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On eating out alone

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Re: On eating out alone

#71

Post by yupper32 »

mynameishere wrote: post #28
jakey_bakey wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's interesting the disparity in our experiences. I absolutely relish the chance to have an hour entirely to myself, get a nice meal without cleaning up after, have a beer or two, watch Netflix! I also used to be a consultant, so there's that...

You watch Netflix in a restaurant?

I'll usually listen to podcasts when alone as a restaurant. If I've got a wall seat where video won't distract people, I'll certainly sometimes bring up youtube/netflix. Might be a bit rude to the other patrons depending on the restaurant to watch videos in their view while eating.

Why are you so surprised, though? Am I supposed to just sit there and stare at the wall?

Re: On eating out alone

#72

Post by tomcam »

miked85 wrote: post #62
tomcam wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Can't see where OP phrased it that way. What I read was "Eating out alone really hurts." This person was expressing feelings, not passing judgment. Is sharing one's feelings really a bad thing?

> I dislike it more than being alone at home. That seems like it is phrased that way? I'm not saying it's wrong to feel that way, it was just a question if even being alone at home is really such a bad thing.

Seems reasonable that people could have wildly different feelings about being at home alone.

Re: On eating out alone

#73

Post by lostmsu »

hbn wrote: post #60
cercatrova wrote: post #10

I love eating out alone, as well as watching movies alone, taking walks alone, even traveling abroad alone (/r/solotravel) and so on. It's so much more liberating to do things you want to do at the exact time you want to do them without having to wait for anybody to accompany you. At the same time, I'm not sure why there's so much anxiety from the author about doing things alone. As I'm not one of those people, perha…

I don't get why going to movies is seen as a thing you should do with your friends. You're not supposed to be talking during it, and if you are, you're annoying everyone around you. Unless the plan is to go to the movie and then get a meal at which point you can discuss it after. But otherwise, I pretty much only go to movies alone.

Because you can discuss the movie afterwards. Also getting there and back.

Re: On eating out alone

#74

Post by antonymy »

I have always preferred eating at restaurants alone to going with a group of people. If I have to go with somebody, I prefer one or two people at most. I also don't like to go to restaurants when they're very busy, since I feel a bit guilty taking up a whole table to myself when the restaurant is trying to seat lots of customers. Usually if I see there is a line, or am told there is a wait longer than a few minutes, I just leave, and go elsewhere. If I'm with people, they usually prefer to wait it out and then eat in the crowded, noisy restaurant, which is always a suboptimal experience for me.

Re: On eating out alone

#76

Post by o0-0o »

miked85 wrote: post #19

I've known people who have an aversion to doing anything alone in public, even going to the grocery store. It seems to be mostly based on them feeling judged by others.

Yeah, I've postulated this for a while now too. It seems that people that NEED to be with other people have a big hole in their soul. Listening to the facebook founder on Joe Rogan reminded me of this, with his bogus stories about all his friends, and how he does all this stuff with all his friends. No one with real friends talks like that. He sounded like a cult leader, or like a robot or something. It was extremely evident when he was saying things like, "Me and my friends just love to go out and wrestle around on the mats." referring to BJJ. It was so awkward. They are the ones that try to alone shame others as well. Jerks.

Re: On eating out alone

#77

Post by zoomablemind »

From personal experience, the most awkward stretch of dining solo is the time after ordering and before any reasonable part of the ordered meal is on the table.

A drink can be an easy "company", but if night is busy, it's easy to get all wasted before seeing your appetizer.

Of course, these days smartphone is a well-accepted company at any table, solo or not.

Siri should really split the bill, come on! Enjoyed the ambiance, Ok Google? Now pay up your share or next time you'll get muted .

Re: On eating out alone

#78

Post by jmmv »

As I read somewhere recently:

At 20, you worry about what others think about yourself.

At 40, you don’t care what others think about yourself.

At 60, you realize that nobody was thinking about yourself anyway.

Pretty liberating when you face situations like these, which can be uncomfortable at first.

Re: On eating out alone

#79

Post by [deleted] »

tomcam wrote: post #72
miked85 wrote: post #62

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I dislike it more than being alone at home. That seems like it is phrased that way? I'm not saying it's wrong to feel that way, it was just a question if even being alone at home is really such a bad thing.

Seems reasonable that people could have wildly different feelings about being at home alone.

[deleted]

Re: On eating out alone

#80

Post by padde »

VyseofArcadia wrote: post #13

I missed that day in school when they went over how you should be ashamed about doing this or that alone in public. I have some friends who are like the author used to be. Those can't do anything alone types. Absolutely mystifying to me. Heck, a lot of the time I straight up prefer the company of a good book.

I believe the introvert/extrovert divide also plays a role here. Some people in general can't be alone or they feel their energy is draining (extroverts), whereas others - I guess those who love to dine alone - feel their batteries recharged during alone time.
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