Have you ever eaten in a restaurant alone?

[supernova]

Prompted by the movie thread.

Have you ever eaten in a restaurant alone? I'm not talking about sitting at the bar, watching TV. I mean sitting at the table with your linen napkin, and silverware and china.

As much as I love trying new places and dining out, I'd feel odd. Too self-conscious.

What about you? If you dine out alone, how do you do it? Maybe I can pick up a few tips.

[Intelsucks]

1. I haven't been grocery shopping since 1992, so the answer is yes.

I hate fast food!x(

[Loonman]

All the time

Not that big of a deal.

[GOPisEvil]

2. I have, but it's an odd feeling.

In fact, I think I've only eaten breakfast that way. Somehow that's less strange.

Most times when I go out to eat by myself, I sit at the bar. Or, I take food to go.

[supernova]

8. Me too

the takeout route, I mean.

Sitting at the bar is OK, because you can talk to the person next to you usually.

But I can see movies by myself just fine. Go figure. :shrug:

[Zuni]

3. I have

I just bring a newspaper. I do it all the time when i am at work.

[Rabrrrrrr]

4. Oh yeah - many, many times.

Just last night, in fact.

I love it! And I always take a book. If I'm out and hungy, but don't have a book with me, I won't eat. Maybe I'm missing something that way, but what the hell. I need the book if I'm alone.

:-)

[ronnykmarshall]

5. Many times

When I was traveling alot with work I did a lot. Read TONS of books.

[phillybri]

6. What's weird about that....

You can actually be quiet and enjoy the meal....

Perfect place to eat alone? SUSHI BAR!!!!

Mmmmmmmm....sushi...

[supernova]

12. mmm... sushi

you're making me salivate! :9

[PVnRT]

7. Frequently

I just bring a book and read until the food arrives. Not like I could get a date to go with me anyway.

[ClintonTyree]

9. Many times.................

having been twice married and not inclined to do it again, I dine alone quite often. I don't think of it as odd, I always bring a book or newspaper and I quite enjoy my own company. It's only awkward and strange of you allow it to be awkward and strange. A healthy self image helps.

[HuckleB]

10. When I travel I do, quite often.

Just relax and enjoy yourself. Don't let pretensions bother you.

[ProfessorGAC]

29. Used To Do The Same

Now, i know where all the good carryout places are around the sites i visit. So, i'll get a couple bottles of beer, carryout (Chinese, sushi, or good ol' american cuisine) and go back to my room and eat while watching TV or playing on the computer.

I figure if i'm going to eat alone, i would rather BE alone.
The Professor

[HuckleB]

35. I do that, too, sometimes. But I love to people watch.

Not only that, I do often end up in conversation with others, if not at dinner, then afterward or beforehand in a lounge or pub.

[ProfessorGAC]

38. I Do THAT, Too!

You and i must be similar in that regard. I can strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, anytime. So, i will stop at a pub, or bar, and just start talking to people. It is a way to pass the time, i suppose, when one is traveling solo.
The Professor

[Intelsucks]

11. Haven't you ever tried mackin' on the waitresses before?

n/t

[supernova]

15. I enjoy "mackin' " on the waiters myself..

I'm in the breast club, you see. :D

[sinkingfeeling]

13. Been dining alone in restaurants for the last 31 years...

I too, usually read a paper or book. I've never felt 'odd' about being a single diner.

[ikojo]

14. Yes, I do this a lot.

There are times when all I want to do is have a good meal and read and relax.

The most recent outing alone to a restaurant was to the Cheesecake factory for their Sunday Brunch (I do not recommend the brunch). It was nice. I was waiting to go see LOTR for the second time and had time to kill.

[supernova]

16. Hear wonderful things

about Cheesecake Factory. May have to try that. :D

Yes, I think a book would help. That's certainly not unusual for a bookworm like me.

