No awkward small talk, no splitting the bill, no waiting for everyone’s food to arrive. No messing around with social cues etc.
You order what you want, eat at your own pace, and actually taste your food.
It’s peaceful, and honestly way more enjoyable than most group meals where half the time is spent pretending to give a shit about someone’s latest gym routine or their dog’s gluten intolerance. Solo dining means silence if you want it, a podcast if you don’t, and zero judgment when you order two desserts “just because.”
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i was gonna say i’d be impressed if you could eat out alone
Love eating out alone. Not unpopular.
Jedi Level achieved if you can stay off your phone or other device or without a book or magazine. Not saying you have to engage in conversation with anybody or everybody or even the staff or bartender. But kudos to anyone who can just “be”
This is very true. I typically eat alone in my car in the parking lot just because I find that to be more comfortable, but when i’ve eaten in the restaurant, nothing beats it.
Definitely unpopular opinion just not on Reddit
I’ve just discovered this over the past few weeks as I’ve been working on my dissertation. I didn’t realize how much I enjoy reading books by myself with good food and a nice coffee, tea or gin and tonic at cafes and restaurants. It’s so peaceful
Eating out alone is better than with poor company.
Eating out with great company leaves it for dead though.
And you can sit and people-watch with impunity under the guise of properly chewing your food 😁
I love eating out alone!
I agree but I extend this to many things
With auch postings i always wonder with what kind of people some people here Surround themself with.
There is no awkward talking or talking about stupid topics, social clues or anything else if I go out eating with friends.
I hate eating out alone. I’d rather get room service / take out if I’m traveling. I feel self conscious. Not such an issue at a cafe type daytime place but an evening meal? I really don’t want to do it. I guess, for me, it’s less about the food and more about the shared experience. Kudos to you if you enjoy and are comfortable with it.
“Group” meals are wack. Eating with one other person is the best way to go
Ok, so my mind is for the streets. Cause it was in the gutter when I read that first sentence.
But I don’t even feel like this is unpopular? I’m not even introverted.. I’m an extrovert who is also occasionally introverted. And one of my faaaavvvourite things, is to eat out alone. Read, write, scroll. Sit and think. It’s the best.
I like to cook, so if I want to eat alone, I do it at home. Enjoying a meal and conversation with friends can be a great time, so I don’t agree that dining out alone is superior, but there’s nothing at all wrong with it. Could be any number of good reasons to eat out alone.
>You order what you want, eat at your own pace, and actually taste your food.
Why don’t you do this with other people too?
I usually eat alone, eating for me is more for nutrition not socialising..
..but I would never choose to go with people who only do small talk, split the bill, judge your eating habits, stop you from enjoying your meal, etc.
I agree with your main statement, but it seems like your reasoning is just the insufferable company you’ve previously gone to dinners with.
Why not just eat at home where you know what is in the food and can make it healthy, tasty, and cheaper?
Honestly yeah. Some friend of mine kept begging to take me out to eat to a Puerto Rican restaurant (and is a picky eater). Then immediately complains about plantains, lol. Why even bother taking me? lol
You can literally enjoy what you want to eat, eat at your own pace and taste your food while having great conversation with someone you care about. Sounds like you’re either lonely and trying to find the bright side or need to meet better dining companions. Humans have been eating together since the existence of man. This is definitely a sad and unpopular opinion.
I love eating alone
I’d easily take eating out with good company over eating out alone. The experience you’re describing just sounds like eating out with bad company.
I’ll have a coffee and a sandwich by myself, but when it comes to a proper meal it’s best spent with company.
This is an unpopular opinion?
i dont think anyone cares.
does anyone go home and say or think, i saw a person sitting alone, eating.
you can even do something awkward, cringe. no one goes home and laughs about you.
I think you might need more interesting friends. I try to avoid anyone who is a member of a gym and that helps!
I like it but its a bit awkward, with no one to talk to u can only eat and finish the food quick, not really enjoying the ambiance. My favorite is duo/trio dining with my siblings, who i care about and dont judge me anyway for what i order
Some of y’all just have the most intentionally struggle based lives istg
Your problem isn’t not eating out alone, just sounds like you’re doing it with the wrong people.
I developed the joy of eating out alone while in the Navy back in the 80’s. Being crammed into a madhouse 100-decibel cafeteria for every meal lent itself to wanting some peace and quiet. I would just read a book or a newspaper while eating (this was pre-cellphone). Pure joy, which I still love.
Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love a fun dinner out with friends, some drinks, and great conversation – but being able to just pop into any restaurant I want, whenever I want, and to eat whatever I want is f-ing delightful. I am single currently, at age 57, and was pretty much in relationships my entire adult life up this point. There were not very many opportunities to eat alone during those years, so now I feel like I’m on an extended holiday. I love trying new foods and weird concept restaurants and never have to worry about someone throwing a fit or being disappointed.
