These Community Guidelines are incorporated into and governed by Picnic's Terms of Service. Violations may result in warnings, suspensions, or permanent bans from the platform.
1 What Picnic Is
Picnic is a social dining platform built for friendship, professional networking, and meaningful conversation. It is explicitly not a dating app. Every feature we have built — from verified profiles to show-rate tracking to conversation-focused events — is designed around one goal: helping people have great meals and real connections.
If you are using Picnic to pursue romantic relationships, send flirtatious messages, or evaluate other users as potential dates, you are violating the spirit and the rules of this platform. We take this seriously.
2 Showing Up
The most important thing you can do on Picnic is show up when you say you will. When you RSVP to a Picnic, a real person has reserved a seat for you, planned a conversation around the group size, and possibly turned away other interested attendees. A no-show doesn't just affect the host — it affects everyone at the table.
- Attend every event you register for, or cancel as early as possible through the app
- If something comes up last-minute, cancel immediately — even a last-minute cancellation is better than a no-show
- Your show rate is public on your profile. Repeated no-shows will result in restrictions on your ability to join future events
🙋 Genuine emergencies happen
If you have a legitimate reason for a no-show, you can appeal through the app. We review every appeal fairly.
3 Behavior at Events
3.1 Be present and engaged
You're there to connect with people, not to scroll your phone. Come prepared to contribute to the conversation. The host set a topic for a reason — engage with it. You don't have to agree with everyone, but you do have to be respectful.
3.2 Respect every person at the table
Picnic events bring together people from different backgrounds, professions, ages, and life stages. That diversity is the point. Behavior that makes any attendee feel unwelcome, unsafe, or disrespected will not be tolerated, including:
- Discriminatory comments or jokes based on race, ethnicity, religion, gender, sexual orientation, disability, national origin, or age
- Aggressive debate tactics, talking over others, or dominating conversation
- Inappropriate questions about income, relationship status, or physical appearance
- Any form of flirting, romantic pursuit, or sexual commentary
3.3 Respect the venue
You are a guest at a restaurant or venue. Be courteous to staff, pay your share of the bill, and leave the space in good order. Hosts are responsible for communicating any specific venue expectations to their group in advance.
4 Hosting Responsibilities
Hosts take on additional responsibility when they create a Picnic. As a host you agree to:
- Show up on time and be the first to arrive when possible
- Create a welcoming environment for all confirmed attendees
- Accurately represent the event in your description, including conversation topic, cost expectations, and any special requirements
- Mark attendance accurately after the event — your show-rate records depend on hosts being honest about who showed up
- Not cancel events frivolously or with insufficient notice. Repeated host cancellations will result in restrictions on your ability to create events
🪑 Host authority
Hosts have the authority to remove an attendee from their event — this mirrors the real-world dynamic of hosting. If you exercise this authority, please also report the behavior through the app so our team can review it.
5 Online Conduct
The standards above apply to in-app messaging, event descriptions, profile content, and reviews — not just in-person behavior.
- Your profile must accurately represent you. No fake names, misleading photos, or false professional information
- Messages must be professional and respectful. Do not send unsolicited personal messages to other users outside of event coordination
- Reviews must be honest and constructive. Do not write fake positive reviews for yourself or malicious reviews intended to harm another user
- Do not attempt to move conversations to outside platforms for the purpose of circumventing Picnic's community standards
6 Privacy and Safety
- Do not photograph other attendees without their explicit consent
- Do not share personal information about other users — including their full name, employer, neighborhood, or contact details — outside of the platform without their consent
- Do not attempt to identify or contact another user outside of Picnic without their explicit invitation to do so
- If you feel unsafe at any point during an event, trust your instincts and leave. Your safety is more important than social courtesy. Report the situation to us after you are safe
7 What Happens When Someone Violates These Guidelines
We use a three-tier enforcement system. We believe in giving people a chance to correct their behavior, with the exception of the most serious violations.
Warning
A formal warning explaining what occurred, which guideline was violated, and what happens next. Recorded on your account.
Temporary Suspension
7 to 30 days depending on severity. You cannot join, create, or message about events during this period.
Permanent Ban
Permanent removal. Cannot be reinstated. Attempts to create new accounts to circumvent a ban will be terminated.
- Any threat of violence or physical harm toward another user
- Sexual harassment of any kind, including unwanted physical contact at an event
- Using Picnic to solicit, meet, or communicate with anyone under 18 years of age
- Attending an event after being removed by the host or Picnic
- Creating fake profiles or impersonating another person
- Sharing another user's private information publicly (doxxing)
- Any conduct that results in a law enforcement investigation related to your use of the platform
8 How to Report
If someone violates these guidelines, please report them. You can report a user or event through the in-app report feature on any profile or event page. You can also email us at legal@startapicnic.com.
All reports are reviewed by our team. We will not share your identity with the person you report. We will follow up with you on the outcome when appropriate.
🚨 If you are in immediate danger
Contact local emergency services (911) first. Picnic's reporting system is not a substitute for emergency services.
9 Appeals
If you believe a warning, suspension, or ban was applied in error, you may appeal by contacting legal@startapicnic.com within 14 days of the enforcement action. Include your account information and a description of why you believe the action was incorrect. We review all appeals and aim to respond within 7 business days. Picnic's decision on appeals is final.
10 Updates to These Guidelines
Picnic may update these Community Guidelines as the platform grows and as we learn more about what our community needs. We will notify you of material changes through the app. The most current version of these guidelines is always available within the app and at startapicnic.com.
These guidelines exist because we believe great things happen when people actually show up, treat each other well, and put the phone down for an hour. That's the community we're building. Thank you for being part of it.