Eating out alone

AprilSun

AprilSun

Senior Member
Do you prefer to eat out alone or stay at home and eat alone? I'm asking this because of a family member that lives by herself and says she doesn't like to eat out alone so she stays home. I don't understand because I live alone also but I would rather eat out without anyone with me and watch the people than to stay home and still be by myself without anyone. It just seems like it is lonelier at home by myself rather than out among people even it they are strangers. If anyone understands this, feel free to fill me in.
 

Sometimes I'd rather eat alone either when I'm at home or out in a restaurant. Guess it all depends on my mood.

And also WHAT I'm eating ! I've always thought the the messier food is the tastiest.

Whatever; the food gets into the tummy one way or the other.
 
AprilSun said:
Do you prefer to eat out alone or stay at home and eat alone? I'm asking this because of a family member that lives by herself and says she doesn't like to eat out alone so she stays home. I don't understand because I live alone also but I would rather eat out without anyone with me and watch the people than to stay home and still be by myself without anyone. It just seems like it is lonelier at home by myself rather than out among people even it they are strangers. If anyone understands this, feel free to fill me in.
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This is an interesting question I had not given much thought to before.
I wouldn't go out to dinner alone, but have no problem stopping for lunch alone.
Why is that?

Since my girlfriends prefer to go out to lunch rather than go out to dinner, I'll drag my grandson if I'm really longing to have dinner out.
 

I think eating in public alone has a long history, a stigma if you will, of being somehow bad or wrong. It implies you're not fit company, or that a "proper" lady doesn't dine alone - she would be subject to the overtures of all the surrounding males (Victorian thinking, I know, but ...).

There were many times I dined alone in a restaurant and would swear that all eyes were on me - pitying me, I was sure.

Of course, you have to remember that I'm a sociopath AND a paranoid, so ... :eek:
 
It all depends on the type of restaurant, whether I'd feel comfortable eating alone, certainly not in a white tablecloth dining room type, but in a casual place, sure. Its very usual here in the big city and I have never felt weird grabbing a bite somewhere. Interestingly, here in my neighborhood pub/restaurant people are ok with sitting at the bar and drinking alone, so why should eating at a table be different?
 
Cookie said:
It all depends on the type of restaurant, whether I'd feel comfortable eating alone, certainly not in a white tablecloth dining room type, but in a casual place, sure. Its very usual here in the big city and I have never felt weird grabbing a bite somewhere. Interestingly, here in my neighborhood pub/restaurant people are ok with sitting at the bar and drinking alone, so why should eating at a table be different?
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Agree. It might feel a bit weird in a big fancy restaurant, and I don't know why I would go to a fancy restaurant alone in the first place. But I'm fine with it in ordinary places.
 
Eating alone (home or out) never bothered me. But it bothers some people a LOT – especially some women. I knew women who wouldn’t go into the company cafeteria and eat lunch alone.

I guess some feel it makes them look pathetic and lonely – especially in a restaurant. :shrug:

I think eating a holiday meal at home alone (Thanksgiving or Christmas) would be kind of sad, though.
 
When I eat out I prefer company, although breakfast is the exception. I don't mind eating alone at home because I can cook what I like pretty quick and eat when I wish and watch a movie or TV.
 
I agree that eating by myself at lunch time is no big deal but I've never gone to a restaurant in the evening alone.

With the lunch time thing, I like the place to be a bit crowded.
Then I ask someone else who is by themselves if they mind sharing the table and start up a bit of a conversation.

Extroverts are never really alone when there is even one other person nearby.
 
I used to eat out alone for breakfast or lunch but got out of the habit now that I have a dog. Me and the dog go to fast food places and eat together in the parking lot. lol
 
Dogs and Public Places

Today at Wally-World, my wife & I split up, I picked up the peanut butter while she sought something at the far end of foods. An elderly couple passed me, the guy complaining bitterly and loudly, their small dog riding in the basket of their cart. I heard him bellow at the top of his lungs several aisles away. Then I strode all the way to find Deb. As I approached her, I mentioned a quarreling couple. She asked if they had a dog. Confirmed, she said that they had passed her just as the guy growled "You got enough f***in' jelly already!"

Deb was disgusted by both the guy, and the presence of a "non-helper" dog in a food establishment. We have seen them pushing a children's buggy, containing a dog, sometimes covered by mesh so as to not reveal the "baby". Saw several in Denny's Restaurant!

What do you think of this? imp
 
applecruncher said:
Eating alone (home or out) never bothered me. But it bothers some people a LOT – especially some women. I knew women who wouldn’t go into the company cafeteria and eat lunch alone.

I guess some feel it makes them look pathetic and lonely – especially in a restaurant. :shrug:

I think eating a holiday meal at home alone (Thanksgiving or Christmas) would be kind of sad, though.
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Totally agree AC ..... but I would prefer not to go out to dinner at a posh restaurant alone in the evening...that said, I have eaten in many a hotel restaurant by myself in the evenings on business trips..I just plonk my book in front of me. .

I have no problems whatsoever about eating lunch at the cafe or restaurant alone ..
 
hollydolly said:
..I just plonk my book in front of me. .
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Nothing personal, Holly, but this practice has always infuriated me, along with its modern-day equivalent, the cell phone.

I was always under the impression that when one dines one should concentrate on the meal. Maybe that's just me.

Many moons ago I was dining at The Russian Tea Room, one of the hoitier joints in NYC.

russian_tea_room.jpg

There was a guy at a table by himself doing the NY Times Crossword puzzle. And it wasn't just to pass the time until his food came - his food was already on the table. He'd take a bite, do 23-Across, take a sip ...

This, in a place where 10oz. of good Russian caviar cost $185USD.

I remarked to my waiter. He just rolled his eyes.
 
Phil, I read my book when I'm alone, not when I have company...otherwise I'm sitting eating staring into the face of the person on the opposite table ..not a great idea !! I never ever use my cellphone either at a meal when I'm accompanied, but I have no problems texting ( not talking)...when I'm alone..

I would happily do the crossword like the guy you saw, when I'm eating alone...why on earth not,?..it's very relaxing!!

If I'm sitting outside a restaurant eating on a sunny day, I rarely read because I love to people watch
 
Annie said:
I used to eat out alone for breakfast or lunch but got out of the habit now that I have a dog. Me and the dog go to fast food places and eat together in the parking lot. lol
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I like it. But maybe not so much fast food, but more like a sandwich shop.
 

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