To celebrate dining alone

[sausageisassausagedoes]

There's such a stigma about dining alone, which I do regularly, and don't care, but have never seen it from the other side.
But tonight, in a restaurant in Madrid, I watched a woman come in by herself, have drinks, dinner, and not a care in the world, and she was utterly fabulous. And no-one in that bar could have criticised.
To dining alone!

I did it when I was single. Self conscious at first but you get over that
I'll still do it at the cinema if I want to see something no one else does.

Would you really miss out on a film because of that,?

@Kanaloa I used to work in a cinema, I'd say 60% of midweek daytime customers were on their own.
Especially in more "grown up" films, I also worked in an independent cinema and that was more like 90% individuals with the odd group of uni students.
You really won't stand out at all.

I think it is unusual to see a woman enjoying a multi course meal and drinks on her own. I think it is kind of fabulous to do this because

• she enjoys her own company
• she is confident to sit alone without worrying that people will either pity her or hit on her
• she is happy to spend money on a restaurant meal purely because she wants one

I actually enjoy a good meal out and some drinks on my own when travelling for work but when younger I would have probably just had a sandwich because I would have felt self conscious sitting in a restaurant or felt I couldn't justify the cost if not a social occasion. I always feel a bit fab when I do this.

I think there is even a bit in Bridget Jones about it (she reads about someone eating alone and looking poised but is too shy to do it herself I think, or maybe she tries and it goes wrong? Can't remember)

I didn’t know it was so common! I feel a bit daft for being so worried now.

@M0rT

It actually is a small independent cinema I would be going to, just because it’s the one near the school. Glad to know I wouldn’t be seen as the odd person who came alone!

I’ve done it twice, admittedly I was travelling, so the ‘pubs’ were on train station platforms and airports. I’m not sure I’d have the guts to book a table in a pub, in the town centre.
It does draw unwanted attention, predominantly male.

Once you get your head round the fact that no one else cares it's actually OK.
If I see a woman on her own I think good for you!

@Kanaloa not at all odd!
Lots of adults are really into cinema going but don't have friends with the same taste or don't have free time at the same time as friends who would go with them.
I hope you enjoy it and bring wine gums....they are the appropriate snack for independent cinema

There's an episode of Frasier where he gets a booking for a restaurant he's been dying to go to, but he can't find anyone to go with, so goes alone.

The whole episode is all about the stigma of dining alone - he's placed in the center of the room and feels self-conscious/ people pity him and ask him to join their table / etc.
I can't remember what happens in the end, but I found it funny, since I used to travel a lot with work, and frequently dined alone.

@Kanaloa

I don’t mind eating alone, but I’m trying to get over my awkwardness to be able to go to the cinema alone! I have a day alone in the week (kids at school, DH working) and would love to go and see a film sometime, but I always feel a bit too awkward.

Do it, it's brilliant! I've seen a few films alone, things like Fantastic Beasts and Mamma Mia 2 because my friends and DH are joyless and don't appreciate ABBA

I treated myself to a weekend in London to see the Harry Potter play for my birthday in 2019. Tickets were £££££ and the money would have been wasted on DH as he doesn't care for Harry Potter, plus I managed to snag an absolutely amazing seat because I wasn't looking for two together. I thoroughly enjoyed it and it didn't feel weird because you don't talk at the theatre anyway!

I love eating out alone, usually take a book with me. I’m single and don’t want to always have to arrange something with a friend if I fancy a lovely meal.

I've been single or about a million years,and I have often dined alone (in a restaurant - I pretty much always done alone at home). I have been to the cinema, theatre, ballet, talks, art exhibitions, holidays all alone. It makes sense in the cinema and theatre, because you shouldn't talk to anyone while the performance is on anyway.