Earlier this year, my friend introduced me to a vibe — dining out, and after they moved to a different city, I was stuck with a vibe and no one new to maintain it with.
In a desperate attempt to gratify myself, I discovered solo dining. I do so many things on my own, plus I’m always at cafes alone, so why did the prospect of eating out alone at a restaurant sound like a faux pas?
(Well asides from the fact that it’s a formal setting, and surrounded by people in pairs and groups it almost feels like you’re a social outcast?)
I managed to go alone and truthfully, it was so daunting the first time, but when I was done, I knew I’d do it again, and in the months since then, I’ve dined alone more times than I can count, more times than I have with people this year. Here are the tips that are helping me hone the craft.
1.
First and most important; bring some sort of prop. Something to keep you busy while you’re settling in, waiting for your food; a safety net. It can be a movie downloaded on your phone (my go-to), an e-book, a camera to take photos, games on your phone. You’d need something to ease you in.
2.
Pick strategic seats. You don’t want to be sandwiched between tables with couples that make you stand out like a sore thumb. Later on maybe, but not while you’re still acclimatising yourself with solo dining. I opt for corner tables, wall tables; the bar is a good spot if you’re the kind of person open to conversations. When the weather is good, I love patio sitting the best. You don’t need a prop with patio sitting. Enjoying the view, people-watching, and eavesdropping is the best prop.
3.
Frequent restaurants. Easiest way to familiarise yourself with solo dining, in my opinion. What is the quote? "Consistency breeds familiarity, familiarity breeds confidence". Around the third time and you might start to feel like you're already known for dining alone.
4.
No one is probably watching you, or thinking about you as much as you assume they are. They might spare a glance or two but they’re not wondering about you, and neither are the waiters, unless they want to engage you in a conversation.
5.
Dress accordingly. There are times I’ve had the urge to slip into a restaurant on my way home from another activity, and then I ask myself, ‘am I dressed accordingly to be in this setting?’ The last thing you want is to feel additional anxiety about your outfit, or attract unwanted attention to yourself.
6.
Since I don’t have a car, I like to pick restaurants that are close to me. It’d be very discouraging to keep trying more restaurants alone if your taxi commute is more than your dinner bill. In the right weather, a 30 minutes walk is ideal, plus I get to spot new restaurants on my way!
My advice?
Solo dining is the sort of thing that gets easier the more you do it. The upside if you’re anything like me, is that you get to eat as much as you want, and you can pick up the bread the moment the waiter turns their back.
Let me know your experience or thoughts on dining alone.
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