Tables for one - the rise of solo dining

Tables for one - the rise of solo dining

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Cotty

Original Poster:

39,389 posts

283 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Interesting, seems like more and more people are choosing to eat out on their own and resturants love it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28292651

Pixelpeep7r

8,600 posts

141 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Cotty said:
Interesting, seems like more and more people are choosing to eat out on their own and resturants love it.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-28292651
Hmm - business idea. Book a table for one, answer some basic questions and if there is anyone booked for the same time with similar interests they put you together. Male or female. Not dating but just company.

I get that some people like to be alone and so it would be an optional service smile

Puggit

48,355 posts

247 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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As a frequent traveler I'm often caught in the decision of whether to hide in my room or brave the big world. To be honest I love dining at a bar when alone, so the article has that item spot on for me.

Bradgate

2,819 posts

146 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Puggit said:
As a frequent traveler I'm often caught in the decision of whether to hide in my room or brave the big world. To be honest I love dining at a bar when alone, so the article has that item spot on for me.
yes Me too.

I enjoy sitting on my own in the corner of a pub or restaurant, reading my book.

I treat it as valuable, relaxing 'me-time'. On business trips, it provides a welcome respite from having to make polite conversation with colleagues with whom I may have little in common other than work. Or, worse still, colleagues who actually want to discuss work at the dinner table.

I never feel out of place, and have never had any odd reactions. Eating alone is probably easier for blokes than for women, however.

Edited by Bradgate on Thursday 24th July 15:03

CRB14

1,493 posts

151 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Communal type dining tables / benches should be used more I feel. When I lived in London I noticed that random groups would sit together at a table when drinking. It doesn't really happen elsewhere though from what I've seen.

Simes110

768 posts

150 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Bradgate said:
yes Me too.

I enjoy sitting on my own in the corner of a pub or restaurant, reading my book.

I treat it as valuable, relaxing 'me-time'. On business trips, it provides a welcome respite from having to make polite conversation with colleagues with whom I may have little in common other than work. Or, worse still, colleagues who actually want to discuss work at the dinner table.

I never feel out of place, and have never had any odd reactions. Eating alone is probably easier for blokes than for women, however.

Edited by Bradgate on Thursday 24th July 15:03
Same here. I refrained from posting earlier as I thought I was the only one who felt this way.

In my early days as a sales rep many years ago, I hated eating solo and retreated to my room with a sandwich and a bottle of wine from home. Now I love it. I hate making small talk with some disinterested colleague. As it happened, the turning point for me was when a colleague requested to eat by himself for that very reason but we 'gelled' and ended up having a good evening. But that sowed in me a love of eating by myself with a book, car magazine and / or my iPad for company.

I much prefer eating by myself these days.

So I think these solo places are great. More of the same, please.

Joey Ramone

2,150 posts

124 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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Strolled down to my lovely local pub yesterday evening, George MacDonald Fraser book in hand. Sat at the bar on my lonesome with book, pint and a wonderful gourmet hamburger with a huge plate of homemade chips.

Bliss

Pferdestarke

7,179 posts

186 months

Thursday 24th July 2014
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I eat alone at least once a week in my favourite restaurant. It's one if the week's highlights.

Type R Tom

3,859 posts

148 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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I don't have to do it much but I remember one of the first times I was away for work and eating on my own the waitress sat me in the middle of the restaurant and then proceeded to sit an entire American coach party around me. I wasn’t impressed sitting there staring at the walls trying not to look too lonely! It’s definitely something that takes a bit of getting used to.

redtwin

7,518 posts

181 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Only awkward bit is waiting for your food to arrive. I am sure that is why Angry Birds was invented as before it was quite difficult staring into space without looking like a loony. As soon as you looked around you would invariably make eye contact with someone who looked at you as if you were about to steal food off their plate.

giblet

8,824 posts

176 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Had the pleasure of solo dining a few times now, most recent one was a few weeks back when I wanted to try out a new restaurant but none of my mates were free. I got some odd looks when I walked in and sat down on my own on a table meant for 4 people. It's a lot more awkward in a restaurant, perfectly fine in a pub.

Cotty

Original Poster:

39,389 posts

283 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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redtwin said:
Only awkward bit is waiting for your food to arrive. I am sure that is why Angry Birds was invented as before it was quite difficult staring into space without looking like a loony. As soon as you looked around you would invariably make eye contact with someone who looked at you as if you were about to steal food off their plate.
Before I got a kindle, when I was away on business I found a book is fine to read while waiting for your food.

