It’s Friday night, and all my friends are out of town or busy doing something else. I am craving some good spicy Thai food, and am considering going down to the local Thai place for dinner.
Thank god I have no problem going out to eat by myself. However, any time I bring this up either at work or in some other social circle, people tend to look at me like I am crazy (which in most cases is warranted). They usually say that they would never go out to eat by themselves - it’s too embarrassing.
So what about you? Do you ever go out to a sit down dinner all by yourself? Do you enjoy it?
As a completely useless cook, I frequently dine out both with and without my SO. Usually it’s at restaurants that know me pretty well, so it’s not a big deal. If I go someplace new by myself, it’s always very enjoyable.
Come to think of it, some of my best rumination time occurs while I’m waiting for meals… it’s a front runner right up there with showering and pre-sleep.
It’s not embarassing at all, and it’s not lonely. After all, there’s a huge difference in being alone and being lonely.
I’m alone most of the times I eat out and it doesn’t bother me a bit. I take my tone from the splendid M.F.K. Fisher, ordering exactly what I want and quietly enjoying a book while dining. It’s great, feeding the body, mind and spirit all at once.
Then again I have a huge capacity and appreciation for solitude. I love my friends and treasure their company but when they aren’t available, doing things by myself is fine too. Different things bother different people, I guess.
Why should I eat fast food and takeout just because I’m single? I take a book sometimes—it’s a good out if a man wishes to join me and I don’t want joining that night. I enjoy eating out, especially things I’d never make at home. I will also see a movie alone, especially one that I know nobody else wants to see.(I have a weakness for explosions my girlfriends don’t appreciate)
I learned to love eating out alone at my last job. I traveled 5 days a week, always alone.
You can meet people dining alone, or take along a good book, a newspaper or a magazine. It’s great for people watching.
This isn’t to say that a mean out with friends can’t be wonderful, but sometimes a nice quiet meal, in a nice restaurant, by yourself, is one of life’s greatest pleasures.
I have always enjoyed reading a book while eating dinner on my own, but never as much as now. With two small children, who wouldn’t love that blissful bubble of solitude? I have also never hesitated from going to a movie on my own, just because my friends were unavailable. I second the notion that being alone and being lonely are two different things.
I picked up some frozen pad thai this evening to heat up at home because I wanted a change from eating out. Just because dining or theatre or cinema may be social occasions does not preclude them from alternatively being a solitary activities.
I consider these activities the same way I consider bathing. As much fun as showering with a friend can be (and if you are a Canadian it is also your patriotic duty), there is lot to be said for a long, hot solitary soak on a sunny day, with a good book and cool drinks at hand.
I don’t tend to eat out, being a totally solo person who eats weird stuff, unless you include eating in at KFC. Which I assume you don’t. And in any case, it’s not exactly a good time being had so much as a necessary function being performed.
Going out has never been something I have enjoyed much, and it gets less appealing the older (and more obviously permanently single) I get. I like to stay in, and I have come to enjoy being alone. (However, I still don’t like food too much).
I also frequently dine out by all by myself. My SO has graduated and I’ve been stuck in town by myself for the past few moths. I think it may be pretty normal to eat by yourself at Thai and Vietnamese restaurants. I frequently eat at what is quite possibly the worst, but conveniently located Vietnamese restaurant in Atlanta and often there are more loners there than grouped customers. Those sorts of foods people just have cravings for and I for one just can’t be bothered to find a date every time I want Vietnamese. Bringing a book is a good idea if you don’t want to feel like you’re just looking around the place.
Also if I don’t feel like cooking, I eat bar food and there you can sit and chat with the bartender, which usually is fine as long as he’s not some gimp in a striped shirt with a lot of goofy buttons. Either way they generally know when to leave you alone.
As for movies I didn’t even know it was abnormal to go by yourself. You’re just sitting and watching a movie for crying out loud. There’s nothing social about it even when you bring a date.
I say go for it and don’t worry about the social feelings.
Living by myself at the moment I eat out a lot by myself, usually at the same place. They kind of know me now as that weird bloke with the book who turns up on Friday nights. I’ve never felt self concious about it, and usually get a nice smile from a pretty waitress especially as I hve offerd to move tables several times to make way for larger groups of people.
Ms. Pinky is reading a Regency romance. I’ve got a Connie Willis short story collection. I looked up from my tasty stir-fry, to see that my 3 year old has brought a coloring book he’s leafing through to the table. It was rather amusing.
The Pinky family rocks. We used to call these “silent meals”, when we all enthralled in books. It was sociable and enlightening in the best way. We’d surface and have the best damned conversations ever; not gossip or white noise but real “what are ya thinking/dreaming?” fests.
I do many activities by myself, and dining out is no exception. When I was travelling for work, I loved to sit alone in a restaurant, read a book, table listen (facinating stuff!), and just relax. Sometimes I would eat at the hotel bar and catch a ball game (something I never do at home) and smoke cigarettes (which I quit years ago!).
I also enjoy going to the park by myself, the movies, and other activities. It’s kind of new for me, as I used to always need companionship. Now I really enjoy being by myself and just enjoying the day. My favorite solitary trip is to our local zoo, where I can spend as much time as I want looking at the animals and taking pictures of them and the gorgeous landscaping.
As a divorced dad with joint custody, I find myself eating out alone all the time. It doesn’t bother me much…maybe on Valentines Day or other such things. It’s cheaper at least:) Plus I get to try all sorts of new places.
I don’t usually read though- I would be worried about getting stuff on the books, plus reading is a fullmind effort for me, I don’t like to be inturrupted by such trivialities as eating, drinking, or other basic bodily finctions. (yes I have held it for the last 100pp so I could finish the book without getting up)
I lived at home for the first couple years of college, and i found that IHOP/Denny’s/Kettle type places were the best place in the world to study: at non-peak times you can rent a whole booth for about five bucks, where you have all the space you need, few distractions, and someone else to make the coffee and empty the ashtray. It always suprises me that you don’t see more people doing this.
Sometimes when I’m bored and have LOTS of time to kill, I’ll go to the mall, to Waldenbooks, and buy a book from the bargain bin. One which looks interesting. I will then go across the street to the Steak 'N Shake. I sit down, order a coffee, and begin reading. For hours upon hours I sit, read, and drink coffee. If I get hungry I’ll order a meal. It’s great.
NOTICE: I never do this when they are overly busy, and I always leave a very generous tip (if I only have coffee and stay for 2-3 hours, I leave at least $3.00 if I eat, I’ll leave more. Also more if the waitress keeps the cup filled.).
