Why you should learn to eat alone
Have your ever booked a table for one? How did it make you feel dining alone? Most people report that dining alone feels a little bit strange, at least initially, like a gate-crasher at a party that everyone else has been invited to. After the initial shock wears off, however, many find that they actually enjoy the solo dining experience more than they thought they would. A significant amount more. So much so that solo excursions to favourite places to eat and drink become a more regular occurrence out of choice, not necessity.
The experience of dining alone is a unique one. Humans, being social creatures, are conditioned to eat together or in small groups. We’ve all been to a lunch or dinner where we’ve barely noticed what we’ve eaten or drunk, so occupied have we been by the chatter around the table. When we eat alone however, that chatter doesn’t exist, leaving us to focus completely on the food we are eating. We might notice things about our meal that we’d never considered before; a specific taste or texture that was missed when focused on our dining partner. We are also more attuned to the energy of the room and the people around us. A person dining alone is far more likely to chat at length to the waiter or sommelier or the people on the table next door than someone who is part of a couple of larger group. It’s the perfect people watching activity, complete with delicious food and drink.
Sociologists who’ve studied the concept of dining alone have identified that the benefits of solo eating can help create a sense of mindful gratitude. We are able to be “in the moment,” enjoying our food and surroundings without needing to placate anyone else. This completely relieves us of the pressure to entertain or be entertained or be “on” for whoever we are dining with. We can enjoy the experience purely for what it is, something that can be all too rare in today’s fast-paced, ultra connected society.
Have you dined alone? How did you find the experience?
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