0a

23,879 posts

193 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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I'm a big fan of eating alone at restaurants as I'm away on business a lot. I don't really care what other people think - restaurant managers like people who eat at 8pm on a Monday in a random town so you usually get treated very well. Pistonheads, Autocar or Evo are preferred reading.

I wouldn't go and do high end dining though - that's about the experience of sharing with friends rather than nourishment. Sitting alone at a table at the fat duck wouldn't be nearly as fun as being there with friends!

anonymous-user

53 months

Friday 25th July 2014
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Puggit said:
As a frequent traveler I'm often caught in the decision of whether to hide in my room or brave the big world. To be honest I love dining at a bar when alone, so the article has that item spot on for me.
Yup, I've discovered a liking for dining along too. You can even decide in advance whether you're happier to have some peace (sit at a table) or some chit-chat (sit at the bar). Having a few beers, some food and reading a book alone can be bliss.

Interestingly the one time I tried it at an up-market restaurant I ended up feeling quite uncomfortable, so perhaps it only works in informal places.

KFC

3,687 posts

129 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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Pixelpeep7r said:
Hmm - business idea. Book a table for one, answer some basic questions and if there is anyone booked for the same time with similar interests they put you together. Male or female. Not dating but just company.

I get that some people like to be alone and so it would be an optional service smile
For me personally, its a horrible idea. Its hard to think of an easier way to ruin my meal, than force me to sit there and have a conversation with a complete stranger laugh

I eat alone several times a week, I love it. I've got the smallest macbook Air... i can easily catch up on emails while I'm waiting if I have work to do. Or if not just sit and chill with a good book. Some of the restaurants here have amazing views out over the sea and its a nice way to relax. I love the 'me' time. If I want to spend 3 hours eating 4 courses and having a few cocktails, and reading a book, I can. If I want to just grab a quick steak only and do my emails while they cook it, I can. No pandering to what anyone else wants, and just complete peace and quiet, lovely smile

SlidingSideways

1,345 posts

231 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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Ate alone lots while travelling for work. I find it much nicer to head out somewhere than hide in your hotel room with room service (which is also an indication of how bad most hotel food is).

Being alone also means you can eat wherever the hell you want, when you want. None of this "well Bill doesn't like anything spicy, how about we just grab a pizza" when you're craving thai food, or "I've just got to ring the wife and have a shower, how about we head out in a couple of hours" when you're starving there and then. Bliss.

An if you do want company, sit an prop the bar up, the staff are generally up for a natter, especially if it's quiet.

The only time it went slightly wrong was when I totally forgot it was valentines day and ended up sat amongst, and getting pitying looks from, several dozen loved up couples while the O/H was 100miles away frown

Type R Tom

3,859 posts

148 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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SlidingSideways said:
The only time it went slightly wrong was when I totally forgot it was valentines day and ended up sat amongst, and getting pitying looks from, several dozen loved up couples while the O/H was 100miles away frown
One of my mates got caught like that, was with a male colleague and sat down to eat surround by couples on tables covered in hearts and roses and a special valentine’s day menu. Took them a while to click what was going on followed by telling everyone “we’re not together”!

Soov535

35,829 posts

270 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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I love this.

When away on business, always stroll down the road and have a pint, then find a curry house. Table for one and so to bed.

One of life's great pleasures.

KFC

3,687 posts

129 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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Type R Tom said:
One of my mates got caught like that, was with a male colleague and sat down to eat surround by couples on tables covered in hearts and roses and a special valentine’s day menu. Took them a while to click what was going on followed by telling everyone “we’re not together”!
laugh

I think making a big thing of telling everyone you're not together just comes across as being a bit of a homophobe. I wouldn't have bothered at all, just eat your meal and don't make a fuss! I wouldn't have ordered from the valentines menu though... I think I'd have went with whatever I normally ate there smile

Sway

26,070 posts

193 months

Thursday 31st July 2014
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It's the one thing I miss, a year after swapping jobs from one that required me to be away Mon-Thurs every week to my now fixed commute each day.

Getting a goodnight hug from the kids is awesome, but I may have to take a leaf from some here and start having a regular 'me' night once a fortnight or so...