Half a croissant, on a plate, with a sign in front of it saying '50c'
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Coffee with Strangers

  (+20)(+20)
(+20)
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Hand out coupons for a free coffee redeemable at a certain cafe table at a certain time, as a means of getting two total strangers to meet and chat. The coupons come in pairs and are randomly distributed. The purpose of this is basicaly to meet new people and to foster community spirirt, it is not a blind date type situation. This would bring together disparate people who would never normally have met. And if they never meet again so be it, at least they got a free coffee and a chat.
simonj, Feb 21 2009

The ideal companion idea. Two_20Cups_20Of_20Coffee
[coprocephalous, Feb 23 2009]

Is "Omegle" the internet version of this? http://www.bitterwa...-into-your-day/9695
[hippo, Apr 06 2009]

this kind of goes with one of my old ideas... Roadside_20Coffee_20Table
[xandram, Apr 06 2009]

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       At least I said *something*. There's at least 4 people who voted for this idea that can't say the same. I abstained.
21 Quest, Feb 22 2009
  

       Ah,well. It was such an all-around nice idea, and succinct to boot, that i basked in the idea of it just lying there, accumulating croissants to go with the coffee....
loonquawl, Feb 22 2009
  

       //This would bring together disparate people who would never normally have met.// - could also bring together desperate people, whom you would never want to meet, but it's still worth this croissant [+]
xenzag, Feb 22 2009
  

       Try 3 people, maybe - it would make it seem less like a blind date that way. Nice idea though. Especially the free coffee bit...
up_on_cloud_nine, Feb 22 2009
  

       up_on_cloud_nine: When trying to chat and know each other, 2 is always better than 3. Strain on the mind among 3 strangers about what each others think of me is much higher when there are only 2 strangers talking to each other.   

       Also, if 2 people get an exciting topic to speak about, the third person may feel let behind, and all sorts of complications can occur depending on the 3rd person's personality and attitude.   

       Also, the coupon provider can be a silent audience so that the 2 people won't feel awkward.
kamathln, Feb 22 2009
  

       //Hand out coupons for a free coffee redeemable at a certain cafe table at a certain time, as a means of getting two total strangers to meet and chat.//   

       Smallprint time. "Coffee supplied without a lid i.e. must be consumed on the premises". Given that, how is this different from just giving away coupons for free coffees with same smallprint ?   

       The coupons could just have a random number encouraging all free coffee seekers to talk to each-other to find matching numbers for a prize.
bigsleep, Feb 22 2009
  

       Good point [kamathln]
up_on_cloud_nine, Feb 22 2009
  

       Starbucks is going bellyup here. May as well give away the tons of product they got stored somewhere. +
blissmiss, Feb 22 2009
  

       Free coffee is available at many rest stops along US Highways, as are strangers and tables. But not the coupons.
Amos Kito, Feb 22 2009
  

       I sense someone is lonely.
sninctown, Feb 22 2009
  

       I thinky you maybe right.
blissmiss, Feb 22 2009
  

       // I sense someone is lonely   

       LOL I thought up this idea while sitting alone in a cafe waiting for my wife to finish shopping :)
simonj, Feb 23 2009
  

       After seeing 21's anno I keep reading this idea as "Coffee with Stranglers".
bigsleep, Feb 23 2009
  

       As it could very well be! Fact is, you won't know until you're being strangled.
21 Quest, Feb 23 2009
  

       I like the intention but not the mechanism, a coffee shop giving away coffee won't last very long unless you specify it is only valid at lunchtime and hope people will order food.   

       It would be better to have 2 for the price of 1 coupons. You could even make them with a couple of variations on a jigsaw piece so that you have to mingle a bit to find someone with the matching half.
marklar, Feb 23 2009
  

       // 2 for the price of 1 coupons   

       Or 1 for the price of 2. This would involve 2 queues, moochers and payers, who get paired at the till before sitting.
bigsleep, Feb 23 2009
  

       I like this idea. It needs to be as convenient as normal coffee drinking, and situated in some of the most lonely places on earth - e.g. central business districts of large cities.
vincevincevince, Feb 23 2009
  

       But most businesspeople can afford to buy coffee...
up_on_cloud_nine, Feb 23 2009
  

       //But most businesspeople can afford to buy coffee..   

       ...yet have few friends
simonj, Feb 26 2009
  

       Hmm. what if half the coffee sleeves had secret messages on them, and the other half a corresponding cypher. Both the code and the cypher sleeve could be given out around the same time, and you would be encouraged to go up to other customers and see if you could crack the code together. The Challenge of it would make people at ease with approaching or conversing with others, and the game of decoding the message for a few minutes would allow you to get to know a stranger with significantly less social pressure.
bobofthefuture, Feb 26 2009
  

       What would the messages be?
up_on_cloud_nine, Feb 27 2009
  

       hmm i dont know. the could be quotes, or words of wisdom, or something that makes you feel like youve discovered a secret. I guess the could be anything so long as they were interesting enough to those decoding them.
bobofthefuture, Feb 27 2009
  

       [hippo] that link is very frightening. And funny.
blissmiss, Apr 06 2009
  

       You can all go for coffee, for all I care.
theleopard, Apr 06 2009
  


 

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