Ok, so I thought this was an odd title for an online article:
"How not to feel humiliated when dining alone"
Um. Why would I? I rather enjoy eating out alone.
Given the photo of the sad lonely brunette (she HAD to be a brunette, right?) that accompanies the article, I think reading between the lines, the title of the article is more like:
"You sad lonely dried up old maid. How terrible that you have to eat alone."
Because *clearly* the target audience for this story isn't guys. I don't know that most guys would feel humiliated dining alone. They'd pull up a chair to the bar, order a beer and dive in. Isn't all this fuss and kerfuffle a girl thing?
The story goes on to offer several suggestions for how that lonely gal can make it through such a harrowing experience as having to dine alone like reading a book or staring into her mobile device.
Please. Eating out alone is great. You don't have to share your dessert, you can drink too many glasses of wine if you want, and you can burp at the table. What's not to love about this experience?
And oh the people watching. So much to take in!
Plus, plenty of couples look miserable dining together. But they are not "humiliated" because they are not alone, so it's ok? Bah!
I guess I sort of thought we were past the days when someone eating alone in a restaurant was a weird thing. So many people travel for business or just choose to spend time alone. In my book this is no longer odd.
And the conventional wisdom used to be that as a solo diner the wait staff wouldn't serve you as well (one person means smaller tab means smaller tip) but I have found the opposite to be true. I think wait staff rather enjoy the ease of just one person at the table. No question where the entrée goes!
I've not ever felt slighted or mistreated when dining alone. It works just fine.
Sure, I'd rather have The Good Man there because, mainly, he makes any thing I do a lot more fun (he could make going to the dentist for a root canal a worthwhile adventure!). But if I'm away from him and I'm hungry, well, a girl's gotta eat!
Honestly most of my girlfriends are the same way. Eating alone in a restaurant is no biggie.
Most girls half my age are twice as bold as me, so I don't think they have issues either.
Who is this story really aimed at? As I read the comments, most of the ladies chiming in seem to agree with my point of view on this.
And seems most agree that the title of the article is just plain terrible.
I guess my message to the author is to simply quote the comment left by a reader named Melissa:
"Thanks for bashing my confidence in eating alone. I guess now when I take myself out to lunch to be awesome I have to feel HUMILIATED instead."
So there!
