I just came back from a very enjoyable lunch at a restaurant near my workplace. I walked over in the sun, ordered an appetizer and a small salad, read articles online on my phone, and had a very enjoyable time. Walked back in the sun. Very nice, and a perfect break from the workday. For me, I enjoy lunching alone just as much as lunching with friends, and a whole lot more than lunching with colleagues that I 'should' be getting to know.
However, I feel like there is some stigma attached to it...like, if I'm by myself, I should have brought my lunch, or if I'm sitting in a restaurant by myself, I'm viewed as some sort of spinster or wallflower, or like I'm not networking enough. A couple people have told me they would never go to a restaurant unescorted, especially as a woman. So, do you dine in restaurants alone? And if you do, do you enjoy it, or do you hate it? And if you enjoy it, do you also have these little doubts about it, like I do?
Hope everyone is doing well today.
I'm happy to know I'm not alone in realizing how nice it is to be alone. :) I did think that the 'ladies never go unescorted' thing was pretty ridiculous.
I agree that there is nothing wrong with it at all, but I have experienced a slight pitying tone from the occasional server, and I find I have a slight dread of running into people I know. Still, it's too much fun, and I will keep doing it with increasing shamelessness, thanks to the encouragement of my fellow solitude-lovers here on Mamapedia.
LOL! This is hilarious. I LOVE to take myself to lunch! It's so nice to be alone, read and think.
I don't really have any doubts. But then, I'm in the military. I don't have to "network." ;-)
when I worked outside of the home, I loved taking my lunch to the park! I simply enjoyed the peace....
When I was single, I did it all the time. Brought a book and relaxed. I also went to movies alone. No biggie to me. I would do it now, but these days I eat in my office to save money. I'd rather spend money on a dinner out w/ my family than go to lunch by myself. But I never felt weird at all. I see people out by themselves all the time and I never give it a second thought.
Yeah I've had lunch alone. I think it's great. I recently had a lunch "date" on the phone with my girlfriend who lives hours away. I went to a busy crowded cafe-type place without my kids and yakked away. It was almost like we had lunch together for real :)
I sure do and I enjoy myself and my time.
Yep, I have always (single or married) enjoyed sitting by myself and savoring a good meal if no one else happens to be joining me. Whoever told you they would 'never' go out to a restaurant alone is just imposing some weird norm on themselves. "Especially as a woman?" Oh, good grief.
Truth be told, when I had the childcare, one of my favorite things was to go over to our 'local' in the afternoon and have a pint of good microbrew and some chips and guacamole or tater tots, read my book in peace, chat with some of the regulars. My ability to enjoy my life--when I want to, and within reason--should not be determined by my gender.
Yes I do, once in awhile!
Another secret guilty pleasure? A movie A-L-O-N-E! Nothing like it! :)
I love anytime to myself! Going 'unescorted, especially as a woman' sounds like a saying from the 1920s. Good grief - if we are working moms (or SAHMs) who get a chance to eat, alone, read a book at a restaurant without a playground or having to run the kids to a bathroom every 5 minutes...take the luxury!!
I'm sure men wouldn't think twice - why should we?
Yes, I take myself out to lunch. When I worked I dined alone often. I see no stigma to doing so. I have many friends who also go to lunch in a restaurant by themselves.
When I was having difficulty with my family at dinner time, I took myself out to dinner leaving them to fend for themselves. It was a great mood booster for me.
It's all about what works for you. What does it matter what anyone else thinks. Sure their may be some (very few) who view going out alone as an indication that you're lonely or don't have friends. What difference does it make if you're having a good time?
I cooked in restaurants (michelin starred) in highschool (and occasionally after)... As such... Restaurants don't scare me.
I'd study in lower end places, treat myself on a similar jaunt as you did today, and bring my laptop and write (first warning the staff Im not critiquing, just looking for somewhere to 'camp' ...single diners who are eating and writing are often critics)... No worries.
Breakfast alone at a restaurant is my favorite...I do not like morning conversations.
But a nice quiet lunch..paradise..
Yes! I go out for sashimi or salad and take along a good book. I enjoy it and never think about what others may think of me so I have no doubts about it. You keep going out to enjoy some alone time and push those doubts out of your head. Best wishes. :)
I can count on 1 hand the # of times per year I went to lunch with others from my work. I relished my alone time during my lunch hour. I could go dine, relax & then maybe run an errand before heading back to work. Or, I could grab my food to go, eat on a bench in a forest preserve, & take a nice walk before going back.
Yes, I do. I love to sit and read and enoy a nice meal.
I usually bring my lunch and sit at my desk and read mamapedia! But when I do go out, yes, I will go by myself and bring a book.
I like a relaxing and quiet lunch hour so I can get the benefit of the "down" time. I don't care what others think - they're not buying my lunch or paying my salary!
Eating lunch out is a great pleasure for working parents, and there are plenty of people eating on their own during the workday. I say you should just keep on enjoying it.
Yes, I do it AND love it. In fact, I'll sometimes take my daughter to a babysitter and enjoy a quiet alone meal and a glass of wine. The only thing I don't like is how servers sometimes don't quite know how to serve a person who is alone. I think they sometimes feel sorry for me, when the reality is that it is a treat and my choice.
When one of my friends got divorced, she called and said, "I don't know how to do this being alone thing. How do you handle it?." She was becoming a hermit rather than venture out by herself, but she was lonely at home. I told her that she had to get comfortable with her own company and enjoy doing things she loved alone. One of the things I told her to do was to purposely go to a restaurant alone and eat alone...take a book or magazine to occupy her and to learn to enjoy being with herself. I told her to go to a movie alone, too. Later she told me that was one of the best things she learned to do and knew she'd be ok when she started enjoying dining out solo. Socializing is fun, but it's also good to be comfortable in your own skin.
It is one of the things I miss the most since having my daughter. These day I just do not have the time to do it, but I used try to do it at least twice a month. Me, my book, and my lunch... it always made for a great day!
I would occaisonally get strange looks, but I figured those folks just did not know what they were missing or, had no idea how to enjoy thier own company!
I just did it today!!!
After a long walk along the beach, I had Mexican food for lunch (I even treated myself to a margarita!) while reading on my kindle. I spent the next two hours sifting through a few of my favorite antique and book stores.
It was the first day I've had completely to myself in a while and it was awesome!
I enjoy it more than having to converse with someone while I'm trying to enjoy my food!
I love to go out to eat by myself. Breakfast, lunch or dinner. Like to read a magazine, or my phone! I enjoy the peace and quite. I think it is fine to treat yourself!!!!!
Yes, I lunch alone when kids are in preschool sometimes. I also lunched alone some days when I worked to have some down time.
I go out to lunch by myself regularly. I enjoy it. I don't go out to dinner myself often.
I have shortened my work schedule and eat at my desk. I used to LOVE my solo lunches!! I never minded eating alone. I would read whatever or space out and people watch and just relish the time to myself. Especially when I'd see co-workers eating together and having to have work/small talk - blech! I know that some people don't like eating alone at all. I miss it now that I'm stuck at my desk most days.
