Would you go and have lunch alone?

[FloraFoxtrots]

And if not, why not?

I'm going out today to have lunch on my own. Have a workman here and want to just concentrate on a couple of emails and err Mumsnet a bit maybe

I mentioned it to a friend and she was horrified (slightly exaggerating there) that I'd sit there like a right old saddo on my own, eating. It's nowhere posh - think along the lines of a generic chain restaurant

So - would you take yourself off and have lunch on your own?

@StevieNix

No but only because I’m not brave enough to! I wouldn’t judge anyone else for doing it and id be feeling envious that I don’t have the courage to do the same. The closest I get is getting a meal deal or something similar and sitting in a park/on the seafront on my own and eating it.

What are you nervous of? It wouldn't occur to me that it was brave to do this!

I would love to go for lunch alone! Eat food uninterrupted, take my time, maybe read a book..

I'd go for a coffee or something quick to eat if I've needed to kill time, but I wouldn't plan to go for a meal alone as I see it as a sociable thing. I just couldn't be bothered if it was just me.

I used to eat out by myself all the time and I loved it. When my DD started Nursery she would only go for 3 hours so sometimes I just didn't see the point in going home. I would go and have some food and I'd bring a book with me, it was so nice just to sit and not do anything.

I love doing stuff on my own. I’d go to any restaurant I fancied, posh or not! No one else really cares what other people are doing anyway

Your friend sounds a bit wet tbh. What’s so scary about eating out on your own?

It's not brave to eat lunch in a cafe or restaurant

That's what they are there for ffs. Why do you keep going on about "saddos". You and your friend do sound a bit "sad" but it's nothing to do with the restaurant or eating alone.

@Whyemseeaye

I love doing stuff on my own. I’d go to any restaurant I fancied, posh or not! No one else really cares what other people are doing anyway

So true! I don't notice things like that at all

I do, I have no one to go anywhere with.

Wish I felt confident enough to do it tbh, I would if there wasn’t a pandemic. One of my favourite occasional things to do is to go to a small seaside town about half an hours drive from here and have a great day shopping (and lunching) on my own. Enjoy!

I did that on my birthday a few years back as I wanted to enjoy lunch, on my birthday during office hours. But i do eat out alone often n love the peace n quiet as usually i am. busy with friends n family.

Yes it's one of my favourite things to do! In fact I may go and do it this pm once this never ending teams meeting finishes... Do my work admin in my favourite café...

I have lunch and dinner alone (pre covid) all the time. Love it.

Good book/bit of phone time/order exactly what I want (often 2 starters and a bowl of chips) and take my time with a glass or two of vino. Bliss.

I am equally happy in a pub/cafe but have done it in posh restaurants too. Love sitting at the bar/counter watching the world go buy and ear wigging other people's conversations

go and enjoy

I’m a lunch, cinema, gym, shopping, coffee, day out visiting an attraction on my own person

I love it, but I do feel fortunate because I’ve always been ok on my own as I love meeting and watching people.

When I was young and going out all the time, it used to drive me mad when I would arrange to meet someone, and if I was running late (which was often) some friends would wait in the car park rather than just go into the pub. I never minded friends being late, as I’d just go inside, grab a drink and start my night out.

I never realsied at the time how debilitating some people find being alone. I still don’t get it, as it’s not me at all, but age has given me a bit more empathy.

But I’m answer to your question, I love going for lunch by myself as I’m more likely to meet and chat to people.

Good grief! How women limit and restrict themselves!

Why On Earth would I not take my human self into a public place intended for human beings? I've been going out to lunch and dinner alone, whenever I felt like it, my entire teenage / adult life.

And I don't need rules about books and phones and what people might think. I'm a human being, I'm allowed to navigate being alive in any lawful way.

Ridiculous, woman-belittling thinking.

Yes, and dinner, and breakfast.

I really don't care if I'm called a saddo, I'd rather do the things I want than have to wait until someone else wants to go too.

Do it often, have done in the evening too. If I want to eat out I do!

Definitely. I used to travel for work a lot or move about different sites between meetings etc, and there’s only so many times you can sit on a bench/in a hotel room eating a supermarket sandwich.

These days, with a toddler and working from home most of the time, I’d give anything for a peaceful, solo lunch.

Dinner, not so much (but again, business travel made it necessary sometimes). I’d usually go to a casual chain rather than somewhere fancier, in that situation.

One of my favourite things to do!

Ask your friend why she's so uncomfortable with her own company?

Ask your friend why she's so uncomfortable with her own company?

It isn't that the friend is uncomfortable in her own company - it's that she believes women have no value unless accompanied by a man; so to be seen in public alone (unless for exceptional business reasons) outs a woman as chronically undesirable.

It's a sad belief.

Yes same as many people go for a drink alone, I had to wait for a friend a while ago so went to the pub for a glass of wine, no probs at all!

I enjoy going for lunch on my own. I take my kindle, order what I want and have some lovely me time.

Personally I wouldn't want to be friends with a woman who thinks women should be hiding at home unless they have a man's arm to hang on to.