See You at Dining Club
Words by Angelina Feronti / Photos by Rachel Waters
Sitting at a restaurant table with 11 strangers, I realized that if we as people are social animals, we are hungry ones.
Over the last decade, among the lingering isolation of the pandemic, the disappearance of third places, and the advertising- and entertainment-driven, dopamine-addictive pull to never put our phones down, the fabric of our social lives shapeshifted. As these forces chisel away at our sense of harmony and togetherness, some people simply grew tired of it all. And so, social clubs have re-emerged as an act of resistance to the current state of things, filling a need for people to connect with community.
A dining club has a low barrier to entry. Unlike many social clubs, a dining club doesn’t require you to complete an activity in advance (read a book) or endure intense physical activity (running and biking) or be competitive (play chess). Instead, at a dining club, you must be willing to sit down with strangers and eat.
That’s exactly the sentiment Kortnee Turpin, founder of OKC Dining Club, shared with me: “My two hobbies are I like to eat and I like to talk to strangers.” So much so that she started OKC Dining Club in April 2024. After recently hitting the one-year anniversary and hosting over 19 events, it has resonated with many.
Like many things I stumbled upon as a late 20-something in 2025, I first saw the rise of dining clubs on Instagram. A simple search for “okc dining club” or “okc food club” will result in a handful of these clubs in varying sizes, purposes, and audiences. Some focus on brunch, others young professionals, a men’s only version is available, and more. I was drawn to OKC Dining Club’s friendly host who often shares candid videos of herself talking to the camera, its transparent Q&A pinned to the top of the page, its feed of videos and photos of people having a good time over drinks and food, and its tagline: Not your average dinner club. I applied.
To maintain a reasonable party size, the OKC Dining Club guest list is capped at 12. Open to all and run on a first-come, first-served basis, it was somewhat like getting pre-sale concert tickets: see the event date posted, wait for the sign-up to go live days later, and sign up to secure a seat or be put on a waitlist. I received a message with details, securing my spot. But there was also an element of surprise: The exact location and time wasn’t shared yet, building anticipation for where and who I’d meet. The night before the event, I received my invite to Tamashii Ramen House. Due to party size issues, we pivoted to the conveniently located Vietnamese-owned Rivière Modern Bánh Mì across the street.
OKC Dining Club always meets in local restaurants—which stems from Kortnee’s love for supporting local businesses, she explained. “I’ve been closely acquainted with how much of a difference it is when you go into a local business. The quality is better, the experience is better, and the taste is better. I’ve watched a lot of my favorite restaurants close over the years, and we should go to them while we can.” This expectation of hospitality was met by Rivière, as they quickly pushed three tables together and accommodated us.
Over shared appetizers of karaage chicken and “Gangnam style fries,” we went around the table and introduced ourselves, discussing if it was our first time, how we heard about the club, and what we hoped to get out of it. I was surprised to find myself surrounded by an equal mix of OKC locals and transplants from Texas, Idaho, and New York. Ages ranged from early 20s to early 40s. While the club is open to all by Kortnee’s design, we were all women. Some married, single, mothers, divorced, seeking new friends after moving back home, seeking “adventurous types” to try new restaurants with … we were all, one way or another, seeking connection.
This connection prospered most during the discussion of the dinner’s prompt, which Kortnee sent to us in advance. In honor of women’s history month in March, the prompt asked us to “think of a great woman you know and what their life has meant to you.” After devouring our bánh mìs, we tabled our introductory conversations to give each person the floor. I listened as these new strangers talked about their mothers, grandmothers, mentors, and best friends. I shared about my mother. I was out of my comfort zone, telling a group of strangers who I’d only known for little more than an hour about how my mother’s hardships shaped me. On this Thursday night, unexpected tears were shed and then quickly returned to laughs over the contemplation of dessert.
In large part, the laughter was due to Kortnee’s funny, warm, and inviting presence. Her magnetic personality paired with her joy for conversation and good food permeated the atmosphere. Above all else, I was drawn to return simply to connect with her again.
After all, it’s Kortnee’s dream to create community and facilitate it, and as OKC Dining Club continues to grow, the dream becomes a reality. At the end of the evening, as we said our goodbyes and returned to our lives, we all left with something, whether it be a restaurant to check off the list or a burgeoning new friendship. And that’s exactly what Kortnee hopes her guests get out of it. She says, “Dining Club is for whoever is reading this. Introvert, extrovert, tons of friends, looking for friends. Everyone who has taken a chance has had a good experience. Take a chance.”
OKC Dining Club, instagram.com/okcdiningclub
