by Tom Bastek
Last updated: 10:30 AM ET, Mon November 24, 2014
Airbnb took the peer-to-peer approach to booking accommodations by allowing you to rent a room or a house from a complete stranger. Zipcar took vehicles and let you rent them by the hour both stateside and overseas. Now there is a whole revolution of meal sharing that is the next big thing.
What is it?
Meal sharing is where local people open their homes and invite strangers to come enjoy, and sometimes prepare, a meal. Depending on the company, you might be joining others at a meal, or it may just be you. Some websites set up cooking classes with locals in their homes, some offer up a chance to experience a themed meal. There are plenty of choices both in and out of the country.
How does it work?
At almost all of the sites, you create a profile as a guest. You put in all of your pertinent information, find a host that you would like to eat with, and schedule a reservation. Some sites like Traveling Spoon have you put in the type of experience you are looking for, the dates you are looking to dine on, and then they send you back a customized plan.
Is it safe?
It is probably the first question that you asked when you started reading this article. All of the sites have some sort of vetting process.Some sites go vet the house in person to make sure that it is clean and safe. Others use the power of reviews and social media, so that a host builds their own reputation.
Can I host?
Some of us out there love to cook and would love to share that with the world. Maybe you don't have a big enough family to prepare an extravagant meal. Maybe you have a repertoire of seafood recipes and your girlfriend is allergic to shellfish. Maybe you just want to meet some new friends.
Some of these sites are just overseas hosting and some are anywhere. Mealsharing allows you to share a meal in your house with your rules. There was one today in my neighborhood that was titled, "Healthy + Beer." It has no set date (you email them and pick one), it has a description of the host and what the environment is going to be like.
Here is a list of some of the meal sharing websites that are out there:
Traveling Spoon: Overseas in Asia mostly. Dinner and cooking experiences. All hosts vetted in person.
Mealsharing: 450 cities around the world. Meal profiles are determined by hosts.Phone Number verification for hosts.
Bookalokal: Also worldwide like Mealsharing. Meals are determined by hosts as well. Hosts who carry the "verified" title have been vetted in person.
Eatwith: Worldwide in about 150 cities. Experiences are selected by hosts. Verified hosts are vetted by the company.
Feastly: Currently in four cities in the U.S. right now and growing. Hosts choose experiences. Verified hosts are personally vetted and insured by the company to one million dollars.
Take a turn at doing something unique and way-off the mainstream path. Or if you are a cook, host an event and share a meal and an experience with some strangers. You will more than likely make some new friends. Too crazy? Something you would try? Let me know in comments below.
For the latest travel news, updates and deals, subscribe to the daily TravelPulse newsletter.
Topics From This Article to Explore
