I don't have friends but I want to go to a proper restaurant
Do you just walk in and ask for a table for one?
>>7580038
kek
Yes.
>>7580038
yes. its a bit awkward but youll get used to it. its really not bad as they bring your plate quick since its only you. go enjoy the food and forget about everyone else. none of the people there know why youre on your own.
unless you dress like an autistic naruto. then it will be obvious
>>7580090
>they bring your plate quick since its only you
This.
A single item ticket usually gets bumped to the front of the queue, simply because it's one person making it and they don't have to coordinate the timing with the rest of the kitchen, so they can just crank it out immediately.
>>7580038
When you walk in and the hostess greets you just smile and return the greeting as you walk by and seat yourself at the bar. Go in the afternoon between lunch and dinner rush and to anyone you look like a normal guy that decided to have a late lunch while running some errands or something.
Friendless loner here, the thing to do is you ask if there's space at the bar. This (1) flatters their conceit that they need to grant me permission to eat there, (2) shows that I'm not looking to take up an entire table, and (3) is more comfortable anyway since one person at a table for one looks lonely and awkward. You'll usually get better service and you'll sometimes meet someone interesting.
Since you will be more exposed at the bar, it's more important than usual that you aren't too much of a slob, in terms of how you're dressed, how you carry yourself, and how fit you are.
If you're 275 pounds and wearing a Naruto shirt and can't eat without making loud chewing noises, then get a table for one.
>>7580038
eat at bar if you really dont feel right about it. i prefer eating by myself nowadays. nobody tells me ive had enough when i do
>>7580038
LIterally nobody cares that you're eating alone. The people eating there nor the people serving you. The only time people will even notice is a friday or saturday night and even then the staff will only care if they are busy and you insist on a table instead of eating at the bar
>>7580100
Restaurant worker here.
We always get single people who come in around 2-3 in the afternoon. A few of them are regulars who come in just about every day. Absolutely none of the employees will care that much about you unless you are a prick. We have one guy who complains about his meal every single time. And we all wonder why he is alone
>>7580114
Those conversations never go too deep, if you practice the conversation script enough times I guarantee you it's possible to pass for a normie unless it's a chick who is actually interested in having sex with you, in which case you'll realize hours later that you rebuffed her advances like an idiot.
And if you manage to make it through one of those fake "conversations" without any fuckups, it gives you a real sense of accomplishment. I try to do this at least once every few months.
>>7580106
this is true
OP bring a book. people will just think you're on a business trip or something
>>7580128
I agree. Even being on your phone while you eat help a lot. Your phone makes every lonesome situation easier. Browse the ch0n even
Print off a picture of that girl you like on Facebook and frame it like that arbys guy.
>>7580038
When I eat alone it's almost always at sushi restaurants because they have bars or I just get take out :(
>>7580125
For me it's not that having a conversation is difficult, it's just that I'd prefer not to be bothered by some normie and have some menial conversation about shit I don't care about
>>7580197
Answer one question and then just smile or say yea to anything else and normal people get the hint that you don't want to talk.
Just bring your dakimakura and it'll be fine.
Better than looking like a loner.
OP here
Thanks.
Although the forever alone loser jokes have made me suicidal. Oh well I'll just go binge eat to feel better.
I'm sorry but what are you guys talking about?
Is this an American thing? Do all restaurants have a bar?
![f23HiqP[1].jpg](https://i.imgur.com/9Uxui4O.jpg "f23HiqP[1].jpg")
>>7580243
Would it be better to go on a double date with another guy with a dakimakura you met on Craig's List?
>>7580266
A good number of them do, but not all.
>>7580038
Yes, I have gone to many finer dining places and ate alone. You can either get a table, or go to the bar and socialize with others.
>>7580266
Almost all good ones do. A lot of shit chain ones do too. This is not just an American thing. Absence of a bar is basically grounds for being classified as "hole in the wall".
What country are you from?
>>7580271
Wow, that's fucking weird. I want to go to a restaurant with a bar and eat there now, shame I've never noticed any in my country.
>>7580270
Where did Edward Snowden get that nice shirt?
>>7580038
I used to travel a lot for business, I never had any qualms about asking for a table for one.
Ignore these idiots who say - Bring a book, or play with your iPhone, it makes you look pathetic and self conscious!
And in Britain NOBODY eats at the bar .. .that's just ridiculous!
I've found that sitting at the sushi bar after work is a good way to unwind. Without having friends with me it frees me up to hit on the wait staff
>>7580038
I eat alone all the time. I don't get what the big deal is. I've also seen threads about "how do I go to the cinema alone", "how do I go to concerts alone" et cetera. To me that's fucking pathetic, but to each his own I suppose.
When I'm travelling alone should I pay an escort everytime I want to eat in a restaurant? Should I be pretending to be waiting?
I made it through entire Europe eating alone every single day and never got an odd glance. Is this an american thing?
Leadfag here
Love you people that come in by yourselves. You're almost always there for the food and not the people you're with. Nothing against large groups, but single parties appreciate my dishes more and if I'm in a mood where I just want some goddamn recognition I'll make a single table's food fucking outstanding (effort-wise). Occasionally I get people in ~1 hour before close when it's slow and calm. They'll ask for the house favorite or the dish that's selling the most.
Its great having nothing to do but cook one or two dishes after your kitchen staff left and you have the whole place to yourself. Play some music and kick out the last 5 dishes of the night, glorious. And plus the people appreciate the dishes
Got off topic, but
tl;dr yes it's OK we love you
just delivery and feast at home.
