put some thought into your relationship desires and goals before the consultation. Deciding whether or not IJL can meet your needs is easier to do when you're crystal clear on what you're looking for from a matchmaking service.

The IJL Process: Step by Step

All members are guaranteed matches, and IJL matchmakers will tell you that clients get a new introduction every few weeks, on average. The exact quantity and quality of introductions you'll receive depends primarily on how many members they have available that meet your specific match criteria and vice versa.

However, many reviewers have noted on sites like Yelp and Reddit that IJL sets up dates with matches who don't meet the criteria established prior to purchasing a package.

⚠️ About That $64.75M Lawsuit: In New York, It's Just Lunch was the subject of a consumer fraud class action lawsuit for charging clients for "personalized" matching services and then disregarding the clients' match criteria. The It's Just Lunch lawsuit settled for $64.75 million. A second lawsuit in 2021 alleged a "massive scheme to defraud tens of thousands of single professionals" through quota-driven matching rather than actual compatibility.

The best matchmaking services will give you an idea of how many potential matches there are in your general area, and whether or not you can expect more than one date per month based on your criteria. It wouldn't be a bad idea to discuss this with the matchmaker before signing up for It's Just Lunch or a similar service.

Over the years, It's Just Lunch has faced significant scrutiny from clients. As of 2026, the company has been the defendant in at least 2 class-action lawsuits, an EEOC lawsuit, and has numerous BBB complaints.

Lawsuits Against It's Just Lunch

Common BBB Complaint Patterns

It's Just Lunch has received mutliple BBB complaints in the last 3 years, with only a handful resolved in the past 12 months. The most common complaint patterns include:

• Ignored matching criteria — Being matched with people who don't fit stated preferences (age, distance, values, lifestyle)
• Poor post-sale communication — Matchmakers who stop responding after the initial payment is made
• High-pressure sales tactics — Aggressive upselling during the consultation process
• Refund difficulties — Contracts that make getting money back nearly impossible, even when services aren't delivered
• Matchmaker turnover — Being passed between multiple matchmakers with no continuity

While online service reviews are a great place to start your research, keep in mind that your experience may vary depending on which It’s Just Lunch location you sign up with.

Review Ratings At A Glance

It’s Just Lunch Google Reviews

Because It's Just Lunch operates as a franchise, Google ratings vary wildly by location. The Minneapolis branch leads with 4.4 stars from 390+ reviews, with clients reporting mostly positive experiences both with the matchmaking team and the matches they met.

The Chicago branch holds 4.2 stars on Google, with most reviews being positive. But the Uniondale, New York location tells a very different story — a dismal 1.4 star rating based on 30+ reviews, with common complaints including high cost, poor customer service, and basic matchmaking requirements seemingly being ignored.

It’s Just Lunch Reddit Reviews

There are multiple Reddit threads devoted to It's Just Lunch, with most former clients reporting a negative experience. The most common themes across Reddit discussions include:

• Meeting incompatible matches. As one Redditor explained, “After paying $3 000, they have NO inventory of people and they pushed men on me that I did not like.”
• Poor customer service. One former client described it as the “worst customer service of my life.” “They lie constantly, most of the employees are like con artists.They changed dating coordinators on me constantly without notifying me. They matched me up with people that were not what I asked for, without notifying me of these matches so my account would look busy.”
• High pressure sales tactics. This Redditor didn’t end up becoming a client, but was not impressed with the consultation experience. “I contacted them to talk about the service and wasted hours in what turned out to be a manipulative sales pitch. After saying no, I don’t want to sign up, I got endless phone calls about some “great potential matches” for me. Prepare yourself for a hard sell.”

It’s Just Lunch Trustpilot Reviews

On Trustpilot, It’s Just Lunch as an overall service has 3.2 stars based on 660+ reviews. IJL responds to 85% of negative reviews, a sign they're at least monitoring their reputation.

Client sentiments ranged from “Good first match attempt” and “Listening to detail and delivering” to “Buyer beware - disappointing experience and poor value.”

Praise for It’s Just Lunch included:

• Matchmakers who were good listeners
• Meeting compatible matches
• Date arrangements being made for you 

On the flip side of the coin, common client complaints included:

• Lack of customer service after paying for a package
• Matchmaking criteria that was ignored, leading to bad first dates
• Having to work with a succession of matchmakers rather than having a dedicated point of contact

It's Just Lunch Yelp Reviews

As on Google, Yelp has multiple entries for the different It's Just Lunch branches. The star ratings range from 1.2 to 2.9, depending on which location you're looking at. While some clients reported meeting acceptable matches, others said their experience was deeply negative.

IJL complaints on Yelp included:

• High pressure sales tactics
• Poor communication & a lack of customer service
• Meeting people who didn’t match the specified criteria

It's Just Lunch BBB Reviews

It's Just Lunch also has multiple listings with the BBB, with ratings ranging from 1 to 4 stars. Many reviews are negative, with customers citing a lack of customer service, lack of compatible matches, and a lack of transparency in the process.

It's Just Lunch Consumer Affairs Reviews

Consumer Affairs gives It's Just Lunch a 3.7/5 star rating based on 7,000+ reviews. The most positive reviews appreciate the attention received from matchmakers and the convenience of the done-for-you date planning.

✅ Pros

• Affordable entry point ($1,000+) vs. premium matchmakers
• 120+ cities offers wide geographic coverage
• All members are paying clients
• Dates fully planned and coordinated for you
• Can pause membership if you start seeing someone
• Two free dating coaching sessions included
• 30+ year track record

❌ Cons

• Franchise model means wildly inconsistent quality across locations
• Blind date format with no photo preview before dates for most clients
• $64.75M class action + multiple lawsuits raise concerns
• High-pressure sales tactics reported across multiple platforms
• Matching criteria frequently ignored per reviews
• Refund policies vary by franchise and are often restrictive

It’s Just Lunch has been around for a long time, which gives them some street cred. But as you can see from the online reviews, the quality of individual franchises seems to vary drastically.

You’ll also need to ask yourself how you feel about not seeing photos of your matches beforehand. Some people enjoy going on a blind date adventure. After all, you may have a ton in common with your match - and sometimes it’s thrilling to see if the odds play in your favor. If you’re into rolling the dice, you’ll probably enjoy the It’s Just Lunch experience.

If you prefer to be more in control of who you choose to spend your time with, and you don’t enjoy investing time and money on yet another blind date that fizzles before the drinks even arrive, you may want to also consider a more modern approach.

The matchmakers at VIDA Select understand that looks matter when it comes to your ideal partner, so we take a very different approach.

If you’re ready to say goodbye to blind dates and only meet people you’re actually interested in, you’re going to love this part. Our matchmakers will show you each match’s complete profile, including photos, and let you decide who you want to meet.

That means no more disappointing blind dates with people you normally wouldn’t even look twice at on the street.

Instead, you’ll spend just a few minutes choosing interesting singles from a list of matches curated with your specific criteria in mind.

You’re in control of every step in the process, from how many dates you want to go on to which matches you want to meet. You’re investing time and money, so wouldn’t you rather be in the driver’s seat?

It all starts with a quick 20-minute phone consultation with one of our matchmakers. Just a quick, low-key discussion to find out if we’re the right solution to find your ideal partner. Take the next step today… and schedule your complimentary phone consultation!