[ikojo]

44. The regular food at the Cheesecake Factory is DELICIOUS

I just would not recommend their brunch. It's stuff off the regular menu but at brunch prices. I like buffet type brunches where they make your omelet and you pay a flat rate for all sorts of delicious food. Done right and a brunch can be your only meal of the day.

[tkulesa]

17. Often

There are too many good restaurants here in NYC. I eat out often, alone, with friends, just because the food is good.

Yum.

[FunBobbyMucha]

18. I don't know if this meets your criteria, but I went to Hooters alone

and took a book! It was New Years Eve, around noon--everyone I knew was working but me. I was up that way and wanted wings. I don't think the waitress (Steffy) had ever seen a man walk in there with a book before. I spent a few minutes trying to explain American Splendor (it was an anthology I got for Xmas) and Harvey Pekar to her before she stumbled back to the kitchen with my order, trying to remain perky and not perplexed.

Good wings, though. And rack.

[supernova]

19. Let me get this straight

You walked into Hooters with the intent to read a book?

Riiiiiiiiight. Whatever you say! :D

[FunBobbyMucha]

20. It's true, Supernova!

I read about a third of the book. Probably coulda gotten half except for the distractions. It's like an old kiddie sing-along in that place: "Follow the bouncing balls!"

[Cat Atomic]

21. Sure. I just bring some reading material.

[trof]

37. Me too.

[greatauntoftriplets]

22. Yes, many times.

I've also been treated like a pariah in certain places, even though I tip well.

[supernova]

24. Interesting point GAoT, are some types of restaurants better

than others for single diners? If so what are they? Phillybri mentioned the sushi bar and I agree with that one.

[greatauntoftriplets]

27. No, I can't really identify any type of restaurant as being....

...better than another. Since I don't eat sushi, I can't comment on that. It depends on the individual place, the person waiting on me and even how that person feels on that particular day -- what kind of day he/she is having. Perhaps they think that a woman alone will tip poorly and so they resent it -- even in nicer places and when I order a drink or two.

For example, about a week before Christmas, I took a day off work to have some work done on my car and go to the mall to finish my shopping. Stopped for lunch at Maggiano's, a fairly upscale chain Italian place. It was crowded, but they seated me in a great location and I had a terrific meal and very attentive service -- with a hefty bill because I had two glasses of wine. (Nothing eases the shopping like booze.)

[PhishWithLemon99]

48. Maggiano's is delicious

Unfortunately, there are only two in Pennsylvania that I know of, both in Philadelphia. It makes the Olive Garden look like McDonalds.

[supernova]

50. Finally got a Maggiano's here

with the new mall built last year. It must be good, the place is always packed.

[VelmaD]

23. Yes and it usually pisses me off

I have found that as a single woman alone I get crappy service from the waitstaff. I'm normally a really big tipper because I used to wait tables but I actually walked out of a restaurant in Waco without tipping AT ALL because the waiter pretty much ignored me the entire time I was there. *sigh*

[supernova]

25. See that's kinda what worries me

about eating alone in public. Especially if I've got my nose stuck in a book. Sorry you got bad service.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

28. That's interesting...I've rarely had that problem

In fact, there've been many times when the waiter or waitress made a point of chatting a little and making sure I was comfortable.

[VelmaD]

31. Hmm...

Maybe I just have really bad luck with waitstaff.

I do know that I also feel like my girl best friend and I get treated differently when we go out to eat than my guy best friend and I do. She and I usually get worse service but then sometimes we'll get a waiter who likes to stay at the table and flirt. :-)

The one that really pissed me off was the waitress at Chuy's here in Austin who hit on my guy best friend constantly and paid NO attention to me at all. I literally had to ask her 3 times to get my water refilled. It was his turn to pay and she got a crappy tip from him because of it. I was a little miffed at the time but he and I cackle about it now.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

43. I was in Buffalo recently

and ate a late lunch in a Greek restaurant. I was the only person there, and the waitress talked with me through practically the entire meal, offering suggestions about places to visit while I was there. There are times when this would've probably annoyed me; but she was a nice kid, and I enjoyed the company.

