Dining out alone.

I eat lunch alone frequently. Dinner is a little more awkward but if I can’t get a family member to try Somalian or some other food I do eat dinner out alone. I am cursed with family members who are picky eaters

I have never had any issue with it and actually like it at times, but know many people who hate it. One lady will even wait in her car if she is meeting someone at a restaurant rather than go in alone. Wtf?

I went into a place for lunch some years ago and the hostess asked me “what can I do for you today?”
Me: “a table.”
Her: “oh, for one?”
Me: “Yes.”
Her: “what brings you to xxx all by yourself today?”
Me: “The need to eat lunch?”

I don’t get it. I was a grown woman.

At least I know I’ll get lucky at the conclusion of dinner.

I love it. My SO works long hours so I'm on my own for meals a lot.

I'm currently in school so I sometimes take my books down to a Tex-Mex spot down the street and study over margaritas and queso.

I always go during slow hours and check with my bartender or server to make sure I'm not taking up space but they are always really cool about it.

I never do it when I'm home, but when I'm traveling for work I enjoy eating solo at a restaurant bar.

lunch, yeah not too uncommon. i enjoy that alone time.

dinner not too often.

I eat out alone for lunch most every day. I have no problem with it, and like many commenters, actually enjoy the silence and solitude.

I can't imagine being insecure enough to worry about what total strangers would think by seeing me dine alone.

I’m a woman and I enjoy eating alone in public or private. It’s peaceful.

quote:

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My girls at work are mortified

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Sounds like dentist or doctor...

I've been eating and going to movies alone since my 20s, sometimes even when I was married. People were generally mortified while I was in my 20s, but I'm not going to go looking for randos just to watch a movie. I'm a people watcher though, so it fits my MO perfectly.

I generally have never wanted to be around people from work while I decompress at lunch, either. Even when I'm traveling with a team, I don't want to sit near you on a plane, I don't want to go to lunch with a group of six and talk about work, etc. I want to listen to my podcasts or read, not blabber. Unless I'm trying to get laid.