If you go with a group of her friends, you might make some new friends! Lots of women are shy about meeting a stranger for the first time and would suggest such a group date, or just meeting for coffee. It takes a lot of pressure off of them they feel. I know someone (a guy) who meets the woman for coffee and most of these encounters go nowhere, he is picky or her photos are old and not what he thought she was, or she is picky and feels no chemistry. It feels really awkward to him because its not an official date but at the same time, he recognizes that he doesn’t know this person so an official date can be risky. Seeing this person in a group with her friends will give you a lot of clues about her and how she acts and reacts to others, and may eliminate some of that first date jitters. If she turns out to be unfriendly in person, then one of her friends just might be good to talk to. I would not pay for her meal or drinks if you are meeting in a group though and beforehand you need to clarify her expectations on if this is a date or not. I guess it could be a date where you meet up with a group of people. The other thing is if this is a group thing, you don’t have to sit around when you are ready to go but the other person is glued to their chair. You can get up and leave when you are ready because others will be leaving, too. Good luck with this whatever you decide.