An organization to which I belong needs a new organizer for a monthly ethnic dining club.
The members are primarily middle aged and above women. My questions are: What days would be best? What times would be best? I'll also poll the membership, but typically, those polls don't get a big response. Thanks!
I would say Tues or Wed night as restaurants are not overly crowded on those night. 7:00 p,m. would be good - gives everyone time to get home, deal with their own family things and still get home at a decent hour.
My mom belongs to a dinner club. They don't do ethnic food so much as they pick an area where someone has traveled to and they do a slide show or show pictures or whatever they want, and everyone prepares a dish from a select menu with foods from that country.
They all met while traveling together originally - that's how it started. Now it's just evolved into a think just whatever you want - because it's been going on for many years.
I think they meet once a month, I think it's a Weds night, and they do it at someone's house each time then at Christmas, no one cooks - they all go out to a nice restaurant. I have no idea about time - sometime in the evening I believe.
How big is this group? My mom's was not very large - they all became very good friends. One lady does the menus up and picks the foods to prepare. So you just get told what you will be preparing. It's all very fun and no one is that fussy. No one stresses over what to bring. Some cooks are fantastic, others beginners. I think the organizer of the menu keeps that in mind.
I organized and managed a dining club involving a small number of people I knew and their spouses. We met once a month. At each dinner decided on the theme for the next one. We always met at my house. Most nights everyone showed up. Each person or couple brought a dish from the country we had chosen. Often we cooked part of our dishes together. Our planning and dining were low key and focused more on friendship than food. Food is what us brought us together.
I joined a dining club later. Perhaps my experience would be helpful. I responded to a post on the library notice board and in a neghborhood news letter inviting people to join. I didn't know anyone nor did we live close to anyone.
The club was also organized around a potluck shared at a home but also included sharing dinner at a restaurant. I went twice. The group was large, maybe 20-25 people.
It seemed that the only interest I shared with them was wanting to share dinner with others. My husband and I were the only new people. The situation was awkward because others obviously knew each other well. Activity swirled around us with most of group talking among themselves. I wanted to go again. My husband, not very social anyway, didn't.
The next meeting was at a restaurant. I took the mom of one of my daughter's friends. Couples sat together, 2 couples/table. My friend and I were odd couples out and sat at a table by ourselves. Each person ordered and paid for their meal. There was not a common theme. We felt like just another couple and not a part of the group. Because the group was alwas divided among several tables there weren't easy ways to interact with other members. A couple of people came over to welcome us. That was it. I didn't go back and no one from the group called.
I've noticed a "class" listed in a junior college course booklet focued on meeting for dinner. Group discussion of food and culture was included. There was a nominal fee. I was interested but unable to join.
What days and times are best would be based on participants lives, when they already have commitments, any driving restrictions, and health. How many members are there? How many consistently attend? I would assume that if they don't answer that any time will be ok or that they really aren't interested in attending. I would then choose date and time based on answers and your or the previous organizer's experience with previous meals. If you don't get enough responses, I'd set a date and time for a general meeting to discuss interest and ask members how they want to organize the meals. Computer polls have become frequent and impersonal.
No answer for this one since there isn't enough info on this group of women. They are middle aged and above but do most work? Have children? Retired? SAH moms? Different demographics have different availability. When you poll the membership just state that if they don't respond they don't get to complain when final plans are set. Or if they don't respond they don't get to participate.
My book club meets the first Tuesday night of each month because that's what the majority voted for.
If people can't even be bothered to let you know what days and times are best for them what makes you think they will even come?
And if there is already a regular day/time in place just go with that.
i would be most likely to go to a dinner party if on a friday night or saturday night. i hate being out late on days when i know we have to be up the next day. don't have to get up on sat or sun morning hence the willingness to attend on a friday or saturday
My vote is to allow them a say, in the day(s) and time(s) THEY'd like to meet because it'll probably allow a few days to be in the mix. Example being Wednesdays and Sundays. As for the time, since it's dining, maybe somewhere between 6 and 7pm would work, if not the 5-6:00p range.
