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    Modern Dating

    New online dating service relies on threesomes: Bringing friends wards off Catfishing

    Layne Lynch
    Aug 15, 2013 | 8:32 am

    Those who dread the anxieties of blind dates, Match.com and scouting the bar for potential mates can relax. A new matchmaking service takes the pressure off the modern dating experience by allowing you to take your two best wingmen along for the ride.

    Grouper has now made its way to Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and 21 other cities across the United States.

    The innovative company relies on an algorithm to match users with similar interests via their Facebook profiles and a Grouper questionnaire. From there, Grouper's in-house matchmakers evaluate and OK the matches before arranging a bar meet-up between three guys and three girls.

    "When you're with your friends, they call you out on your BS and help bring you out of your shell."

    The unique service was launched by 26-year-old Yale graduate Michael Waxman after he moved to New York and became frustrated with the city's dating scene. Through launching and testing Grouper firsthand, he was able to meet his current girlfriend, whom he has been with for a year and a half now.

    "I started it as an experiment to see if Grouper would actually succeed. I didn't tell anyone who I was in the very beginning because I wanted to anonymously get feedback about Grouper's services," Waxman says.

    "I found it so much more fun and successful than trying to meet someone online or at a bar."

    Bringing friends along for the ride takes the pressure off daters and encourages them to be more authentic, Waxman argues. "When you're with your friends, they call you out on your BS and help bring you out of your shell," he says. "And because there's six people, you don't feel the need to pair off with anyone."

    Grouper's services set up drinks at a bar between six people, with each person paying $20 to hold the reservation and pay for the first round of drinks. The two friends each Grouper brings along don't have to be single, and the two users aren't told who their match is before the date. The mystery actually makes the experience more fun, Waxman says.

    After the first round of booze, the group is allowed to decide for themselves if they want to stay for additional drinks and/or exchange contact information. The day after the get-together, Grouper follows up with the two paired individuals and inquires how the date went. Their feedback is used for any future Grouper dates.

    People who find frustration with online dating forums and scouting the bar will find favor in Grouper's model, Waxman believes.

    "We see ourselves as a deterrent to online Catfishing, and the good news is you start the night at a great bar talking to people who you probably have a lot in common with."

    Once users sign-up for Grouper, there is a about a two-week waiting period before they are matched. For more information on the new dating service, visit their website.

    Grouper turns the first date into a big group date. Threesomes anyone?

     
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    This Week's Hot Headlines

    Predicting Texas Monthly's 2025 best BBQ list and more popular stories

    CultureMap Staff
    May 24, 2025 | 10:59 am
    Truth BBQ tray
    Courtesy of Truth BBQ
    Houstonians might riot if Truth BBQ falls out of the top 10.

    Editor's note: It's time to look back at the top Houston news of the week, beginning with our predictions on an anticipated barbecue ranking. Plus, two Houston suburbs find the spotlight, and a fancy burger joint says goodbye. Get the details on our most popular stories below, then head to this guide to find the best Memorial Day weekend events.

    1. Predicting 13 barbecue joints that could make Texas Monthly's new top 10. On May 27, Texas Monthly will publish its latest ranking of the state’s 50 best barbecue joints. Before the list drops, CultureMap's Eric Sandler shares his predictions on who will make the cut.

    2. 10 Houston restaurants spicing up brunch with fresh new flavors. A wave of new and established Houston restaurants are rolling out fresh takes on everyone's favorite weekend indulgence. These 10 new options are delivering bold brunches with global influences and tipsy tinctures.

    3. East Coast-inspired tavern shakes up Rice Village with 'World's Coldest Martini'. The “World’s Coldest Martini” has arrived in Rice Village with the opening of Hudson House's second Houston-area location.

    4. 2 Houston neighbors shine as top-10 best places to live in the U.S. The Houston suburbs of Pearland and League City have landed among the top three best places to live in 2025, according to U.S. News & World Report.

    Pearland water towerAll eyes are on Pearland. City of Pearland - Government/Facebook

    5. Ben Berg's New York-inspired, fancy burger joint will soon shutter. The original location of Ben Berg’s fancy burger joint will soon serve its last meal.


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