FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

What is The Single Gourmet?
The Single Gourmet is a social club founded in 1982 for New York City area residents who appreciate fine dining. Each year The Single Gourmet organizes over 50 dinners at upscale restaurants in NYC (an average of one per week), as well as domestic and international group travel featuring 4 & 5 star hotels and fine dining (4-6 trips per year). While the word “Single” is in our name, we are not a dating website; the purpose is to make new friends, meet interesting people, and try new restaurants.

How much does membership in The Single Gourmet cost?

Membership in The Single Gourmet is $119 per year with a one-time sign-up fee of $39, and a trial period of 60 days, during which time you may attend as many dinners as you wish.

The day you sign up, you will be charged a non-refundable sign-up fee of $39.

60 days later, and every 12 months going forward, you will be charged an annual membership fee of $119.

The price of each dinner ranges from $89 and up for a 3-course meal with a glass of wine and a cup of coffee or tea, and all prices include tax & tip.

Within 60 days of signing up, if you decide that The Single Gourmet is not for you (but we think that you will), your membership will be canceled, with no further charges and no questions asked (well, we might send a survey asking why you decided cancel, but that’s it, we promise).

You can cancel by logging into this website and accessing your account page, or by calling us (please go to our contact page for our phone number). If you call, we will cancel, no questions asked (except maybe why you’re canceling so that we can improve our service).

Please do not cancel via email. We are not trying to make it difficult to cancel — there is simply too much of a chance of your email requesting cancellation not reaching us, and the cancellation not being processed.

Can I attend an event before I join?

The Single Gourmet organizes dinner events at upscale restaurants exclusively for its members.

To attend your first event, we ask that you take advantage of the 60-day trial membership for just $39, secure in the knowledge that within 60 days, if you decide that The Single Gourmet is not for you (but we think that you will), your membership will be canceled, no questions asked (we might send a survey asking why you decided not to remain a member, but that’s it, we promise).

How do I cancel my membership?

If you decide that The Single Gourmet is not for you (but we think that you will), your membership will be canceled, with no further charges and no questions asked (well, we might send a survey asking why you decided cancel, but that’s it, we promise).

You can cancel your trial (within 90 days of signing up) or your membership at any time by logging into this website and accessing your account page, or by calling us (please go to our contact page for our phone number).

Please do not cancel via email. We are not trying to make it difficult to cancel — there is simply too much of a chance of your email requesting cancellation not reaching us, and the cancellation not being processed.

What is the Single Gourmet’s COVID-19 policy?

THE SINGLE GOURMET REQUIRES THAT ALL ATTENDEES OF ALL EVENTS BE FULLY VACCINATED, AND ABLE TO PROVIDE VERIFICATION. Full vaccination means that it has been 14 days since a Johnson & Johnson vaccination, or 14 days since a second Moderna or Pfizer dose.

How often are dinners scheduled?

The Single Gourmet averages 4-6 planned dinners or events a month.

How do I pay for and attend an event?

You can RSVP and pay for an event on our secure website by browsing through the events and conveniently booking. Prepayment for events is required; we base the reservation on the number of paid attendees. If you show up at an event without having paid, there might not be space for you.

Alternatively you can email us or call us and we will process your booking over the phone.

What happens when I attend my first event?

The host for the evening will be at the door to greet you and introduce you to other new and long-time members. There is usually a 45-60 minute cash bar where everyone mixes and mingles before the meal. At the pre-arranged time, we all sit down to dinner and enjoy a delicious meal. After the meal is over, there is no uncomfortable feeling about how much you will owe when the check arrives — because there is no check.

Is there a maximum number of events I can attend?

As a member of The Single Gourmet, you may attend as many or as few events as you wish. On average, The Single Gourmet schedules over 50 dinner events a year and you are welcome to attend them all (some of our members actually do!).

Can I bring a guest or a friend?

Yes, we welcome and encourage you to introduce your friends to The Single Gourmet. There is a $10 supplement per guest, which may be more or less for certain special dinner events. Simply purchase the appropriate tickets when you book an event online and let us know their name(s) in the order notes section.

How many people attend each dinner?

Before the COVID-19 pandemic, on average we had 16-24 members at each dinner. In the past 6 months, the average has been 16 people. If at least 12 people do not sign up for a dinner, it will not go forward, and attendees will have the choice of a non-expiring credit that will automatically be applied to their next event or membership renewal.

To be clear: If a dinner is cancelled, members who have already paid for that dinner can choose between either a credit or a full refund.

No need to wait to see how many people are going — you will either dine with at least dozen people, or you will get your money back!

What is the male/female ratio?

The male/female ratio varies, but currently it is consistent with the trend in NYC among singles: more women than men. However, each dinner and each event brings out a different group depending on the type of meal (for example, a brunch attracts more women, a steakhouse attracts more men)… so at a given event, you never know!

What is the average age of the members?

Members of The Single Gourmet typically have ranged in years past of all ages from the mid forties and up to the late seventies. Currently, the age group is mostly 55 and over, with a few members younger than that. However, we will soon launch events specifically for those born 1965 to 1980. If you are in that age range, please click here to contact us, and we will include you on the mailing list for those events.

Who will I sit next to at a given dinner?

We find that people tend to enjoy the company of people in their peer group, so we generally assign seating at the dinner table by age range. However, we also understand that not everybody can get along with everybody, and we take reasonable seating requests into consideration.

Will you give me someone’s phone number or email who I met at an event?

No.

The Single Gourmet will never provide any contact or private information of a member to anyone – member or not. However, if you meet someone in whom you are interested, we can contact that person on your behalf and provide them with your email or phone number. It is then up to them if they wish to respond.

What is the refund policy of The Single Gourmet?

Refund Policy: Sometimes plans unexpectedly change, which we understand. However, restaurants do impose deposit and guarantee requirements when we plan our events, so we have the following generous refund policy (certain events may have different refund policies):

If you cancel:

  • 7 days (or more) before a dinner, you may cancel for a full refund or credit, less a $5 cancellation fee
  • 4-6 days before a dinner, you will receive a credit toward a future event, less a $10 change fee
  • 0-3 days before a dinner (or if you do not show up), no refund or credit

If a dinner or an event is canceled by The Single Gourmet, you will receive a full refund or credit toward a future purchase with no cancellation or change fee.

Ticketed events (tours, shows, and ANY non-dinner event) are non-refundable within 7 days of the event.

Annual membership fees are non-refundable.