I'm wondering how many people out there have dined solo? And I'm talking dining, not going for a bite at McDonalds or going to some cheap Chinese corner place for a 10minute bite. :D I'm talking about dining solo, as in a proper night out at a proper restaurant, like:

http://smh.com.au/ffximage/2004/05/04/430est,0.jpg


I'm curious to hear about the experience. What got me thinking was the below article which appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald today:


Normally solo diners have a stigma attached to them...loser/pariah/Nigel-No-Friends/etc. I admit that personally I've never dined alone at a proper dining establishment, mainly because a) I can't stand the thought of not talking to anyone during dinner :D ; and b) I get very bored by myself. The only time that I've ever eaten alone in a proper restaurant was when I went to NZ for business, and I decided to check out the restaurant at the Grand Hyatt. Most other times I just order room service. :D

But I'm sure that some people MUST have done this. So...what was it like for you solo flyers? :confused:

[ 05-04-2004, 09:02 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

If you're going to an expensive restaurant, you might as well go with someone else - someone to split the bill with.

:D

I don't see anything wrong with dining solo, even at flashy restaurant.

(Not that I ever have, mind you ;) )

[ 05-04-2004, 06:27 AM: Message edited by: GokuZool ]

been there done that,
I like to eat, and I like to eat good.
Although I can't afford that much just now and then I like to go for a restaurant to get a good steak or try something new. Of course going with friends or a date is the first choice, but I don't feel it's compulsary for me.
ADD: What about restaurant tester? Don't they always dine solo? Does this mean you'll be served better food if coming alone?

i for one wont do it. im a simple guy with simple pleasures.. pizza, tv or computer is a perfect day for me anytime (or takeout) :D . Restaurants are for dates and special occasions like meetings or something.

A good example for me would be with my mate Mario (aka: Memnoch). It was good to meet up with you mate ;) . Although sometimes I just wonder what exactly do you think is a "student budget" called [img]tongue.gif[/img] when i met with ya last time at north sydney. :D .

We should even make a IW meeting again Mario :D . Its been awhile with wellard, gokuzool(if willing), leonis. :D . oh well jsut a thought ;)

[ 05-04-2004, 07:34 AM: Message edited by: Harkoliar ]

Been there done that, I do it when I got OT at work and feeling hungry. I carry all my files and reports and go into the fancy restaurant and work while eating.

Been about the place enough on business that there ain't no stigma attached to it for me. The choices are eat in as room service or go down / out to a restraunt. Unless I am zonked and want an early night I will head on out.

Can't say I am much for eating out alone when back home though. That just means I have to inflict my own cooking on myself more often ;) .

I do it occassionally. Sometimes you get a craving for fancy food, and if you've noone to share it with, so be it. I was in London a few months ago, by myself, and I found a really nice chinese restaurant (not just egg fried rice in a paper box, mind you, but a nice restaurant, whose name I cannot remember). I asked if they had room, and they asked for how many, and I told them for one. They were quite accomodating, and the food was excellent, and it was quiet and altogether peaceful, after a chaotic few days of endlessly circling the metropolis in the tube.

Been there, done that. Aside from the initial query of, "Table for one?" at the entrance, the rest of the experience is surprisingly benign.

If your intention is merely to experience the food, then wah-boo-hoo to all the nonsense of loneliness. It's cheaper for one anyway. ;) [img]tongue.gif[/img]

In my experience as a diner and a waiter, nobody cares that you are alone. If anyone did care, it would most likely be you.

True enough. And anyway, if people are going to analyse and condemn you for eating alone then that's their problem. Their narcissism makes their opinion all the less valid ;)

I don't eat alone at fancy places, mainly because I can't afford to eat at fancy places. But I do eat lunch alone at this Khmer Satay place about once a week when on my 'lunchbreak' (which is pretty much anytime I'm hungry at University) ;) . I just take my books with me and do a little light reading/go over my schedule. No biggie. In fact I get on quite well with the owners and they give me discounts (heh, either that or they give the loner discounts out of pity ;) ). It's great [img]smile.gif[/img]
If I go to dinner at a 'fancy' place though, it'll be with company.

Usually I don't do it.

But if I have the urgent feeling to eat something special in a restaurant, ( like chinese food ) I go. Why not ? That often happens, when I walk through town, shopping and the like. After such a day I like to recover in a calm atmosphere with good eating and drinking.

Can't say something about a special feeling. I do that as long as I can remember , so it's normal to me.

[img]graemlins/monster5.gif[/img]

Its all about how comfortable you feel with yourself I guess.

Ive done it myself several times in europe, many years ago, traveling alone by motorbike (nigel no friends LOL) or working as a contracter in the Netherlands with friends and family still back in Britain. You just have to do it if you want decent food instead of takeaways. I ask for a window seat and watch the world go buy or busy myself with thoughts of where i've been and where I will travel next.

I can't see myself do something like that. I mean i like eating in restaurants, but if there isn't anyone to socialize with, i might just as well stay home and cook something myself. The food isn't always the main reason why people go to fancy restaurants.

No, I would never, just because I would feel very alone. Can be lonely just eating lunch alone!

I like the experience...