I guess experienced waitstaff develop a sense of how much attention a diner wants after awhile.

[GoddessOfGuinness]

26. I like restaurants/bars with interesting decor

when I'm eating alone. I'm especially fond of the ones that exhibit paintings and photos by local artists. Establishments with live entertainment are enjoyable too.

You say your "odd" feeling comes from being "too self-conscious"; but I wonder if it isn't because you aren't self-conscious enough. Maybe you need to spend more time with yourself without distractions. You're probably a really great person to be conscious of. :-)

[Lostmessage]

30. I was a bartender at a fine dining restaurant in College

We had one man that would come in and eat alone on all of the holidays and we took pity on him and gave him his food for free. It turns out that he would come in just to get away from his In Laws and he wasn't lonely after all. :nopity:

[greendog]

32. many times

I spent 6 months traveling by myself....if I wanted a nice meal it was just me and the local newspaper. Of course there were times when it was more satisfying to sit at the bar, eat pub food, and meet the locals.

[Interrobang]

33. I do.

There are a number of places I *won't* go out to eat by myself (Chinese is best when shared, for instance), but I'll go out to eat alone more often than not. Of course, right now I'm unemployed and have no money, so if I go out to eat at all these days, it's with someone who's picking up the tab... :) Usually when I go by myself, I bring a book. No bother!

[sendero]

34. Of course.

Why not? Sometimes a person needs to eat and is alone. I've felt a bit self-conscious about it, but I got over it :)

[Nikia]

36. Yes

My first time dining alone, in an actual sit down resturaunt, was my freshman year of college. It was the day after Thanksgiving and I was one of the few people on campus. After shopping in the afternoon, I went to a nice restaurant and spent $20 on myself.

[cmf]

39. Many times

It comes with having a job that requires travel. The first few times it's weird, but after that I've never had a problem. I believe that even as self-conscious as you feel, people aren't judging you.

[Cleita]

40. Lot's of times.

If I had to wait for someone to take me out or just accompany me, I wouldn't have dined in many of the fine restaurants that I did. Also not being distracted by a dining companion let's you look around and observe what's happening around you. It's interesting really to people watch in a restaurant. Also, you don't have to do that whole whose going to pay the check thing.

[curse10]

41. Many times

it doesn't bother me.

[SOteric]

42. You bet. And I love it.

No one to tease me about my menu choices, no hassles over the check and no stilted, awkward dinner conversation. I have no problem having any specific meal at a restaurant with just me and a good book.

[BritishHuman]

47. That's what I do.

A nice quiet meal, prepared by somebody else, where I can read my book between courses. Very pleasant.

[BiggJawn]

45. I'd rather eat one of my own turds.

I HATE eating alone. My motto is "Two Dine, One merely Refuels..."

Of course, when I travel on business, I have to eat alone.
No fun. I've eaten in some of Las Vegas' nicest places, and it was as much a thrill as a double whopper sups-sized in my truck.

[TEXASYANKEE]

46. Yep.

As long as I have reading material, it's not a problem.

[lazarus]

49. Before I was married

I ate out alone frequently. Always with a good book or a new magazine. Loved it.

[flamingyouth]

51. All the time

I take a book; I enjoy it, myself.

[IronLionZion]

52. who cares?

I can usually find someone to go eat but if not then I just go by myself. Sometimes you just have to suck up your pride and do it.

[dawn]

53. No, never at a table by myself.

I have, however, eaten by myself at the bar.

[VOX]

54. Depends on the restaurant. If it's a casual place, sure...

I'd be less likely to eat alone in a formal restaurant.

But I've done it. I always bring something to read, though.

[UCLA02]

55. I really enjoy eating in a restaurant alone but...

feel so sorry to see others doing the same. Don't know what that means, tho. I was a history major, not soc or psych...

Maybe it's because I know I'm doing it by choice, and I wonder if they even had the choice. Dunno.