[isny]

If you sit at home and eat while browsing GAF, reading email, etc. how is that different than being in a restaurant alone doing the same thing on a tablet/smart phone? (Besides getting waited on and the food being better at the restaurant)

Eating with a group of people is fun, I won't deny that, but eating alone can be an even better experience as it gives you a chance to enjoy your food at your own pace while reading/checking email etc. (And if you have a hot server and you flirt the whole time that's just a bonus!)

[Dark Octave]

I haven't eaten alone in 11 years. Sounds depressing. Like going to the movies alone. Now that's really sad.

[-Pyromaniac-]

In this day and age it almost feels like alone time is going extinct with younger generations. I value it.

[Half and half]

If you sit at home and eat while browsing GAF, reading email, etc. how is that different than being in a restaurant alone doing the same thing on a tablet/smart phone? (Besides getting waited on and the food being better at the restaurant)

I'm gonna take my shoes off, maybe my shirt too (it's comfortable), perhaps make a mess on my table, throw some scraps to the cats, turn on some music etc.

The downside is the food might cool a little by the time I get home.

[Watevaman]

I haven't eaten alone in 11 years. Sounds depressing. Like going to the movies alone. Now that's really sad.

I'll never understand why going alone to movies is considered sad. It's the one place you'd despise talking, so why is it so important that other people are there with you?

[JokerOfSpades]

College taught me that it's okay to eat alone.

College taught me it's okay to eat alone if you're lucky as shit.

Friend went to the diner to sit, eat and read. He came back with a napkin full of phone numbers.

[malyce]

What the fuck? How can eating alone make you feel awkward? smmfh

[xJavonta]

What the fuck? How can eating alone make you feel awkward? smmfh

Some people are just really self conscious of the things they do and as a result of that it makes them feel awkward.

[Necromanti]

I haven't eaten alone in 11 years. Sounds depressing. Like going to the movies alone. Now that's really sad.

Do you live with other people? Otherwise, I don't find it feasible to eat with someone else all the time. I rarely go out just to eat with other people. We may have BBQs, go hang out at places, watch a movie etc. but never just go out to eat. I guess I don't understand not being able to eat alone.

[Pizarro]

College taught me it's okay to eat alone if you're lucky as shit. Friend went to the diner to sit, eat and read. He came back with a napkin full of phone numbers.

He must've been hurting those four years.

[weepy]

I usually don't care. I eat where ever I want whenever I want. I'm surprised that most ppl don't.

[JokerOfSpades]

He must've been hurting those four years.

Well, we're only in our Sophomore year, but what do you mean by that?

[Luap]

I have never in my life eaten alone at a restaurant. That would feel really awkward to me. Plus I'm cheap, so if I don't have anyone to entertain I'm just gonna made a cheap dinner of chicken and brown rice or something.

[fuzzyreactor]

my friends give me shit all the time for doing things alone like eating out or going to the movies. i dont get it

[Ken Masters]

So I'm sitting at a restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina out here for work and don't know anyone an I'm sitting in a restaurant eating alone. It's three o'clock here too so literally there's just me and the staff. Sucks and a but awkward but what can you do? Anyone else eat out by themselves?

How is it awkward if it's basically an empty restaurant? Go to a restaurant at 8pm when it's packed and get a table for 1, that's awkward

[fuzzyreactor]

How is it awkward if it's basically an empty restaurant? Go to a restaurant at 8pm when it's packed and get a table for 1, that's awkward

neither are awkward unless you are insecure.

:)

[shintoki]

I wish I had friends to eat with and go to the theater to watch movies with.

/forever alone

[JokerOfSpades]

my friends give me shit all the time for doing things alone like eating out or going to the movies. i dont get it

It's considered a sign of social ineptitude, usually. People usually go with friends.

Personally, I go a lot of places without friends, but that's because I'm impatient and can't bother to wait for them to either get up, or to get back. I enjoy the freedom. With restaurants, I don't really have a choice. Even though they fuck up my plans all too often, eating alone at a restaurant is not a good look.

