Two people having dinner together. Romance or friends.

Depends on their ages, body language etc. Don’t really give it too much thought TBH.

I don't understand that tbh. There's thirteen years between me amd my Sibling. Realistically you can and used to have twenty year age gaps, from youngest to eldest. There's many areas where women start families in their teens to early 20s. Then there's age gap relationships. Has neither of you ever lunched with work/university/adult education etc colleagues? Or had older/younger friendship groups?
I like to observe the diversity of city centers, including local 'characters', but the assumptions and intrigue is a bit strange.

They could be colleagues. Done it myself.

Grow up

My god. Yet another senseless and stupid MN post. I guess me and my best friend, both female, must be judged as lesbian lovers by you all the time then OP

Why on earth would they? They could be siblings or work colleagues or just friends of yes a couple but why would anyone assume anything?

That's what we say every time! Why assume that even a couple will want to sleep together? Now, whenever I book accommodation I make sure to specify that two separate rooms will be needed.

I don’t really notice other people. I’ve never thought that when I eat out with a friend people might assume we are a couple 😂

I frequently holiday with a platonic female friend. It's amazing how many, for example, holiday cottages assume we MUST be a couple and only make up one bed. The same thing happened when I holidayed with one of my daughters - we had quite a struggle to find the owner to get them to come out and make up another bed for us (there was no bed linen at the property, we checked).

It seems almost a default that if two people are coming - they must be a couple.

Regardless of gender I rarely pay any attention to other people in a restaurant. I guess I might if my husband goes to the toilet and I'm on my own for a min but I'd probably just get my phone out instead of watching other diners.

Having said that I would probably base it on body language and if they looked like they'd made a real effort. I tend to dress more casually if I was out with friends or family compared to the rare dinner out with my husband when we have a babysitter for our 6yo.

If they looked a bit bored I'd assume they were in a LTR or married. If they are talking animatedly I'd think friends. Overly polite or flirtatious I'd think a date or early romance. Gazing into each other's eyes I'd say a few weeks or months in to a new relationship.

Friends, lovers, convenience, business - could be anything really

Unless there was some kind of performance going on I would barely notice them. I can enjoy a bit of people watching if sitting on a park bench as nothing much else to do, but in a restaurant I’m too busy eating 😁

I often eat out with women friends, and occasionally men, 1:1. I wouldn't assume anyone, whether male or female, was necessarily in a romantic relationship, unless kissing etc.

I think it`s none of my beeswax what others are upto.

I wouldn't even think about it.

I'd probably assume they are just friends unless something makes me think they are a couple. My self and my friend were mistaken for a lesbian couple once in a very trendy art gallery once. I think for the young woman working there she felt that assuming we were gay was better than assuming we weren't if you see what I mean? Anyway it was all fine, gave us a laugh.

One of my closest friends is male and we often go to dinner, films and concerts together and people assume we are a couple and there have even been occasions when friends and family who haven't met the other have had a quiet word with us about being spotted stepping out on our partners when in fact nothing could be further from the truth!

I always assume they are spies.

I wouldn't think much of it but i would assume friends. Although i have been out to eat with my dad on the odd occasion and thought I hope people don't think where a couple

Depends on behaviour. Lots of talking laughing talking at the same time as each other, friends.
More stilted conversation with little smiles, much earnest listening, a date.
Focus on food and taking in surrounding, relaxed silence, established couple on a date night.

At DD's graduation we went out to dinner the night before and we love people watching. Restaurant packed with graduates and assorted others.

Ended up playing the "are they dating or are they siblings?" game which the waitress joined in playing.

We did also play "do they like each other"

I could happily sit and people watch all day 👀

When I was early twenties my Dad went into an italian three times in a week for lunch with me, my mother and a female colleage. My mum wondered why they were getting funny looks from staff until it dawned on her.