How do I ask to join a plan on MeetNow?

Short answer: To ask to join a plan on MeetNow, find a plan near you that you like, check the place, date, time, seats and who pays, then send a request with a short note. The host sees your note and profile and accepts or declines. If you are accepted, you join the plan’s group chat, meet the group at the public place on the plan, and afterwards you both confirm “we met”.

Joining is the quickest way to start meeting people on MeetNow: you do not have to organise anything, just pick a plan and ask. This page explains each step and how to write a note that hosts want to say yes to. For the basics, see what MeetNow is and how it works.

How to ask to join a plan, step by step

Look at plans near you. Each plan shows what it is, the public place, the date and time, how many seats are open and who pays.
Read the plan carefully. Make sure the time works for you, the place is somewhere you are happy to go, and the who-pays label (host pays, split, pay your own, or free) suits you.
Send a request with a short note. Tell the host a little about yourself and why the plan appeals to you. Tips for a good note are below.
Wait for the host’s decision. The host sees your note and your profile, then accepts or declines your request.
Join the group chat. If you are accepted, you get access to the plan’s group chat with the host and the other guests. Say hello and confirm the meeting point.
Meet at the public place. Arrive on time, and settle any costs the way the plan says.
Confirm “we met”. After the plan, you and the host both confirm “we met”. Each confirmation builds your track record, which shows hosts that you turn up to the plans you join.

How to write a good short note

Your note is the first thing the host learns about you, together with your profile. It does not need to be long. A good note does three things:

Shows you read the plan. Mention the activity, the place or the time.
Says something about you. One detail is enough: you are new to Malta, you play padel at a beginner level, you love Maltese food.
Confirms the practical bits. If it is a split or pay your own plan, saying “happy to split” removes any doubt.

Three example notes

For a dinner plan: “Hi! Moved to Sliema last month and would love to try a proper Maltese dinner. Happy to split, and I will be on time.”
For a padel plan: “Hello, I have played padel for about a year, so intermediate-ish. Free that evening and happy to split the court.”
For a coffee plan: “Hi, I work near Valletta and am trying to meet people outside the office. A coffee on Saturday sounds perfect.”

Avoid one-word notes like “hi” or “me”, which give the host nothing to go on, and keep the tone friendly and simple.

Keep your profile honest

The host sees your profile before deciding, so keep it accurate and up to date. A clear, honest profile and a growing track record of “we met” confirmations make it easier for hosts to say yes to you.

What happens if I’m declined?

Nothing else changes. Hosts decide who joins each plan, and they may decline for all kinds of reasons: the plan may have the right group already, the activity may suit a particular level, or the host may have limited who can join, for example by gender or age range. Do not take it personally. Simply ask to join another plan, or host your own; the guide on hosting a plan on MeetNow shows how.

Using the group chat

Once you are accepted, the group chat is where the plan comes together. Use it to:

Say hello so the group knows who is coming.
Confirm the exact meeting point and time.
Agree any details about costs, for example whether drinks are included in a split dinner.
Let the host know as early as possible if you can no longer make it.

Dinner plans are a good example of how this works in practice; see joining a group dinner with new people in Malta.

Before you go: safety

Every plan is at a public place, but your own steps matter too. Stay in public, tell a friend where you are going, arrange your own way home, and leave if you feel uncomfortable. You can block anyone who makes you uncomfortable. More detail is in is MeetNow safe?

Frequently asked questions

Does it cost anything to ask to join a plan?

No. MeetNow is free. Any cost belongs to the plan itself, and the who pays label tells you how it is handled before you ask.

What should I write in my note?

Keep it short: show you have read the plan, share one detail about yourself and confirm the practical bits, such as being happy to split.

Can the host see my profile?

Yes. The host sees your profile together with your note before accepting or declining your request.

What happens after I am accepted?

You join the plan’s group chat with the host and the other guests, meet at the public place on the plan, and afterwards confirm “we met”.

What if my request is declined?

Simply ask to join another plan, or host your own. Hosts decline for many reasons, and it is not a judgement on you.

Want to turn this into an actual plan? MeetNow is a free app for meeting people in person: a host posts a plan at a public place, says who pays (host pays, split, pay your own or free) and picks who joins. It is live on the web now, starting in Malta, with the phone apps on the way: open MeetNow and see the plans near you.