Web site seeks people hungry for conversation

Brian Dorsey wants to change the world, one lunch at a time. And more to the point, so can you.

"Anyone can have an idea, a small idea, and it can grow," said Dorsey, admitting he's amazed by the explosive popularity of his Web site, noonhat.com, which matches strangers up for lunch.

Before it hit the blogosphere and TV news last week, the site Dorsey created in June was getting a couple of dozen visitors a day. By the end of the week, that had jumped to more than 1,200.

The idea is simple: On his Web site, you enter your e-mail address, your area of town and when you want to have lunch.

Then a program designed by Dorsey, a Seattle software developer, takes over. First it sends you an e-mail, confirming you are in the system. On the morning of the day you chose for lunch, it sends you e-mail addresses for a couple of potential companions.

It's not a dating service, he insists. It doesn't even ask your age or gender. It's simply a way to meet people you normally wouldn't and get exposed to their ideas, their perspective on life, or whatever fits into a lunchtime conversation.

"It's become too easy for all of us just to talk to people we know, to read news we pretty much already agree with," said Dorsey, 33. "I want to encourage people to talk with a wide variety of people, to meet them in a comfortable environment and share their opinions about the world."

If people are nervous about a one-on-one encounter with a stranger, he suggests they bring along a friend. "I'm shooting for groups of three or four. I think the slightly larger groups work better, and they're a bit more comfortable."

And on his Web site, Dorsey offers a caution. "Disclaimer. We can't be responsible for what people do after we introduce them. Be nice, this is meant to be fun."

Marc Maurer, 36, a financial adviser who saw a noonhat postcard in his Greenwood neighborhood coffee shop, has been on three lunches, getting into conversations about books, travels, weekend plans and families. Not much talk about politics so far — that might come when and if he meets someone for a second lunch.

"It sort of reminds me of the people you run across when you eat in the dining car of a train," Maurer said. "I just enjoy the chance to talk with strangers for about 45 minutes. You may never connect with them again, but you have an interesting time."

There's no charge for the service. Dorsey said if it grows to the point where managing it costs him money, he might look for a way to generate revenue, perhaps partnering with restaurants that could offer discounts to noonhat customers.

He sees noonhat as an example of how, in this age of the Internet, an ordinary person with "a crazy idea" can put it out for public consideration. Encouraging that creativity and empowerment is his real goal. Well, that and lining up interesting lunch dates for himself.

"I love lunch," he said. "So that's where I started."

Jack Broom: 206-464-2222 or jbroom@seattletimes.com