[Cubsfan23]

my friends give me shit all the time for doing things alone like eating out or going to the movies. i dont get it

society brainwashing, they hate themselves.........take your pick

[Ken Masters]

neither are awkward unless you are insecure. :)

You would need to truly not give a single shit about others if you can get a table for one at busy restaurant during dinner time. I would that person a thumbs up if I saw him/her do such a thing. I could do a solo lunch, in NYC it's quite common, people eating solo lunches in very fancy restaurants

[5amshift]

If you count strictly restaurants and not like a food court, then no I never had. That's on par to going to a movie by yourself.

[Half and half]

If we consider food courts, I have eaten by myself. Like last week I went to the mall during work lunch to buy some clothes. I stopped and ate at the food court alone, no biggie.

But, I've never been to a nice joint by myself.

[Vibed]

I don't think it's that awkward being alone in a crowded place, but just you and the staff always feels weird to me.

[fuzzyreactor]

If you count strictly restaurants and not like a food court, then no I never had. That's on par to going to a movie by yourself.

so, it's pretty awesome and makes a lot of sense?

[Professor Beef]

I wish I had friends to eat with and go to the theater to watch movies with. /forever alone

Aw, I would accompany you to the movies. But I ain't paying for you.

I don't think it's that awkward being alone in a crowded place, but just you and the staff always feels weird to me.

I dunno, that still doesn't seem that awkward.

[ThatCrazyGuy]

Eating alone is awesome. Going to movies alone is awesome too. It's all about your freedom baby! Do wut you like, eat wut you like.

[Finaika]

I do everything alone.

[Az987]

I do everything alone.

Pretty much this. I don't eat alone out because I usually just eat in but I would if I had a decent phone. I have a 'dumb' phone.

[TheKaeptain]

I also do a lot of things alone. It happens when you're older. Your friends are busy with their lives.

[FairyD]

God damn it's like some of you guys have an entourage. I find it more strange to eat with people than it is to eat alone.

[Iztli]

God damn it's like some of you guys have an entourage. I find it more strange to eat with people than it is to eat alone.

Same here :P I like eating alone since I can pig out.

[Az987]

God damn it's like some of you guys have an entourage. I find it more strange to eat with people than it is to eat alone.

Recently when I eat with people all I hear is them chewing. It annoys me so bad.

[ATF487]

Eating alone is awesome. Going to movies alone is awesome too. It's all about your freedom baby! Do wut you like, eat wut you like.

Yeah, compromising is shitty. I have some friends that never want to branch out with food and I'd rather just eat alone then be forced into fast food or pizza all the time

[geeko420]

I can understand people being weird about eating at a restaurant by yourself. Personally I don't mind it one bit. I eat where I want when I want.

As for movies, I don't have a girlfriend or anything, and I can't always wrangle up a friend to go to the movie when I want. So now I just go by myself. I like smoking a bowl in the parking lot and catching an early show. There is nothing weird about going to the movie by yourself. Some people need to learn to be more independent.

[Half and half]

God damn it's like some of you guys have an entourage. I find it more strange to eat with people than it is to eat alone.

Family and co-workers for me most of the time I eat out.

[yn-neko hates a cat]

I used to be like this too but then I started eating more and more by myself and now I really appreciate this. I usually just put on a nice podcast and enjoy the meal, feels good.

Interesting.... sort of off topic but I have a hardtime wearing headphones and chewing. It feels like the sound reverberates through my teeth and leaves a texture to the food I don't care for.

- - - -

I'd love to be able to eat out in public alone again but eating outside of my home has become such a social event for me that I end up bringing the food home rather than eating on location alone. I work from home now too. That said, I still have to man up and eat alone when traveling sometimes but luckily, that's rare.

