How it works
Pick a restaurant. Find your +1.
Meshii matches you with a compatible dining companion at the restaurants you actually want to try — so the meal you keep putting off finally happens.
Not a dating app. Just dinner, shared. You approve every match, and you and your companion book the table together.
The short version
- 1
Create your profile
Start by telling Meshii who you are — your interests, your dining style, and the archetypes that capture your vibe (The Creative, The Sommelier, The Adventurous Eater, The Introvert Out…). The more completely you fill it out, the better Meshii understands you, and the sharper and more compatible your matches will be. A thin profile gets thin matches; a rich one finds your people.
- 2
Find a restaurant
Browse the map for a spot you actually want to try — the ramen counter you keep walking past, the new place everyone’s posting about. You pick the restaurant; the meal follows.
- 3
Join its virtual waitlist
Add yourself to the restaurant’s virtual waitlist to say “I’d like to dine here.” Leave it open-ended, or set a specific date and time window if you have a night in mind. This isn’t a restaurant reservation — it just tells Meshii you’re interested.
- 4
Say who you’d like to dine with
Optionally attach a +1 profile — a quick sketch of the companion you’re hoping for (the vibe and archetypes you’re drawn to, shared interests, the basics). Skip it and you’re “open to anyone.” Attach one and Meshii looks for someone who fits.
- 5
Get matched
When another diner on the same waitlist is compatible, you’ll see each other as a potential match. You approve every match — nothing happens without your say-so.
- 6
Chat, book, and meet
Once you both say yes, a private chat opens. Agree on a time, book the table together, and show up for a great meal. That’s it.
The virtual waitlist
The virtual waitlist is the heart of Meshii. Joining one is simply raising your hand: “I’d like to dine here.” The more restaurants you add, the more chances you have to be matched.
A few things it isn’t: it’s not a reservation, it doesn’t hold a table, and it never obligates you to anything. You approve every match before a single plan is made.
You can join a waitlist two ways:
- →Open-ended— “I’d dine here anytime.” Best for maximizing matches.
- →A specific window — pick a date and a time range when you actually want to go. Best when you have a night in mind.
+1 profiles — and why you attach them
A +1 profileis a short, saved sketch of the dining companion you’re hoping to meet. You give it a name and set a few preferences — the vibe and archetypes you’re drawn to (The Creative, The Sommelier, The Adventurous Eater…), shared interests, dining style, whether they drink, the kind of work they do, an age range. Set it strict for close matches only, or keep it loose to meet a wider range of people.
Why create one
Your +1 profile is how Meshii knows who to look for. Without it, you’re simply “open to anyone” — perfectly fine, and the fastest way to get matched. With it, matching gets sharper: you’re paired with people who actually fit what you’re in the mood for.
Why you attach it to a waitlist
Here’s the key idea: who you want to dine with can change from place to place.The person you’d love at a natural-wine bar might be different from who you’d want at a Sunday ramen counter. So instead of one rigid setting, Meshii lets you keep several +1 profiles and attach the right one to each waitlist.
- →Make a “wine-curious foodie” profile and attach it to that new enoteca.
- →Make an “easy, laid-back” profile for your neighborhood spots.
- →Or attach none, and stay open to anyone.
Attaching a profile to a waitlist is what turns “I want to eat here” into “I want to eat here, with someone like this” — and that’s what makes the match feel right.
“Looking for You”
Matching works both ways. The Looking for You view surfaces restaurants where someone already on the waitlist is hoping to dine with a person like you. It’s a running list of open invitations — spots where you could turn a solo meal into a shared one just by raising your hand.
Matches — you’re always in control
A match only happens when both people say yes. Until then, nothing is shared and no plans are made. When you match, a private chat opens so you can settle on a time and book the table together.
Not feeling it? Pass, and move on — no awkwardness, no explanation needed. You can report or block anyone at any time. Your comfort comes first, always.
A quick glossary
- Virtual waitlist
- A list you join to signal “I want to dine at this restaurant.” It is not a reservation and carries no obligation — it’s how Meshii knows who’s interested in the same spots.
- +1 profile
- A saved, named set of preferences — the vibe, archetypes, interests, and basics — describing the dining companion you’re looking for. You can keep several and attach the right one to any waitlist.
- Archetype
- A quick, human label Meshii uses to capture a diner’s vibe — like The Creative, The Sommelier, or The Adventurous Eater. Everyone carries a few, and they help you spot a kindred spirit at a glance.
- Open to anyone
- A waitlist entry with no +1 profile attached — you’re happy to be matched with any compatible diner.
- Looking for you
- Restaurants where someone already on the waitlist is hoping to dine with a person like you.
- Match
- A mutual yes between two diners on the same waitlist. Once matched, a private chat opens so you can plan the meal.
Ready to find your +1?
Meshii is live in San Francisco, and free during our initial launch.
Still have questions? Read the FAQ.