You get to study other people around you, and it also gives me this feeling that I am the center of the universe because I am surrounded by the buzzing noises and such... [img]smile.gif[/img]

Of course at times like these also manifests the desire to have someone you like to sit in front of you and speak her mind (since I have been hanging out with my guy friends lately) [img]graemlins/hehe.gif[/img]

Nope, can't say I've ever dined alone, but then again I can probably count the number of times I've been to a restaurant on my fingers and toes. I don't do restaurants unless it's a favour to someone like I'm taking them out for their birthday or it's a wedding reception or something. If I was staying in a hotel in an unfamiliar place, I'd probably have packed food with me and then go to the baker's in the morning unless I get breakfast included. Like I said, I don't really do restaurants :D Waste of money.

I do it all the time. As a sales guy and consultant, I get to go to lots of exotic places during the day, and be dumped by the side of the road at night. I don't even think of it any more... sometimes I eat nicely, and sometimes I eat cheaply. I try to bring something with me (newspaper, materials to review, etc.).

The lack of conversation is often a downside, but depending on who you're with, it could be a plus [img]smile.gif[/img]

I have an awkward schedule, so I'm often on my own as far as food goes. I prefer to just pick up a sandwich on my way home if that's the case - I wont sit down anywhere.

Hey you Aledrain you bitin' my stilo, fool! :D I'm the one who puts rap quotes in his sig! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I warned you I was gonna pick up Kamikaze the other day... and holy crap I'm a fan.

Interesting replies, guys! By the way, to clarify, when I talk about dining solo, I'm talking about dining, not just having dinner. :D

Hmmm... good point. From that perspective, I rarely dine solo, although I have. One of the restaurants in the Frankfurt airport comes to mind... can't remember the last time I had someone polish every utensil before setting the table [img]smile.gif[/img] It was dinner, but it was also dining.

When I was living at home I dined alone often. Nowadays I do so on occasion, and it's interesting. It's a good chance to catch up on reading and peoplewatching while getting free refills on coffee or iced tea, depending on the time of day.

Went to the movies alone but never dined alone and i doubt i would. Would rather sit by the fire with a warm squirrel lol.

Can't say as I've 'dined' solo, but I've been at a restaurants alone a few times when traveling. Like most of the others who posted, I tend to just eat in the room or grab something quick when alone, though.

I think half the fun of 'dining' out is to have a nice conversation with someone else (or several others) and share the experience.

[ 05-05-2004, 09:53 AM: Message edited by: Cloudbringer ]

Well, I just got back from a date (a harmless one - I'm still faithful to Taryn fellas! :D ) at this really cool and trendy restaurant called Moorish on Bondi Beach. I can definitely say that if I were to dine alone it would be at a quiet, subdued place with good food, not a place to be "seen", because as Johnny said food's not the only reason you go to a nice restaurant - it's also for the company and the conversation. Not to say I'd never dine alone - but I probably wouldn't go to a buzzing, hip place. Not because I would feel self-conscious because I really couldn't give a toss if people thought I was a No-Friends-Nigel :D , but because I'd be bored to tears seeing everyone chatting away and me having nobody to chat to. Even waiting five minutes for your date to get back from going to the toilet is boring. [img]graemlins/awcrap.gif[/img]

Then again, it does give you more scope to chat up the waitresses, eh... :D

[ 05-05-2004, 10:19 AM: Message edited by: Memnoch ]

Some things never change! LOL! I have visions of you at 60 flirting with waitresses and checking out the blondes at the next table.... :D

Well, that's what healthy guys do. Once they stop doing that, something's wrong. :D

Well, that's what healthy guys do. Once they stop doing that, something's wrong. :D </font>[/QUOTE]LOL! I guess so! But somehow our Memsipie just does it with so much flare. ;) And a sexy car. :D

<font face="Verdana" size="3" color="#00FF00">You know if one had tons of money I could see them dining out much more even by myself. Dinning out usually is part of ones monthly budget so that is why we reserve it for special occasions or once maybe twice a month and with someone else. If it was paid for (Plane caught in snow storm so they put you up an an hotel with one free meal at the restaurant for the night, or new restaurant with promotion and you won so you get a free meal to try them out) I don't think any one would say no to dining alone if it was a free meal ticket. I have done that before.</font>

[ 05-05-2004, 02:58 PM: Message edited by: pritchke ]

People worry too much about their stomachs - I'd rather spend my money on sports equipment than eating out. With some of my badminton mates it's like stomachs before sport - they have a massive bbq before badminton then compain that they can't run after my shots! Grrr.

LOL

But you see Vask, even if they didn't have full stomachs they wouldn't be able to hit your shots. That's just how awesome and manly you are! [img]tongue.gif[/img]

I'll have you know most people consider it quite an achievement to beat me in singles [img]tongue.gif[/img] :D There is some truth to what you say ;) :D

If you travel on business you get used to eating alone. As someone who's "married with children" (two boys no less) I actually don't mind the occasional solo dinner when I'm on the road. I bring a good book and enjoy a quiet, peaceful, argument-less, food-fight-less, bodily function-less, "he's kicking me"-less, "get off my side"-less, "do I HAVE to eat that"-less meal.