I hear if you have a loving spouce and a home full of laughter of children then being alone outside isn't such a bad thing. I hate people people who tell me that ;_;

[SolKane]

I've been eating by myself consistently for about 2 years now. In fact I can't remember the last time I ate a meal with another person. Not sure I could at this point.

[Starsunder]

I haven't eaten alone in 11 years. Sounds depressing. Like going to the movies alone. Now that's really sad.

"Hey wanna go see *******?" "Nah, gotta cut grass, etc." "Okay maybe next time"

"Wanna go see *******?" "Nah I gotta work" "Aight no prob"

Repeat
Repeat
Repeat

*shrugs* "Fuck it, I'm going anyways"

Something like this is when go alone. And I still had a good time. It's not like you talk during the movie anyways. If anything, I can concentrate more on the movie instead of having a friend whisper at me when something cool happens, or if they think the movie is shit.

[Heavy]

College taught me it's okay to eat alone if you're lucky as shit. Friend went to the diner to sit, eat and read. He came back with a napkin full of phone numbers.

Details? How did he do that, did they approach him or did he approach them? and if he approached them what was his method? like just move to their table

[JokerOfSpades]

Details? How did he do that, did they approach him or did he approach them? and if he approached them what was his method? like just move to their table

They approached him. He was just sitting and reading and a group of girls came up to him. He couldn't get all their names straight, so he had them write it down (and their numbers). Apparently they lived on the floor above us or something.

[terrdactycalsrock]

I eat alone at fast food restaurants all the time, but I've never had a reason to eat at a fancier place alone. I dont think I would mind it, however, my theory is to just order it to go.

[njean777]

I usually only eat alone when I get fast food, but at restaurants I usually am with people. Movies its about 50/50 depending on the situation. I actually enjoy movies alone more as I don't have to listen to my friend whisper in my ear.

[PKrockin]

I hardly eat out alone anymore since the restaurants are pretty terrible around here IMO, but it's pretty nice and peaceful. Weird that people find it shameful or depressing.

[njean777]

I hardly eat out alone anymore since the restaurants are pretty terrible around here IMO, but it's pretty nice and peaceful. Weird that people find it shameful or depressing.

Insecurity leads people to believe a lot of things. People may claim they are not, but if you really find eating alone, or seeing a movie alone as depressing/sad, then you are insecure whether you want to admit it or not.

[MoGamesXNA]

I've been eating alone for so long that it didn't even occur to me that it might be an odd behaviour to have until I read through this thread.

[Margalis]

So I'm sitting at a restaurant in Raleigh, North Carolina out here for work and don't know anyone an I'm sitting in a restaurant eating alone. It's three o'clock here too so literally there's just me and the staff. Sucks and a but awkward but what can you do? Anyone else eat out by themselves?

Once for a job I had to go to a small town outside of New York for 2 weeks. Every night I would eat by myself in the hotel restaurant. It was like something out of a depressing movie.

[PKrockin]

Once for a job I had to go to a small town outside of New York for 2 weeks. Every night I would eat by myself in the hotel restaurant. It was like something out of a depressing movie.

That sounds great. A nice, quiet evening, the waiters aren't rushing around constantly... so relaxing.

[FunnyBunny]

Dammit!!! Just saw this. Spent the last two hours walking around downtown and ended up eating at e Oxford. Alone again if course. But was fine.

Downtown is sparse, but there a several good places a few blocks away. Lilly's Pizza on Glenwood Ave. is fantastic, and the Hibernian Pub has a solid mix of good food and good beer. Lemongrass is great for Thai.

Enjoy your stay in the Triangle!

[Skeyser]

I haven't eaten alone in 11 years. Sounds depressing. Like going to the movies alone. Now that's really sad.

Tell us what happened eleven years ago.

[yepyepyep]

I eat alone and don't have a problem with if its during work breaks or if I'm running errands or something. However, I don't think I'd ever plan to go out to eat at a restaurant by myself. You'd might as well just invite someone to come.