The New Food Trend – Eating Alone

Table for 1If you’ve ever been stood up, left sitting alone at a restaurant, you’ll know that there can be a great deal of shame involved in the situation. The waiter keeps returning, asking if you’re ready to order, and you keep telling him that no, your date is surely just running late. But at some point he stops asking and you know, in your heart, that he’s aware you’ve been stood up, and is allowing you a bit of space to stew in rejection. Hence why a soul alone at a restaurant is synonymous with the saddest sight on earth.

But, is it really? Well, yes, it can be. But depending on how you’re looking at it, a nice meal alone at a restaurant might be just what the doctor ordered. Instead of sitting and letting rejection wash over you, why not say nuts to your date, order a nice meal and spend a bit of alone time playing at an online casino on your phone? Take the situation, make it your own, and you might just enjoy yourself.

A Matter Of Perspective

There certainly isn’t anything fun about being stood up, but it just so happens that times are changing, and it’s more acceptable than ever before to eat out on your lonesome. A study titled the Food and Drink Report of 2017 – 2018 showed that of those asked, 78% said that they see nothing wrong with eating out alone. This is a great deal more than just a decade or two ago, and an indication that times are changing. But why?

The same study revealed a few interesting things about the perceptions of visiting eating establishments, with most simply stating that it was no longer taboo to be seen out and about alone. 46% of those asked added that most establishments were far more single-friendly than they had ever been, drastically reducing a feeling of awkwardness. 23% mentioned that a mobile device could easily provide entertainment when eating out alone, and only 6% even mentioned that they would use the opportunity to meet new people.

This, naturally, means that you have now been granted permission to walk into your favourite restaurant, head held high, and ask for a table for one.

A New Trend Dawns

Best of all, it may even be the trendy thing to do before long. Many online influencers and food channels are not just agreeing that there is nothing wrong with eating alone, but also recommending it. What better way to really appreciate what you’re eating on a deeper level, than being allowed to enjoy it without distraction, interruption, or an obligation to hold conversation?

Which is to say; a real foodie is not at all ashamed to take a little me time, order a favourite meal, and simply focus on enjoying the flavours, appreciating the artwork that went into creating the meal, and perhaps even asking to see the chef to pay a compliment.

On The Other Hand

Though, there is a downside to the increasing acceptance of eating alone. Reports also mention that, if eating alone, the average individual is less likely to eat healthy food, and may even just settle for a snack instead of a decent meal. This, in turn, can result in a massive decline in health. Which of course, in turn, means a heart that wishes someone were around to see just how badly it was getting clogged.

The trick seems to be embracing a meal eaten alone, and treating it as a special occasion rather than as an excuse to throw meal etiquette to the wind. After all, every meal should be one worth posting on Instagram. Right?