Maple Mate Will Pay People to Go on a Brunch Date With a Canadian

October is the start of cuffing season — that time of year when people are looking to couple up before it gets too cold out — and if you’re searching for a special someone, the secret to true love might lie in… maple syrup.

Luckily for single Americans who enjoy an 11 a.m. order of waffles, Maple Mate will pay you to go on a brunch date with a Canadian. The initiative — which is courtesy of Maple from Canada, the U.S. brand for Québec Maple Syrup Producers — will reimburse participating dates for the cost of a brunch up to $65 (that sounds like enough to get a round of mimosas). 

The system is simple: Go on a date with a Canadian, make sure to save a printed receipt, and apply for reimbursement through Maple Mate’s online form. Anyone who qualifies will be compensated with a prepaid Visa card. Only one submission for compensation is allowed per person and receipt, and the meal must be purchased within the 50 states or the District of Columbia. 

Maple Mate’s description of brunch is broad, so feel free to order whatever you like. According to the site’s terms and conditions, it’s defined as “a late morning meal eaten instead of breakfast and lunch.” Dates must take place between October 15 and November 15 of this year, and your application for payment needs to be entered by midnight on December 31.

A free meal is a rare and beautiful thing, and if you’re wondering why Maple from Canada is being so generous, so am I. The lighthearted premise behind this enterprise is that by going to brunch with a Canadian you might “fall in love with maple syrup.” It’s obviously not literal — maybe you’ll fall in love with a Canadian, the maple syrup you pour over some pancakes, a new brunch spot, or none of the above — but it’s a good reminder that Canada is known for its quality maple syrup.

Here in the United States, Vermont maple syrup is likely the most familiar version of the sweet, sticky condiment. (And I’ll admit I’m partial to it, my own boyfriend is from Vermont after all — maybe I fell in love through maple syrup!) But while the Green Mountain State is the biggest producer in the U.S., Canada provides approximately 71% of the world’s maple syrup.

The overwhelming majority of syrup that Canada is shipping all across the globe comes from Québec (around 91%). As the largest province by territory in the country, and with areas of deciduous forest that naturally include sugar maple trees (the primary source of maple syrup), it’s not surprising that Québec produces nearly eight million gallons of the liquid each year. As a point of comparison, Vermont yields nearly 900,000 gallons annually.

Because of the temperamental nature of maple syrup harvests — which are largely dependent on the weather in any given year — the Québec Maple Syrup Producers houses a “strategic reserve” of syrup, or excess syrup that’s stored after bountiful harvests, so it can be sold in years with a poor yield. These reserves and the world’s reliance on Canada for most of its maple syrup somewhat controversially allow the organization to control the supply and pricing of syrup.

Whether the syrup you buy is from Vermont or Canada, as long as it’s pure maple syrup you’ll be getting the same product from either place. (Just make sure you pay attention to the grade, which is determined by the point in the harvest season that the syrup is tapped, so you can find the viscosity, flavor, and color that you like!).

Any dispute over maple syrup monopolies aside, I think it’s in everyone’s best interest to get a free brunch when they can — just make sure you ask someone out and apply quickly, because Maple Mate will only be reimbursing brunches until it reaches a total cap of $10,000.