Eating out on your own

[trashpony]

Greasy spoons - don't mind at all. (Leo's at the northernmost end of Stokey High St, opposite what used to be Bar Lorca, was one of my faves btw).

I used to go there when I was in stokie. I didn't mind the blue legume at certain times of day either. I ate in the ICA the other evening before bookgroup which was okay but I felt a bit self-conscious.

Lunch is fine - I quite enjoy it. But evenings make me feel like a bit of a sad no-mates loser

 

[EastEnder]

But evenings make me feel like a bit of a sad no-mates loser

Exactly, I'd much rather feel like a sad no-mates loser in the comfort of my own home.

 

[dessiato]

When I first moved to Porto I was, largely, on my own so have eaten out alone regularly. There are some excellent restaurants and cafes where you can get the dish of the day for as little as 5€, and even 3.50€ in one. Now my wife has joined me we tend to eat in. (A lot of the restaurants here have screens showing soccer games. All the men tend to sit facing the screens and the women with their backs to them)

 

[Mation]

I love eating out on my own, with a good book

Yep, me too. I don't so it that often as I can't afford to, but I'm slowly working my way round the restaurants near me. It feels like a treat.

I did get stared at quite a bit when eating out alone in Boston last year, but then I got stared at doing just about anything and I'm used to it.

 

[kakuma]

I do it quite a lot - only in little places though. I'm always going to Ichiban on my own and I took myself out for sunday lunch at the weekend.

I do always read though - I find staring into space a bit dull and if I just concentrate on my food I finish too fast

i fucking hate sunday lunch alone. that is a lot worse than anything else this world can throw at me.

 

[bluestreak]

i'll eat out on my own, though it won't be a treat, more jsut something to do. i too will happily spend an afternoon in a nice pub with a packet of bifters, the saturday papers, a good book and time on my hands.

 

[Badger Kitten]

I eat out on my own sometimes, I like it, dittto cinema on my own. I had dinner on my own on Monday. But I usually go to somewhere where they know me and have seen me eating with other people. I always read when I eat. Which is why I don't order soup or spaghetti.

 

[ck]

this thread has started to make me feel self-conscious ; up until now I have thought nothing of eating alone... I don't see the problem.

 

[trashpony]

this thread has started to make me feel self-conscious ; up until now I have thought nothing of eating alone... I don't see the problem.

You're lucky

Make the most of it

 

[Biddlybee]

Don't really eat out much, but I'm fine in a pub during the day, cafs, places like the stockpot...etc, quite like it actually, but not so keen in the evening or going to restuarants on my own. When I've been abroad alone and gone out for dinner, after asking for a table, they always seem to respond "a table for only one?"

 

[Nlogax]

Even when on business trips, I'd never eat outside of my hotel room. These days I'm quite happy on my own in a coffee shop. Nothing beyond that though.

 

[EastEnder]

These days I'm quite happy on my own in a coffee shop. Nothing beyond that though.

Coffee shops are fine - at least half the inhabitants are usually on their lonesome.

Cafe's - sort of ok, but "intentionally on my own" safety blanket, like a newspaper or similar, is mandatory.

Restaurant - no way. Major saddo territory.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Questions:

- Do you ever eat out on your own (ie sitting down to a meal in a café or restaurant)?

- What kind of places do you eat in?

- Where would you recommend for eating on your own?

- Are you comfortable eating solo, or do you need to hide behind a book or pretend to be waiting for a phone call?

Personally, I quite like eating on my own every now and again, it seem quite decadent (rather than just grabbing a sandwich on the go or something), but I’ve never actually been anywhere apart from cafes or a noodle bar (whisper it – Wagamamas) – I would feel a bit weird having a three course dinner alone.

Yes.

I'd recommend eating places that serve the kinds of food you like. Those are the kinds of places I dine alone in.

I'm comfortable eating solo, but I usually take a book, newspaper etc, because it can be boring waiting for your food etc; also I like reading while I eat.

 

[sonik]

I eat out on my own quite a bit, mainly at lunch time, as i work from home it means i get a change of surroundings. i normally have a book to read with me. pub lunches on your own are great, i get to check out loads of places i wouldn't normally go to.

 

[LDR]

I eat on my own every lunchtime. I don't really enjoy eating with other people. We have a very well equipped staff room with all the mod cons but I still make an effort to leave work at lunchtime and go to a cafe. When I was travelling on my own, I used to eat on my own too.

