COEUR d'ALENE - Heather Manning said she always thought speed-dating was weird.

But that didn't stop the 25-year-old from joining 30 other singles for Thursday night's first speed-dating event hosted by Applebee's on Hanley Avenue in Coeur d'Alene.

"If people are actually looking to meet new people, I thought 'Why not?'" Manning said. "I just want to meet new people. If anything, you're going to get a friend out of it."

And a romantic spark might fly, perhaps maybe even fireworks, or not.

But that's OK too, because speed-dating is a timed, round-robin-style series of mini blind dates.

"If you're not interested, you're not stuck," Manning said.

No matter how awkward things get for a speed-dater, he or she always knows the timer will run out and then it is on to the next little date.

"It's a better option than just going to a bar to meet people," Manning said.

Speed-dating creates a purposeful environment where everyone involved is in it because they want to be, she said. Those who sign up have a desire to learn about the other daters and share information about themselves.

Manning said it also seems like a good way to brush up on dating skills, for those just re-entering the singles scene.

Applebee's bartender Jennifer Navano pitched the idea of hosting a speed-dating night to Applebee's local management, and they liked it.

"I just thought it would be fun, something completely new that a lot of people in North Idaho have never done," she said.

Navano handed out name tags and information sheets, and then posted the female participants each at a separate table around the bar.

The guys moved from table-to-table, spending five minutes chatting it up with each woman.

Navano circled the bar with a timer, checking on each pair of daters until their five minutes was up.

"Time to switch," she would call out.

The little dates would end, goodbyes were exchanged, and then it was on to more introductions at the next table.

"I don't see many awkward moments," Navano said.

Nearly all the speed-daters seemed genuinely interested and engaged in the dialogues unfolding at the tables around the bar.

Snippets of conversation rose above the combination of dining chatter, clinking glasses and background music.

"Did you grow up here?"

"I'm actually from Bonners Ferry."

"We went fishing on Tuesday."

"Do you have any pets?"

"I really wanted to go to Gonzaga."

Most of the speed-daters were in their mid-to-late 20s, with some in their 30s.

Navano said a man in his 50s was making the rounds at the tables, as was a guy in his 60s.

Some of the people spending money at the bar weren't speed-dating, but they came to check it out, including a pair who work at another local restaurant.

"How come we never do fun things like this?" one asked the other as they climbed onto their bar stools.

Applebee's Associate Manager James West surveyed the speed-dating scene and smiled.

"For our first event, this is a pleasant surprise," he said.