Five Strategies When You’re Dining Alone

            We all have experienced at one time or another, right? If you travel much, it is almost inevitable. Today’s jet set life even invites the lonely diner. What’s the alternative? Stay in your hotel room and catch a room service meal? That hardly sounds social or more entertaining.

            For many people, the lonely venture into a restaurant or bar is not so daunting. In fact, the challenge of engaging someone new, striking up a different conversation or simply the freedom of having no obligations can be quite liberating. However, for others (particularly women it seems), a significant degree of anxiety or embarrassment associated with the lack of companionship can exist in such a social setting. For those who feel this level of anxiousness, here are some strategies that might help:

1. Take something to read

Having a newspaper or magazine is a great “prop” when dining alone or catching a cocktail. First, it gives the impression (whether true or not) that you are a real intellectual…always seeking knowledge about the world in which you live. Often this type of prop can serve as a means for conversation with strangers adjacent to you. Regardless, any anxiety you might feel will be distracted by reading.

2. Technology to the rescue

Again a distracting device, both the active cell phone and the laptop computer distract the anxiety and deter any on-lookers from thinking you are “lonely guy” or “lonely girl.” Unfortunately, dining should be able enjoying a moment away from the tasks of the day, so this may be counterproductive in a sense.

3. Have a cocktail

Alcohol is a natural anxiolytic…a fancy word for an anxiety-reducing medication or drug. Having a cocktail relaxes your mind and alleviates any anxiousness about dining alone. This may also encourage you to engage your server or others around you (if at a bar setting) in conversation. Moderation of course is the key, or otherwise you may end up enjoying yourself for the entire evening.

4. Choose the bar setting over the table setting

If you visit a bar/restaurant these days, you will likely find many solo-diners at the bar around meal times. As stated before, travel and a ever-shrinking world has resulted in increasing numbers of people that dine alone. Bars are excellent for this environment. Not only are other solo-diners there with whom you can share a meal, but you have a built-in companion called the bartender.

5. Order a salad

Yes, this sounds a little weird to be on the list, but honestly a salad takes some time to eat. What does this mean? Well, the longer you are eating, the less you are concerned about dining alone. Salads come out quickly, take twice as long to eat as other appetizers, are healthy for you, and by the time you’re done, your main course will be ready. All in all, a salad is a great distraction while waiting for your main meal.