Here is all the juicy stuff, the good and the bad. We have been super honest here to help you make the right choice on our services and to decide if we are a good fit for you.

 

Our goal

We have a dream! We aim to help every single person living in Adelaide who desires a fabulous social life to achieve just that. We have helped more than 3,000 people over the past 15 years. And with a 97% success rate of members enjoying their first dinner or event, your chances are high to meet someone you would enjoy meeting again. We are good at what we do.

 

Who are our members?

Our member are people like you! People who want to meet new friends, broaden their social circles, and hopefully meet that special someone. Many Social8 members join us after a long-term relationship has ended - which often results in losing friends and your social life. These people are confident in their work arena, confident with family and friends and yet lacking in social connections. Often, after breakups, people also take a hit in confidence - unable to socially meet new people through lack of practice. For many they haven't socialised as a single person for years or decades. Social8 dinners and events provide the perfect arena to regain social confidence, help you get your mojo back and feel good about yourself again.

 

What does it cost to become a member?

We have a variety of membership options depending on how you prefer to meet new people. Events, dinners, one-on-one introductions... Have a look at the membership page to see the different options and read the FAQ about Introduction Services.

 

Still need convincing this is money well spent?

Social8's difference is that we operate in real life! No hiding behind a screen. Our dinners and events are designed for maximum interaction to allow you to meet genuine single people and not the time wasters!

 

Are there other costs involved?

Yes. We charge various co-ordination fees for putting together and hosting dinners and events. They range from $5 for our simpler events, to more depending on the event. To view events on offer and the costs involved, please visit our what's on page. Members attending dinners  for 6 will need to pay an admin fee, and their food and beverage costs. (The admin fee is included in Gold and Platinum membership and will be refunded at the end of your membership. See the T&Cs) 

 

How long is the membership for?

Memberships are either for 6 or 12 months. See the membership page for details. However, you can also place your membership on hold if required. Memberships can be put on hold for up to an additional 6 months. You are also able to apply to upgrade your membership at any time to a higher level.

 

Can I dine with my own age group?

Absolutely. Most of our dinners are with people 5-10 years either side of your age. (Sometimes it may be more if we believe someone either older or younger could be someone you would enjoy meeting). We encourage you to dine with as wide an age range that you feel comfortable with, as the more people you meet, the greater your chance of meeting people you will want to see again. Increasing your social network is the key to finding a life partner or great social life. Talk to us about your preferences and we will advise if we can accommodate your wishes.

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Can I get someone's number I like at the dinners and events?

Yes and No - this is one of our only rules: No asking for phone numbers or dates at the dinner table or members only events. We love this rule as it lets you focus on having fun without the fear of being rejected, having to say no, watching someone you like ask another for a phone number or any other socially awkward situation that can occur. Instead, if you have met anyone you would like to catch up with again, send us an email and we'll arrange a number swap (if you both agree). This simple rule allows our members to focus on good social opportunity without awkward moments.

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Everyone tells me I don't look my age. Can I meet people younger than me?

So often we meet people who don't look their age. We also meet people who don't act their typical age or those who have a much higher energy than typical for their age. Dinners are arranged based on age. However, events are in wider age groups. If you are seeking someone outside your typical age range, we suggest coming to events. 

 

How many dinners will I go to?

We aim for one per month. However, it can vary based on your availability, age, gender, personality and the gender balance within your age range. If we can't offer you a dinner in a month, we will extend your membership. Also, we may sometimes invite you to additional dinners each month, if there are dinner vacancies you would be suited for.  

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How many events can I go to?

Loads! We have events nearly every week! In the past we have had wine tasting, cooking evenings, golf, painting class, quiz nights, bingo, theatre, movie nights, cooking classes, photography class, movie nights, tennis, running, bush walking, valentines cocktail party, Halloween evening, life coach workshops, beer evenings and Christmas parties. We recommend you go to as many events as possible as the more you attend, the more likely you are to meet special friends, important business contacts and romantic partners.

 

How many introductions will I get?

