To ask if you go out for lunch solo?

[Hesxboon]

I have a day to myself Tomorow well afternoon once dd is in nursery. Really want to get my eyebrows sorted and go for lunch, maybe a bit of shopping. Why do I feel like I’m strange for going on my own? Especially lunch. Does anyone else do this? My dd is a handful and I never really get time to myself or to relax, or when I do I just do housework or the endless washing I have most days. Would you find someone lunching on their own odd? Or am I overthinking it?

I often eat out alone as I prefer shopping alone. One of the reasons is that my friends are fussy eaters. They wouldn't eat Asian cuisine apart from Chinese, Go to Pho, Wagamama, Yo Sushi,

Also sometimes I eat out alone when on holiday. Go solo on a tour holiday with fellow solo travellers. Some days we have a free day or afternoon. I say it has been 50/50 eating alone and eating with a 2-4 others.

I absolutely love a date day with myself. Sit in a nice restaurant with a book and have a leisurely lunch. Maybe get a massage or a pedicure. Have a potter around the town, maybe visit a museum. As a busy career mum it’s so nice to just look after myself instead of serving the demands of everyone else.
do it.
and do it as often as you can

I lunch on ny own, holiday on my own and yesterday did a spa day on my own. It's bloody bliss not having others yammering at you. Do it!

I love going for a solo shopping trip and lunch. I used to do this every 6 weeks whilst the dog got groomed. Best 2 hours ever!!!

Quite often. My dh does most days. I don't understand why any adult would be worried about doing stuff alone, it's a bit insecure and silly

I love going out to lunch on my own! I do it when I’m in the office mostly if there’s no one about to go with I embrace the quiet time and sit and people watch.
The only times I eat dinner on my own is when I’m away with work but I take a book and just enjoy eating and sitting until I’m ready to leave. If i’m home alone I’m more likely to order a takeaway 😂

I've done this. It's totally fine.
Enjoy!

Now that my DC are away at Uni I often go into town by myself on a Saturday ,do a bit of shopping,get eyebrows done and have lunch
DH does sport on a Saturday
I enjoy it very much

Yes if I've gone for a shopping day somewhere or appointment. Less often in my home town for some reason...

Definitely get yourself lunch! I wouldn’t think twice about doing this if I was out shopping and hungry. And you see it all the time now with people wfh, grabbing lunch solo with their laptop. Take a book or a magazine if you need to but people-watching is great. Enjoy!

I do it and dinner or coffee and cake etc. Either take my headphones for my audiobooks or my kindle or a book.

I don't think anyone pays much attention to solo people

That was 99% of my maternity leave and every single chance since

With comments like the op though I find it a bit vain, do you honestly think people care that much? Wouldn't people have their own thing going on?

There have been many times where I've had a day to myself and deliberately chosen to spend time on my own rather than arrange to meet up with someone.

As a personal preference I wouldn't go to a proper restaurant where you have to wait for a meal alone as I prefer to share that time with someone. But I absolutely love sitting at a coffee shop or cafe with a sandwich or similar. I wouldn't think anything of someone being on their own in either scenario. I find it odd that anyone would!

Take a book or a newspaper, or read stuff on your phone. It's a luxury to have time to yourself.

I couldn't see myself going to a proper restaurant alone, but I'd happily have lunch by myself in a cafe

I went on my first solo holiday in May.

I'm an introvert, very much an island, and quite shy. I prefer my own company.

Since getting divorced I have a sense of peace, not having to cater for someone else's moods all the time.

I love a solo lunch. I take my kindle, pick somewhere that I know I like and won't need too much service (sometimes they can be a little forgetful of solo diners) and then just relax.

I love doing things on my own, I'll go to the cinema, concerts, festivals etc etc I have friends and I'm married but I enjoy the pace of doing stuff when I want and how I want.

If people judge that's their problem not yours.

I prefer eating lunch alone as I can savour the food! When I'm with others, I feel distracted and gulp it down without thought which takes away from the experience in a way. That's just me though.

Just another comment for PP who have said things like 'dont know how you've got to this age without going out alone'

I have two siblings who would NEVER go out for food (even a coffee) on their own. They've never been in the situation where they're out for a day shopping on their own and are hungry because they'd never go for a shopping trip alone. One of them occasionally does work trips and buys a meal deal to eat in his room. When they hear I do stuff alone they are generally disgusted. If OP has people like that around them, maybe that's how it's happened.

All the time! Well not so much now as money is tighter, but especially when I had builders in I needed to escape so took myself off to a local cafe for brunch. Rotated a few. I love finding a nice little place with a cosy atmosphere!
What I don't do is hog a table for four while just having a coffee during busy times. I'm happy to share a table but I do look at some people with their laptops, one long empty coffee cup and a queue waiting.
Anyway yes it's fun trying out new places and no one cares - there's usually another solo diner around.

A couple of times a week. I love it x

How sad. My Nan is almost 90 and does have friends but obviously most people her age have died. She'd have a sad existence if she didn't go out alone, holiday alone sometimes. They may be in for missable old ages!

Miserable*

I've done this since I was an older teenager when shopping alone. You'll most likely find there will be other people eating alone, people shopping and stopping for food, and workers having lunch alone, its normal I think.

This. I believe the quote " Everyone is far too busy thinking about themselves to bother with what you are doing " will help you here. I love shopping, mooching, having lunch. Its a treat. Its allowed.