To not eat at a restaurant

[YouCouldBreakMe]

I am starting a meal replacement diet as of Friday but I have a few social occasions lined up. I really have two AIBUs:

1. WIBU to politely decline to eat but drink mineral water and just join in the chat?

1. AIBU to expect friends to support me and not keep telling me I could have this or try that and lecture me about it not being healthy and eat fruit?

Thanks :)

I once went to a Chinese buffet and ate nothing, I politely informed the restaurant, ordered a drink, joined in with the conversation, helped the younger child get her food etc and we all had a lovely time.
I paid for the whole meal too as it was a treat for my dd's birthday.
My friends would far rather that than I eat and am in pain/have the wild shites or not go out, or have to be hungry as they feel they can't eat around me.

You'd need some neck to walk into a restaurant and politely inform them that you're coming into their business but won't be actually eating...
Ir's not even the profit they'll lose on you; it's the precedence they set when other paying customers begin to see this is acceptable to the restaurant staff that suggests most of them won't be too keen.
Would you bunk into someone else's hotel room, telling reception that it's ok, you plan to sleep on the floor and you promise not to run too much hot water in the shower, so you won't actually cost them anything?

Actually Floggingmolly , they were fine about it and seemed happy to have four other paying customers, if they weren't we'd have gone to McDonald's or similar where no one would notice or care.
I have medical issues, nothing I can do about it, but I am polite and have social awareness.
Not eating in the situation I describe is fine, rocking up to dinner at the Fat Duck with one other person and drinking water, not so much.

HereIAm20 maybe nobody felt uncomfortable when you were doing it, however you cannot say people will not, some people do feel very awkward. I certainly did and when i have been suddenly in too much pain too eat, the oeople i were with were very uncomfortable with it.
If i am out with my mother and do not wish to eat mthen she will not either.