Again this is difficult to really know as a lot of this will depend on your criteria. On average, Platinum members receive introductions every 2 weeks. We are committed to helping you meet people, however we aim here for quality not quantity. We will discuss the likely frequency of introductions once we have met with you.

 

What is the proportion of men to women?

At our dinners, it is 3 ladies and 3 men, unless someone cancels and it becomes 2 to 3. (We'll try to get someone else last minute, but sometimes we can't).

At group events, women will book in early so we quite often get up to 25-50% more women than men - although over the past 6 months most events have been very close to 50/50 gender balance, something we aim to achieve. Some of our events such as theatre nights are not age or gender balanced, simply a nice night out with nice people!

Overall, we have more ladies than men in most age groups. To help us maintain gender balance, please spread the word to those men in need of extra encouragement. And men, you need to be where the ladies are. Come and join us!

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Will I meet the same people at dinners?

Occasionally you may, but we guarantee you will always meet at least two people of the opposite gender at each dinner you have not dined with before. And if you meet someone you would prefer to not dine with again (male or female), simply let us know and we take care of that at future dinners.

 

What is the age range of your members?

Open to everybody aged 35+ (but most of our events are for 40+). Our oldest member is 84!

 

Is your membership price always the same?

Yes, however we do occasionally have specials for various age groups and genders to balance our database. Our greatest commitment to our members is to ensure we maintain as close to gender balance in each age group to ensure we can continue to honour our commitment to provide new people for you to meet. Sometimes we will offer a price reduction special to entice a membership balance or we may offer the opportunity for a limited time for a particular age or gender to attend more dinners to help balance the dinner opportunities.

 

Why are the dinners for six and not for eight?

We tried running the dinners with eight as we understand our members want to meet the maximum number of people, however we found the tables were too large and conversations became split up into smaller groups leaving it difficult to have a conversation. As a result, we aim to arrange dinners for 6.

 

Where are the dinners held?

We use restaurants in the surrounding suburbs of the CBD - typically these areas are North Adelaide, Norwood, Kensington and Parkside. You are welcome to give us your preference to ensure you don’t need to travel too far. View our restaurants here. All dinners are held Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights at 7:00pm.

 

How do you seat people?

We have small discrete place cards with just your first name on it and place these alternating man/woman. As the tables are for only 6 people, it is easy for you to converse with everyone at the table. If you have previously met a guest of the opposite gender at dinner, we will seat you so that you have the two new members either side of you. For this reason, we ask that you don't change the order of the place cards. 

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How long do the dinners last?

Our dinners are all on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings and start at 7.00pm. The end time is really up to the group - it may end straight after mains, or if a group is enjoying themselves (which is a regular occurrence!) the dinner may go much later. If you need to be the first to leave, please feel comfortable to do so (all our members have careers and they understand). That said, it is not uncommon for our dinners to kick on until the restaurant has the lights flashing. We believe that's a sign of a good night.

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I'm extremely busy, what if I can’t attend a dinner you have planned for me?

Each month we email you a link to an on-line calendar where you submit the nights that best suit you and that you can commit to attending, for us to plan a dinner for you. This way we know you can say yes to the dinner invite and you are only given dinners on nights that suit you. We do ask that you submit your dates to us each month to ensure regular dinner invites and that as your availability changes, you update your calendar for us. If you agree to a dinner, then later cancel or do not attend, your admin fee will not be refunded. 

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What do I wear?

Usually smart casual is appropriate. We suggest you dress to impress, as first impressions count. Why not also make yourself feel good to help the success of the evening. Buy new clothes or get a modern haircut, have new make-up done or get a professional shave. Feeling good does translate into helping to have a great night out.

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What if I need to cancel or can't show up last minute?

This is strongly discouraged because of the difficulty of scheduling on short notice and the importance of gender and age balance for the dinners. If you must cancel, notify us immediately by phoning 0401 784 988. The integrity of our club depends upon the integrity of our members. Repeated no-shows or cancellations will result in cancellation of your membership.

