Foodservice 2.0 Now Here: Dating & Social Networking For Foodservice Employees

They serve as the backbone of the industry. They are your local barista, server, bartender, cook, host or sandwich counter worker and this population allows our foodservice and hospitality operations to function. To be exact, they make up the largest workforce in the U.S. outside of the government, with approximately 1 out of 27 Americans involved in getting us our espressos, burgers, cosmos, pork chops and more. So why didn't they have a place on the web?

That's the same question a group of former foodservice employees recently pondered. With years of foodservice experience between them, these industry veterans recognized that the foodservice and hospitality population was unique and that the social element of the industry was one of its strongest components. Foodservice employees usually work opposite schedules from the rest of the world. Their closest relationships are often with the co-workers with which they spend most of their time. They are typically a younger (18-35), tech-savvy demographic. And, most importantly, this workforce had no organization or web presence that served the needs and interests of this distinctive group.

Having experienced it themselves, the site's creators identified the simple problem of many foodservice workers- it can often be difficult to create a meaningful relationship with anyone outside of the industry based on schedule conflicts, different lifestyles and varying interests. Also, it is often against company sexual harassment policy or simply awkward to date someone who works with you. From this understanding, Foodservice Singles was born, the first and only dating and social networking site dedicated to foodservice and hospitality employees. Eric Webster, one of the site's Co-Founders stated, "It didn't make sense that there wasn't a place on the Internet for the 20 million foodservice employees in this country. We wanted to connect those people and provide a place where they can meet others that get what they do and have similar schedules."

Foodservice Singles was built integrating all of the benefits of Web 2.0 technology, (i.e. blogs, interactive forums, video and text chatting, live polls, instant messaging, and video file sharing), so members can interact and communicate, whether to find a romantic connection, learn about trends, share information or talk with peers in the industry. The site's focus on user-generated content and person-to-person connections allow for flexibility and social networking in an industry typically separated by location and job position. The goal of Foodservice Singles is to offer a global network for foodservice employees-Servers, Bartenders, Hosts, Cooks, Chefs, Managers- anyone involved in the industry. FoodserviceSingles.com is a place to date, interact, meet, vent, learn, seek advice, share ideas and create relationships with people that get who you are, what you deal with and have similar concerns and experiences.

Thus far, members' feedback indicates a community and site that directly reflects their experiences and interests. A female line cook from St. Louis noted, "It's hard to meet people working in the kitchen. You can't really talk on the line and afterwards you're interested in cleaning up and getting out. Unless you go out for a drink, you don't really connect. FoodserviceSingles.com is a great place for me to be able to meet and talk to people like me, when I want to."

Users can create a personal profile and participate in many of the site's features for free by completing a fast and easy membership survey. Yearlong, full site access is available for less than the after work bar tab or monthly latte expenditure for most foodservice employees.