Free dessert for singles? Curing broken hearts with conversation and cake

Meeting people online in Prague isn’t difficult especially when expat life — with its many dedicated Facebook groups — increasingly takes place in cyberspace.

“As a result of this lifestyle, many people are alone and losing contact with other humans. We want to help these people to have a stress-free way to contact other people just for a friendly face-to-face chat or to develop a sincere friendship within the group,” says Ms. Micková.

The inviting club room, with its historic-apartment vibe, is located just below Prague Castle and surrounded by a Baroque-style garden. It’s intended to offer singles visiting the Czech capital a safe, relaxed, and, above all, offline chance to socialize.

While the club is geared toward all kinds of relationships — sincere friendship, travel companionship, true love, or just friendly conversation when loneliness strikes — random hookups are not part of the experience, stresses Micková.

“The club room is considered a place for members who want to relax for a while in a nice, welcoming atmosphere, have a drink and a bite, and just use it as a meeting point,” she says, adding that she wants members to enjoy local hospitality without stressing over where to meet.

Singles who sign up for the club are given a list of venues that support the initiative as well as included on a mailing list for parties and events. A pin with the SFC insignia, meant to be worn in places that bear the SFC sticker on the door, is also issued upon registration.

In Prague, those places currently include Cafe de Paris, a venerable Malá Strana institution serving French bistro classics, which is offering club members a free welcome drink or dessert.

Tbilisi Restaurant, a family-run Georgian eatery below Prague Castle also offers a 10-percent discount to club members.

“I want lonely people to be able to enjoy life again, to become part of a big community of single people around the world who are alone for any number of reasons,” says Ms. Micková who is on the lookout for partner businesses who’d like to join her efforts to give single folks true companionship and memorable experiences in an online age.