How Enqoy is Chipping Away at Urban Loneliness in Addis, One Meal at a Time

“If you could relive a day in your life, which day would it be and why?” This was the icebreaker posed to six young urbanites on a recent Saturday afternoon at La Maison French Cuisine in the Bole Atlas neighborhood. The group, strangers until that moment, shared responses ranging from nostalgic childhood wonders to cherished family memories. Initial awkwardness fades, replaced by laughter, reflection, and perhaps, a few new friendships. 

By the time the meal ends, those strangers might choose to exchange contact information, eager to continue the newfound connections, while others might leave content with the shared experience, without any strings attached. This carefully curated dining experience wasn’t spontaneous. It was orchestrated by Enqoy, a social dining platform launched just three months ago in Addis Ababa.

Named after the Amharic word for “let us stay,” Enqoy aims to counter the rising tide of loneliness in Addis by bringing together small groups of strangers to share meals and hopefully stitch lasting connections. 

To secure a spot, participants sign up by completing a short personality assessment, selecting a convenient date, and paying a 500-birr participation fee (exclusive of food and drinks). The form helps the team design compatible groupings, mixing personality types, budget preferences, and interests. "We started with a 350-birr one-time participation fee, but when we encountered repeated instances of people not showing up at events after payment, we had to add an extra amount to ensure commitment."  Says Rediat Fufa, Enqoy’s 25-year-old founder.  “The slight increase made people more intentional, and commitment rates jumped.”  He told Shega.  

Rediat, a business management graduate from the African Leadership University and currently an Entrepreneurship Associate at the ALX Ethiopia Hub, was inspired by his own experiences of urban loneliness and the social gap he and many young people face.  “Addis is growing fast. But people’s social circles tend to stay static, work friends, high school cliques. Social media’s full of surface-level interactions. There aren’t many safe, intentional spaces where you can meet new people.” 

And so, food became the medium. The team organizes curated lunches and dinners with 4 to 7 participants per group across selected restaurants in the city. Enqoy handles everything from logistics to reservations and even provides icebreaker cards to gently nudge the conversation along. 

Initially operating every two weeks, the platform has moved to weekly sessions to meet growing demand. “Now, we might have 50 people sign up on a given date. We then split them into groups across multiple venues.” Rediat explains. The events remain group-based by design, not one-on-one, to maintain a sense of safety, spontaneity, and openness.

Since its inception 3 months ago, Enqoy has organized over 42 events, bringing together more than 220 individuals to share meals and stories. with a notable share being women, a demographic not typically drawn to digital matchmaking platforms.  

Kibreab Getachew, a 24-year-old designer, has attended two Enqoy events. Despite having an active social life, he finds value in the platform's unique approach. "It's just intriguing to meet new people," he told Shega. "I love that it's not just two people but a group with different experiences."   

To keep the experiences flexible, Enqoy currently collaborates with 10 local restaurants that cater to a range of tastes and budgets. Groupings often balance introverts and extroverts, with venues only disclosed to participants ahead of the event to maintain a relaxed, semi-private atmosphere. 

Running via a mix of social media, SMS, and calls until now, Enqoy is building a web platform to automate matching and streamline onboarding. A new technical co-founder has joined the team, helping build a dedicated web platform to automate the matching process and streamline sign-ups. Enqoy also plans to introduce themed gatherings, from book lovers’ brunches to introverts-only dinners and a "repeat match" feature that lets participants reconnect with past group members.

In a city where the pace of life can hinder the formation of new relationships, the simplicity of food as a bridge seems to cut through the usual social fatigue. “Each group is different,” says Rediat. “Sometimes people need the cards to spark conversation. Other times, they talk like old friends before the first course is done. 

Enqoy’s approach resonates with a global trend of emerging IRL (in-real-life) social apps addressing urban isolation. Timeleft, a Paris-based IRL app, has hosted similar events in over 275 cities since 2020. Another notable platform in this space is Partiful, an events app that has become a popular alternative to Facebook Events. Google named it 2024 "App of the Year."

With expansion into Nairobi and Kigali planned by the end of 2025, Enqoy looks to emulate this growing global trend.