Same time next week

A plan is a one-off: you join, you go, you might never see those people again. Same time next week is the same 4–6 people, once a week, for four weeks, at a different place nearby each time. Seeing the same faces again is what turns “nice to meet you” into friends, so that’s what it’s built around.

Everyone who signs up for the same weekly slot, the same kind of group and roughly the same area is matched on Sunday evening. We put people together who live near each other and are close in age, and we lean towards people who answered our three quick questions the same way: the pace you like, how much noise you can talk over, and what you could talk about for hours. We avoid putting you with someone you’ve blocked, or with people you’ve already been in a group with.

Each week is at a different place near the middle of the group, usually one of our partner venues: a café one week, a climbing wall or a pub the next. If there’s no partner venue nearby, that week’s host picks somewhere public and everyone is told.

Walking into a room of strangers is the hardest part. So you’re paired with one or two people in your group, and you meet them at the door ten minutes early and walk in together. Nobody has to arrive alone.

Optional: pick up to three easy questions, like “Something I’m learning” or “Where I grew up”, and answer each in a line. Only the people in your group see them, and the app turns them into prompts like “Ask Sam about…”, so nobody is stuck for something to say.

Yes. Choose a friend you’ve made on Good Company as your plus-one when you sign up. They’re asked to join too, and if they say yes before Sunday you’re put in the same group. If they don’t, you’re matched on your own.

Tap “Can’t make this week” on that week’s page. You stay in the group and its chat, and if you were hosting that week, someone else takes over. Saying so less than 12 hours before counts as a late cancel, as with any plan.

Yes, any time, from the Same time next week screen. If it’s less than 12 hours before a meeting, it counts as a late cancel. If too few people are left for the rest of the weeks, the group ends early, everyone is told, and you can sign up again for the next Sunday.

Your answers to the three questions are only used for matching and aren’t shown to anyone. Your conversation cards are shown only to the people in your group. Your group sees your first name, photo and verified badge, like any plan.

Yes. Women-only groups are for members who are women, and 50+ groups for verified members aged 50 or over, checked against the date of birth on their ID.

Nothing: it’s free for members, like the rest of Good Company. Partner venues sometimes offer something for the group, like a discount or a free taster, which is shown on that week’s page.