>>7580526
>I don't give a shit so hard I'll write a salt-crusted condescending post to show you how much I don't care.
>>7580090
>its a bit awkward
lol wtf. You autist amaze me. There is nothing wrong or awkward about having a meal by youreself in public
Bring a clipboard, you're now a food critic
>>7580526
This guy gets it.
Fucking hell, I swear your average person doesn't mature past 15 these days
They will probably ask you if you want to sit at the counter.
>>7581209
Would you rather be treated like a food critic or a health inspector?
>>7581233
>health inspector
>gets everything served well done
>even fish cooked to >73°C
FC, FC, please to be treated as FC!
>>7580038
work in hospitality. no one thinks it's weird when people dine alone. staff see it so often that they dont consider it strange. other customers never pay attention to other tables unless they're being noisy or obnoxious. i'd just pick somewhere small with a mature vibe. ask for a table for one. dont be embarrassed. if it's really causing you anxiety take a book with you and leave it on the table.
>>7581254
Health inspectors aren't paranoid about germs and shit. They go into the kitchen and decide whether or not it's safe for a restaurant to be serving the food they do.
>>7581186
clearly i give a shit, because if not i wouldn't have replied
i was saying that the other diners in a restaurant don't give a shit about you being alone.
you (everyone itt) is not the center of the world, don't think you are. it's not that hard to grasp...
>>7581211
It's not so black and white anon.
Obsessing over what others think course is immature and shows a lot of insecurity. (planning out things out of fear that a stranger might not like you)
Absolutely giving no fucks at all about how you're perceived is literally autism. At best it's just being a self-absorbed prick. (being so unaware and lacking empathy to the point of truly not caring)
Most normal adults fall anywhere in between. Just like most random strangers don't care if you eat alone, they also aren't impressed by an undeserved smugness of, "I don't care what you think, and I want you to know I don't care"
>>7581317
Ok so I see you stuck to your guns and splashed in a bit of damage control.
OP asked a simple question about dining alone as obviously he was a bit insecure about how he would be perceived. I gave a couple tips that might help him feel a bit more at ease. Somehow you take this to mean anyone who feels a bit embarrassed eating alone thinks that they're the center of the world and that everyone in the restaurant is mocking them, and that they're too dumb to believe otherwise unlike your euphoric self. Neat.
>seal wannabe flunkee trying to act hard by putting a gun in a bag
>he's a trust fund kiddie
>>7580666
I'm curious:
If I tell the waiter I want whatever the chef recommends right now, will I actually get something exceptionally good compared to the rest of the menu?
How often do these requests actually make it past the wait-staff? Will they just put in whatever meal and not even mention it to the chef?
>>7580038
I dine out alone somewhat often.
I just browse /pol/ on my phone and enjoy the food.
>>7580275
I don't know why you won't say what country it is, but even if it is a shithole, try going to a nice hotel that serves international guests. Even in a Muslim country such establisents would usually have a restaurant with a bar.
>>7580098
I also tend to give those type of orders a bit extra since I feel sorry for them. Best I can do without offering pussy.
>>7580125
lel
>>7580505
way easier to flirt when it doesn't seem like you're just doing it for the lads
>>7581444
>i feel sorry for them
It has nothing to do with that. For all you know it's a big group ordering one extra dish to share between a few people.
Single ticket items go out quicker because they usually only require one or two stations, and when you're working on a dozen plates at once you just say fuck it and throw in one extra just to get rid of the ticket.
That's honestly why small parties get served faster. Same is true with big parties, in that the entire kitchen needs to coordinate to get everything out at the same time so almost everything else gets put on hold to get rid of the big tickets.
>>7581425
Depends on the restaurant and staff. Here I just put the "chef special" on the daily table menus so people can specifically order what im doing that day
Most places, even chains, have a dish they prefer over the others or some sort of deviation from the menu that's special. I can't speak for every place that they have a "special" or recommended dish but most do and you'll rarely come across a restaurant where the chef doesn't have a favorite dish.
So short answer, yes they often have at least a favorite and a lot of times the chef will make something special. Can't speak for chains though.
>>7581425
To answer your question about the waiter,
Yes they transfer what you say over to the kitchen, unless you're a cock then they'll still put your order in but give you something from the vegan menu
>>7580270
that little girl on the left is like WTF?
>>7581201
I think you're the autistic one, being so totally unaware of your surroundings that you don't know enough to feel awkward.
>>7580038
Not really. Many business people who come for a few days or overnight or whatever tend to eat alone.
>>7581201
>nothing wrong or awkward with eating by yourself at a nice restaurant
I work at a restaurant and everyone takes notice of a person eating solo at a table
eating a bar no one cares
however eating by yourself at a solo table in a nice restaurant gets you the attention of the entire service staff wondering if you got ditched by a date, a general weirdo and also annoyed that our tipout is less because we should have more patrons then just one person taking up a section
I dont mind it, but I eat at the bar at nice places if im solo
>>7580038
Is no one really going to ask about that picture?
bring a small notebook and take notes. Pretend you're some reviewer.
Even more wilder, become some reviewer.
>>7580274
>Almost all good ones do
>>7583657
Why tell lies on the internet?
>It's awkward to go to a diner by yourself
Man, your guys parents did a number on you.
>>7583875
why have I never been to a bar run by a hamster before? its like, why am I even alive?
>>7583875
They said a fancy restaurant, not a diner.
