It’s Just Lunch has arranged first dates for decades, starting around $1,000–$1,500 for three dates on a 12-month contract. Nonna Picks does the compatibility-scoring part of matchmaking as an app, with no contract. Here’s an honest side-by-side so you can pick the one that actually fits.
It’s Just Lunch’s widely-reported tiers (~$1,000–$1,500 for 3 dates → ~$15,000 VIP, 12-month minimum), Nonna’s ($0 in early access → $49.99/mo max). Sourced, not made up.
It’s Just Lunch: a dating specialist picks a match and books a lunch or drinks date for you. Nonna: a 99-question compatibility engine scores every member and surfaces the 90%+ matches first.
Not a like-for-like replacement for a booked date — but for singles who wanted the introductions, not the 12-month contract, Nonna is the same intent at software prices.
It’s Just Lunch is one of the longest-running date-arrangement services in the US. The premise is in the name: rather than a high-touch retained search, a dating specialist interviews you, selects a match from their membership, and books a lunch or after-work drinks date for the two of you — time and place handled. You show up, have a low-pressure first meeting, and give feedback afterward that shapes the next selection. For people who dislike the logistics of dating, or who want a structured format that keeps a first date short and easy, that simplicity is the genuine appeal.
The pricing is mid-tier compared with boutique or retained matchmakers. As of 2026 reviews, small packages start around $1,000–$1,500 for three dates, typically billed as a monthly subscription with a 12-month minimum contract. Across the wider date-arrangement category, our NYC guide puts a multi-month package at roughly $2,000–$5,000, and It’s Just Lunch’s VIP tier has been publicly reported at about $15,000. The company doesn’t publish a full price list — pricing is quoted after a consultation — so treat these as the widely reported ranges rather than a guaranteed number.
Nonna Picks is a dating platform built around compatibility, not swiping. When you create your free account, you take a 99-question quiz — the same categories a matchmaker would interview you on: values, lifestyle, personality — and Nonna scores your compatibility with every other member. Instead of an endless feed of strangers, the app surfaces the people you actually match with first, with the score visible on every profile. After a mutual match, you message in-app and set up the first meeting on your own terms.
The top Nonna Matchmaker tier reserves the 90%+ compatibility matches — the intros a human matchmaker would personally hand you — and delivers them weekly. That tier is $49.99/mo when billing launches (~$29.99/mo on annual), with no minimum term. During early access, the entire app is free. Nonna is live in New York (with an Astoria and Queens focus) and several other cities.
| It’s Just Lunch | Nonna Picks | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | ~$1,000–$1,500 for 3 dates | Free (early access) |
| Top tier | ~$15,000 VIP (reported) | $49.99/mo (~$29.99 annual) |
| How intros happen | Dating specialist selects a match and books a lunch or drinks date | 99-question compatibility engine + 90%+ reserved reveals |
| Commitment | Monthly subscription, 12-month minimum contract | Cancel anytime; free tier permanent |
| Volume of intros | Fixed number of dates per package (3 at entry) | Every compatible member visible; weekly 90%+ reveals at top tier |
| Vetting | Specialist interview + membership screening | Live-selfie verification badge, one-tap block & report, human moderators |
| Best for | Singles who want dates booked for them in a structured format | Singles who want compatibility matching at app prices, no contract |
The date is booked for you. No messaging back and forth, no comparing calendars, no picking a place. For busy people, or anyone who finds the pre-date logistics the most draining part of dating, a service that simply hands you a time and a table has real value.
A structured, low-pressure format. Lunch or drinks has a natural end point. Many people — especially those getting back into dating after a long relationship — find that easier than an open-ended evening, and It’s Just Lunch built its whole service around it.
Accessible price for a human service. Compared with boutique matchmakers at $6,000+ or retained firms at $25,000+, It’s Just Lunch is the most affordable way to have a person choose and arrange your dates.
No contract. The most common complaint about date-arrangement services is the 12-month minimum. Nonna is free during early access, and even the top paid tier ($49.99/mo) cancels anytime — you never pay for months you aren’t using.
You see the fit before you meet. With an arranged date, you learn whether you’re compatible at the table. On Nonna, every profile shows your real compatibility score across values, lifestyle, and personality, so you know why you match before you say hello — and you choose who to talk to.
Volume and speed. A three-date package is three introductions, delivered over months. Nonna scores you against every member the moment your quiz is done, surfaces the strongest matches first, and lets you start a conversation in-app the same day after a mutual match.
Inclusive by default. Nonna Picks is built for singles of every race, religion, nationality, culture, and orientation, at the same one price for everyone. Every member can verify with a live selfie for a verified badge, and one-tap block and report is backed by human moderators.
If you’re weighing It’s Just Lunch, ask what specifically you’re paying for. If it’s the booked date — the logistics handled, the structured format, a person choosing for you — those are real things an app doesn’t do, and a date-arrangement package is a legitimate spend. If it’s the introductions — you just want to stop scrolling strangers and start meeting people you actually fit with — Nonna Picks does that job as an app, without a 12-month commitment.
The lowest-risk way to decide: take Nonna’s 2-minute compatibility quiz first. If the matches Nonna surfaces feel like the intros you’d otherwise sign a year-long contract for, you don’t need the package. If they don’t, you’ll walk into your consultation with a much clearer brief — and the quiz costs you nothing either way. Or read our fuller matchmaker cost guide, and the side-by-sides vs. Tawkify and Three Day Rule, to compare across every top service.
Take the 2-minute quiz and see who you actually match with. Free during early access.
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