Dining out alone

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Oh, right, I forgot about the waiters who clean up after people. That is a major convenience.

Something I don't understand is the reason that people to dine out is for the "environment." Of course it's a personal preference, but unless your home is the size of a box, or the smell of it ruins your appetite, then what is the advantage? You like the way they decorate? (Something that psychohist mentioned, but this question isn't directed to him.)

Meh, I feel like I'm bashing this topic now. I guess it's just because I don't get it, so it frustrates me trying to understand it. I'm sorry for dissing you guys who happily eat out alone. I just (strongly) think there are so many better options. Maybe I'm just scared, like ursaminor.

I feel more comfortable dining out alone, than I do with people. I get to have some time to myself.

Strangely enough, I've never done it yet. I go out with family members for dinner so I'm never alone. I will probably do it at some point though.

I dine out alone quite often. However, when given the choice, I definitely prefer dinning with others.

I have a question for the OP, or anybody who'd like to answer. Do you mean in general, or just the more upscale restaurants? Because I go to Taco Bell sometimes and get lunch and just look at homework or something. I eat alone at Subway too, on the outside tables, and at ASU I eat at Panda Express alone because I dont' know anyone. Fancier restaurants I never have, and would feel strange with all that extra space.

I have no problem with eating out alone. It's a nice chance to relax peacefully with some good food, and it's a change of scenery from home.

I eat out more than I eat in. If every time I ate out, it was with other people, I would be a much busier guy than I want to be.

I prefer pubs that serve food. I can eat at the bar. There's nothing wrong with that.

dining out alone sucks because everybody you see is with somebody just like @ the cafeteria at school it sucked sitting by myself. I never go out and eat in a resturant by myself I just order fast food.

I usually find it very boring for me to dine out at a big chain restaurant alone. If I want food from Olive Garden, Uno, or Cheesecake Factory, I would simply do take out and eat and watch TV at home. Eating lunch/dinner or dining out with people on the contrary, feels very relaxing for me. When I was interning at a hospital lab last summer, I would wait for almost everyone to eat lunch at the kitchen so that I can each lunch and converse with them.

I prefer to dine with others, but if I have to dine alone it doesn't really bother me. I just bring a good book to read or else I kinda get bored just sitting there waiting for my food.

Before I was a vegetarian I used to eat out alone quite often. If I had a craving to get food from somewhere but no one to go with then I would go by myself. Usually it was just something like sushi, a burger or a muffin and a hot chocolate. It was never at fine dining restaurants because I never went to them, just cafes or takeaway shops close by. It was never awkward for me until I was told that it wasn't "normal", then I started to wonder why and after not figuring it out (& I still haven't) I started ordering my food to go in order to not make myself more socially weird.

I am NT, and I don't think it is strange to eat out alone. I have 3 teenagers and a husband, and sometimes I find it realxing to go have lunch or dessert or coffee alone. Sometimes I take a book, other times I people watch or (gasp!) listen in on other peoples lives...

I do not like going to places like Olive Garden or Applebees for this, rather smaller, warmer places where I can just relax. I appreciate having someone else do the work, and not feeling that I have to entertain others or take care of them for awhile! If you enjoy doing it, do it! And I know several other adults who feel this way, one is a writer with small children, who uses alone time at a coffee shop to do her writing. As for "normal"...? Who really knows what that is anyway?

I'll answer anyway.

I mentioned "cleaner, nicer, or more spacious". Hopefully "cleaner" is self explanatory. I can give examples of the others.

When I lived in northern Virginia, I sometimes went to a restaurant in a building next to the river. It had a view of the Washington monument in the distance. It was also on the approach path to Washington National airport, so an airliner would come by not too far from the restaurant every now and then. I found the view, and the occasional lights of a passing airplane against the starry sky, to be relaxing. My own apartment did not have as nice a view.

Here in Boston, although I did not dine there alone, I used to frequent a restaurant that had a spacious arrangement with a 40 foot ceiling. The architecture was beautiful and the spacing and arrangement of the tables and furniture, as well as the high ceilings, made the room quiet and relaxing. Unfortunately that restaurant is now closed; my wife and I really miss it. My own house, unfortunately, does not have a spacious dining room with 40 foot ceilings.

I hope those examples help. Even if the things I like aren't things that you like, perhaps you can imagine a restaurant that would suit you as well.

psychohist, thank you tons for answering. I do appreciate your examples; they are helpful and they sound extraordinary! Yes, I could imagine a restaurant that'd suit me, but the most realistic version of it is closed now (and I only visited it twice -- as a child). I was, however, under the impression that we were talking about casual dining restaurants, either ones like CaptainTrips222 listed (Taco Bell, Subway, and Panda Express) or restaurants I have work experience in (which offer full menus, for families, dates, and even a bar with alcohol). My confusion is that the places I've worked/work at get enough singletons for me to wonder why people bother eating there alone (they're not glorious restaurants). Meh, oh well.

Again, I understand your examples and the two places you described are ones at which I believe I would enjoy eating (even alone), too.

Edit: MomAtSchool even said it herself... She chooses not to eat at places like Applebee's or Olive Garden. Well, those two places are the exact rivals of my past job + my current job. I could easily compare them to each other. It's those places I am confused about! Just wanted to add my comment. Unless someone offers more opinions on it, then I'm done with this topic! -- sketches, the thread hijacker

I find eating alone in a restaurant at lunchtime feels more acceptable than at dinnertime. There people would think you are taking a break from work, on errands, etc. And it's cheaper to boot. It is nice to eat at a sit down place once a week for a change of pace, and maybe takeaway 3 or 4 meals a week, and cook the rest.

It very much depends for me on the type of restaurant. I am quite capable of going alone to a fast food place on my way home from work, but eating alone in a proper restaurant with waiters, couples, large groups of people....that is a definite no no for me. I hate the thought of it, at least you have a distraction if you are with someone else.