I actually prefer eating alone much the same way as I enjoy travelling on my own as well.

 

[Guineveretoo]

I often eat out alone, including last night.

I kind of agree about the posh restaurant thing, though. I would feel a bit self-conscious going to a restaurant like that on my own.

Sometimes I feel self-conscious eating on my own, anyway, but I try not to, and I always read.

 

[zenie]

I eat on my own every lunchtime. I don't really enjoy eating with other people. We have a very well equipped staff room with all the mod cons but I still make an effort to leave work at lunchtime and go to a cafe. When I was travelling on my own, I used to eat on my own too.

I actually prefer eating alone much the same way as I enjoy travelling on my own as well.

I agree with that - I can't understand people who aren't happy by themselves.

I do like to have a book/paper/something at least to read if there isn't a view or some such.

I also quite like the 'can I join you?' request from a handsome young man

 

[LDR]

I also quite like the 'can I join you?' request from a handsome young man

Yep. I find it easier to meet people and make new friends if I'm on my own too. I especially like going to the pub on my own. It's rare when I do that that I don't find someone to talk to.

 

[moonsi til]

I have no qualms about eating alone but do generally have a book/newspaper. I have gone to the cinema on my own and like many folk travel often alone where you find yourself doing strange things like going clubbing on your own...

 

[miss direct]

I have no qualms about eating alone but do generally have a book/newspaper. I have gone to the cinema on my own and like many folk travel often alone where you find yourself doing strange things like going clubbing on your own...

It's not very sociable where I work so I go out for lunch on my own, but I usually get a sandwich. Once I went to a greasy spoon type cafe with a magazine, wasn't bothered about being alone.

I would also go to Mcdonalds or somewhere like that alone, but I don't really eat fast food.

On holiday in Corfu, none of my friends wanted to come to town so I ate in a lovely fish restaurant in Corfu town alone. I enjoyed it a lot.

There's a great Polish restaurant round the corner from work, I would like to go there for lunch some time but their best deal is buy one get one free, which I obviously can't do alone...I'm not that greedy!

I was on my own in Slovenia for a few days, lunch was fine, I just bought a burek or snack, but in the evenings I felt self concious alone and a bit worries so took supermarket food to my hotel room.

You hardly ever see people eating on their own here. You see it a lot more in London where I suppose there's more single, independent people. A lot of people here are surprised that I even live alone, apparently that's unusual too!

 

[LDR]

I've never even thought about others who eat on their own as being strange.

Do people really think that?

 

[madamv]

Ooh I remember the days when I used to have time to be on my own.

I used to enjoy a lovely slow lunch reading or sometimes people watching. Never bothered me, but again I wouldnt do a 3 course dinner alone.....

Never eaten alone at night. I suspect that it would be a little harder, especially around Bournemouth or Poole town. People would stare for sure.

Although I look a little slow sometimes

 

[hiccup]

Yep. I find it easier to meet people and make new friends if I'm on my own too. I especially like going to the pub on my own. It's rare when I do that that I don't find someone to talk to.

Whenever I got to the pub on my own, invariably some nutter comes up and starts talking to me

 

[LDR]

Whenever I got to the pub on my own, invariably some nutter comes up and starts talking to me

I am that nutter.

Remember a stranger is a friend you have not met yet.

 

[Rollem]

i have doneit, but not the three course meal thing. that would be too boring i always have a book or something to read though. or failing that, make sure i am sat at a window so i can pretend i am in deep thought....

when i was pregnant though, i found i didnt need a book or any other distraction. felt like i had someone there with me, and i used to have conversations with pob in my head. thankfully i never spoke out loud else i think i would have got asked to leave many a restaurant

 

[EastEnder]

Remember a stranger is a friend you have not met yet.

Bollocks.

A stranger is a serial killer who's blood stained axe you haven't seen yet.

 

[Pieface]

i used to have conversations with pob in my head.

freak

 

[Orang Utan]

i'll happily eat by myself, especially if it's a precursor to going to the cinema by myself (one of my favourite things).

Mine too - I don't really like going to the cinema with anyone else, unless they know how to behave.

 

[Pieface]

The more I think about this the more I realise that I think I prefer eating on my own....

I never eat with anyone at work - can't be arsed to talk to them all the way through it.

 

[rutabowa]

Mine too - I don't really like going to the cinema with anyone else, unless they know how to behave.

so true.