With headphones>>>
I hate eating with people
People wanna talk to me while we eat
I’m putting food in my mouth please stop talking to me
I think you just need friends that you actually like
I ate alone in a crowded French steakhouse with my earphones in listening to incredible music, and I ate a horse steak med rare for the first and probably only time in my life and it was transcendent.
It’s fine, sometimes it’s nice to just have a meditative lunch or dinner by yourself, but I also like trying what my wife ordered as well, and splitting an appetizer and/dessert, that I otherwise wouldn’t order because it was too much food. I also actually enjoy her company and the company of the people I’ll eat with. I’m sorry that the people you spend time with suck.
Better to be alone than in bad company. But doesn’t mean good company is always unwelcome.
Alone is always better. Good convo with strangers. Free drinks. Eat at the bar no waiting
I like with eating out alone but it sounds like you just don’t like whoever you’re eating with. Why is the small talk awkward? Why are they judging you? Why do you have to pretend to give a shit?
Most of these are nonissues when you actually care about the people you’re out eating with.
Doing most things alone is superior when you stop longing for approval and affection from others
Be careful. Socializing face to face with people is very healthy. Isolation and phone scrolling will depress you and make you sick.
I love talking whilst eating
As an anti social person, I didn’t even think this could be an unpopular opinion, this is just life.
Not an opinion anyone in a happy relationship has. I’m sad whenever I get food and it’s not with my wife.
I love eating out alone!
But I do casual like Chipotle, Panera, IHop. I haven’t yet done something like Olive Garden or a steakhouse. Gotta work my way up lol
>You order what you want, eat at your own pace, and actually taste your food.
Eating alone is fine, but what part about eating with other people prevents those things listed?
>way more enjoyable than most group meals where half the time is spent pretending to give a shit about someone’s latest gym routine or their dog’s gluten intolerance.
Why do you hang out with people you don’t like?
Absolutely agree , I’m a solo wolf too. Whether it’s traveling or eating out, I genuinely prefer my own company and peace. Some company now and then is fine, but honestly? Nothing beats the freedom and clarity of going solo.
Just sit at the bar. Your server hates you for eating alone and taking up their valuable table. The bar area is for the single diners and the bartender won’t despise you like a table server will.
It can be a little awkward being waited in at a table by yourself. Sit at the bar instead and you won’t stick out at all.
I need to start doing this for lunch every so often
I completely agree. Leave me alone with my food.
Fuck yeah!
I’ve never went into a restaurant and eaten by myself but I have eaten many lunches in my car because I got a limited amount of time from work and I will say it is very pleasant because it’s quiet I don’t have to talk to anyone but I can put on a show or a movie on my phone and just sit there and enjoy it and enjoy the peace. It’s also very annoying if the phone rings during this little lunch that I have. As far as group meals those aren’t the best in my opinion. Once in a while, we will do them for work and sometimes I can strike up a conversation with a co-worker but then other times it’s just a lot of awkward silence and I’m ready to leave.
I did it once and while it wasn’t the worst it was far from enjoyable
If you’re alone you are just sitting at a table for half an hour doing nothing
It’s not a competition between eating out alone versus in a group. If anything, the debate should be whether, when eating alone, should you go out or eat in (nobody cares about this either but at least in theory that would be the question). I like to eat out alone from time to time, but I also eat out with friends, it’s apples and oranges. This argument doesn’t make sense
Jeez I don’t know with who you go to dinner with or what kind of friends you have, but I’m sure glad I ain’t one of them.
You’re good. I feel weird as hell eating alone.
Meh. Eating out, alone, is what one does when they must. Sometimes you need to get out of the office and have a bowl of pho for lunch to decompress, but its almost always better with someone. Take the upvote!
It seems to me that you just don’t like your friends. Eating alone is great yeah, but eating with other people also has its benefits. I like talking to my friends over a meal. It’s not just small talk meant to pass over awkward silence
Do people find that they can’t order what they want or eat at their own pace when they eat with others?
I’ve eaten out alone when on work trips a lot. It’s usually me just looking at my phone which is something I do too much anyway. Not particularly exciting.
I’ve only done it when forced to on business, it was OK. It also isn’t a straight choice between an awkward group meal and a perfect solo meal, as I have plenty of occasions I have had nice chat and no issues with payment like you have. The main thing is it was really boring when waiting for the food. What do you look at. It made it extra pointless as why was I in this room waiting for the food to arrive, on my own. I’d rather get it to go and be in the comfort of my own house. Exception I guess would be a restaurant with a nice view.
I’m guessing OP likes trains or Sonic.
I eat out alone from time to time. My wife has celiacs, and some restaurants just can’t accommodate that…..and unfortunately that tends to be most ramen shops and burger joints…which I happen to love. So when I’m out running errands or she’s out with friends for dinner, I go do that.
However, I still prefer company. I like talking and eating and socializing.
Your lack of social skills make you feel superior?
Why do you go out to eat with people you don’t give a shit about so much, OP?
I think you just need a set of better friends / partner.