FEELING SOCIAL?
Disconnection is a big issue. Saying hello isn’t.
Plenty of us spend our days surrounded by people, yet rarely talk to any of them. Often, it’s because we’re not sure a conversation would be welcome.Small moments of connection matter. Open for a Chat makes a little more room for them.Pop a marker on your table when you’re up for a chat.
See one? You’re invited to say hello.No bookings. No matching. No pressure.
Just a small, everyday way to feel a little more connected.
♡ Making human connections easier.
How it works?
Find a marker. Grab one from the counter, or ask the staff where they're kept.Put the invitation out. Pop the marker on your table when you're up for a chat. You can use it on your own or with friends.See a marker? Say hello. The marker's done the hard part. They've already said they're up for a chat, so just say hi.Not sure what to say? Ask what’s good on the menu, whether this is their local, or what brought them in today.Stay as long as feels right. A quick hello is plenty. If the conversation flows, stay a little longer. Just return the marker when you’re finished.
TABLE MANNERS
Good table manners aren’t about which fork to use.
They’re about how we make people feel when they sit down with us.The marker makes it easier to say hello. A few things help make that hello a good one.Be present.
Listen, ask questions and leave space for the other person.Read the room.
The marker is an invitation to chat. Let the conversation end whenever either of you is ready.A conversation isn’t content.
Ask before taking photos, posting online or sharing someone else’s story.Keep your boundaries.
You don’t need to share personal details, lend money, click links, make payments or go anywhere with someone.Trust your gut.
If something doesn’t feel right, step away. Ask venue staff for help if you need it.Be friendly. Be curious. Be considerate.
CONNECTION TAKES PRACTICE
We call it social stamina.Some days, saying hello comes easily. Other days, it takes a little courage. The more chances we have to chat face to face, the more familiar it can feel.And small moments count. In one study, people who smiled, made eye contact and had a quick chat with their barista reported feeling happier afterwards.Your barista’s great. With a marker on the table, your next chat might be with someone having their coffee right beside you.A hello. A conversation. Welcoming someone in.Open for a Chat gives you more chances to practise. 💛
NSW LOCATIONS (26 & growing)
PENINSULA & BOUDDI
COPA → TERRIGAL
Gosford & Erina Region
NORTHERN CENTRAL COAST
A HELLO IS JUST THE START
I stopped by Duck Duck Moose in Wyong, grabbed a coffee and put a marker on my table.I’ll be honest, it took a little while for anyone to take me up on it. That’s part of this too. Sometimes people just need a moment.A few seats away, Jean noticed my marker. We shared a smile across the tables, and a few minutes later she and her husband Peter came over to join me.They’d just moved to Australia from the UK. We talked about the move, how much they were loving it here and how excited they were to meet new people.A little marker. A visible invitation. And a conversation that probably wouldn’t have happened otherwise.Sometimes a hello takes a little while. The marker keeps the invitation open. 🧡Belle x
SOMETIMES WE JUST NEED
AN INVITATION.
Most of us would happily have a chat. We just don’t know if the other person would.So we stay in our bubble. Eyes on our phone, coffee in hand, a perfectly good conversation sitting one table away.Those small moments matter. They’re how strangers become familiar faces, and familiar faces become a community.That’s where the marker comes in. It quietly says, I’m feeling social. Come say hello.Sometimes a chat touches on something bigger. If you or someone you’re chatting with could use a bit more support, we’ve put together a few places to turn.
Magna Egestas
Where we started
Arnie's Expresso Bar.
Open for a Chat began as the Open Tables Project, with one little coffee van in Killcare Heights. Rick and the team at Arnie’s Espresso Bar said yes straight away, and the markers have been on the counter ever since.From that first coffee van, the idea has spread to cafés, clubs and a bookshop across the Central Coast and beyond. And there’s always room for one more.Fancy bringing Open for a Chat to your venue?Give the markers a spot where people can see them, pop up the poster and let your team know how it works.The starter pack includes two markers, two A4 posters, a welcome letter, a quick staff guide and ready-to-share digital resources. We’ll also add your venue to our website and introduce you on our socials.Our pilot venues joined for free. For new venues, there’s a one-off contribution for the starter pack to help cover materials, preparation and support.Send us a message for the details. We’d love to have you involved.
FROM OPEN TABLES PROJECT
TO OPEN FOR A CHAT
I’ve always believed some of the best conversations happen unexpectedly.After a tough personal season, I noticed how easy it is to feel disconnected, even when we’re surrounded by people. I kept coming back to one small question. What if we could make it easier to show we were up for a chat?That’s how I started the Open Tables Project. The idea was simple. Put a little marker on your table so someone nearby knows a hello is welcome.The words on the marker were Open for a Chat. That was the invitation then, and it’s now the name of the project too.Since then, I’ve met so many people over coffee. Locals, newcomers, people enjoying a quiet morning and people who just felt like a chat. Some of those conversations began with a smile across the room.My hope is that one day, wherever you grab a coffee or pull up a chair, you’ll see a marker on a table and know you can come say hello.Open for a Chat is part of The Welcome Lab, where I create simple ways for people to connect in their communities.See you at the table.Belle x
NEED SOMETHING MORE?
Sometimes conversations go a little deeper.Open Tables is about everyday human connection, not professional support. You don't need to have all the answers, and you don't need to fix anything.If someone shares something heavy, it's okay to simply listen, thank them for telling you, and let them know there are people who can help. Pointing someone towards support is a kind thing to do.If you or someone you're talking with needs more support:Lifeline · 24/7 crisis support · 13 11 14Beyond Blue · Anxiety, depression and mental health · 1300 22 4636Kids Helpline · Young people aged 5 to 25 · 1800 55 18001800RESPECT · Domestic, family and sexual violence · 1800 737 73213YARN · Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander support · 13 92 76MensLine Australia · Support for men · 1300 78 99 78QLife · LGBTQI+ peer support · 1800 184 527In an emergency, call 000.
