by Mary Rose-Sellers

Created on: October 30, 2010

Going out to a restaurant to eat alone can be sometimes overwhelming.  Some people enjoy eating alone, while others dread the idea.  Since eating out is associated with having fun, eating out alone cannot be much fun, can it?  And yet, there are people who enjoy eating out by themselves.  People who eat out alone are mostly people who travel.  Going on a business trip alone, will not guarantee dinner companionship with the company you are meeting.  But being alone on a business trip doesn’t mean that you have to eat at your hotel room every night.  If you travel to a strange city, try restaurants that are close to your hotel.  Don’t wander far away from your hotel as it can be dangerous especially for a woman traveling alone.  In most cities, hotels are built near a plethora of restaurants and cafes.  So you have quite few choices of where to eat, even if eating out alone. 

Eating alone is mostly associated with not having any friends.  It’s like being in high school again, where you pick your food at the cafeteria and there isn’t an empty seat at any table to sit with someone.  And we all know how mean young kids and teenagers can be.  But as we grow older we tend to shy away from thoughts like that.  It’s not that we don’t have anyone to eat with; it’s just that at this time we are hungry and need to eat, everyone else is busy.  We should all have a time in our lives that we go out to eat alone.  That time will give us the freedom to sort out our thoughts, and clear our heads.  It’s fun to always be with someone but sometimes we need time to ourselves.  And if that constitutes to dining alone, then let it be. 

There are restaurants and cafés that service a single person.  There will be tables available for a person to sit and dine alone.  Don’t feel overwhelmed because everyone else is with someone.  Feel free and order a glass of wine.  Enjoy the moment.  Take it slowly.  Enjoy the food you are eating.  Don’t rush through it just because you are eating alone.  What best way to enjoy the texture and the taste of food when eating alone.  No one is there to interrupt your taste buds with mindless talk. 

Nowadays, most restaurants and cafés have wireless network.  You can bring your i-Touch and check your email, or check the internet.  You can even read a book on your i-Touch.  If that is not you, take a book along with you, or a magazine and catch up on reading your favorite article.  Clear out your head while you are eating and plan the next day.  Get your thoughts organized of what you need to do next.

If a quiet restaurant is not for you, go to a restaurant/bar where food can be served by the bar.  Watch TV while you are eating your meal.  Strike up a conversation with the bartender.  They usually are looking for someone who is dining alone to start a conversation.  And they always have a story to tell. 

Overall, enjoy the time by yourself.  It’s not a stigma to eat out alone.  It’s actually quite refreshing and calming to our otherwise busy lives. 

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