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Can a non-member attend a dinner?

Yes and no. Guests are not allowed at Social8 dinners. Sometimes we can't fill the dinner with just current members, or we have a member cancel at the last minute. Rather than cancel the whole dinner, or have it be a dinner for only 5, we try our best to fill the spare seat with a suitable fantastic single. We will consider inviting a current member on another membership level, a past member who isn't financial but is still single, or a potential new member who we've met and they wish to 'come and try'. We may also choose to waive the dinner fee for them - at our discretion.

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Can Social8 match make for me?

Yes. Our Platinum membership is designed for those desiring full matching. We will hand select other members for introductions. With all members registering (and the notes and feedback we get on them) we are confident that we are giving you the best chance of finding your one.

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How best can Social8 work for me?

Be realistic in your expectations. It is highly unlikely that you will meet that special person at your first or second introduction, dinner or event. It has happened but it is a very rare occurrence and one you should not pin your hopes on. Instead, we recommend you focus on enjoying meeting lots of new people and encourage you to make a new circle of friends. Take some responsibility for your enjoyment of the service, try to initiate conversations, ask out someone, and be friendly and approachable. The success of our service depends upon you taking an initiative, committing and instigating fun, and making your own destiny.

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Can I use Social8 to network for business?

Of course you can! Our events are a great way to network, so bring a stack of business cards. We do ask that you refrain from giving sales pitches during the members only dinners though. This is a dinner party, and while it's okay to discuss your line of work, please don't pressure your "captive" audience! Many mutually beneficial business partnerships have started at Social8 dinners.

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Are my details ever given out?

No, and yes...! Your details including full name, address, phone number and other details are personal and kept confidential. We never give them out to anyone without first getting your permission. Ever! We may share some lifestyle information for introductions, but that information is what you specifically allow us to give. If a member wants to connect with you, we will ask for your permission before passing on your number to them.

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Can you help me contact someone I'm interested in?

Yes! We will email that person for you to ask if we can give you exchange mobile phone numbers. This happens all the time, usually dozens of times each day and our members find it's a great way to take that first step. Don't be shy; email or call us! This is what you are here for.

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Can a non-member attend an event?

We have regular events that are open to non-members, and guests are only allowed at members-only events if accompanied by a member.

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Do you pro-rata refund my membership if I meet someone on my first dinner, introduction or event?

We don't. But we do jump up and down and get very excited for you and celebrate again how great this service is! We even get excited if you met someone special, not through us and we had nothing to do with it. What we can do is place your membership on hold. While we sincerely hope you have met 'the one' and you won’t need our services again, experience has taught us that sometimes it isn't the case. If this happens to you, you can feel comfortable knowing that your membership can be re-activated at any time - up to the time limit. (Memberships can be put on hold for up to 6 months.)

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What if I want to stay a member beyond the time limit?

Great! We would be excited to have you renew your membership. 

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Can I change my level of membership?

Yes, you are able to upgrade from Silver (events only) to Gold (dinner and events) or to Platinum (introductions) during your membership (as long as we have current vacancies in your age and gender). And after your membership ends, you can choose to renew at a different level. We try to be flexible here for you to enjoy your Social8 experience.

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What if I don't like the dinners or events and want a refund?

Thankfully this is a very rare occurrence, however if you are really unhappy we can place your membership on hold. We don't offer refunds - so think about this carefully before joining. Typically, we find people who don't enjoy our services are those who have a very narrow view of what they seek. We are a social club first, and a dating club second (except for the platinum level of membership) so we cannot guarantee you will date. Your focus should be on being social, meeting new people, working on your social skills and confidence, and networking. This will give you the greatest chance of finding (and keeping) your next "one".  

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Dating help

Want help socialising or dating successfully? Then check out Jane's coaching page to help you be the best you can be and to enjoy success soonest.

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Got a question we haven't covered here?

Please either email (form below) or call us on 0401 784 988. We would love to hear from you and will do our best to provide an honest answer and to make you feel comfortable.

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