Would you go and eat out alone

I always have done (since the 1960s), always will do, although company is more fun.

Sel you could be missing something, I don't know what you get up to . I just find I can get away with telling people not to queue jump, complaining about poor service, making outrageous remarks (with a sweet smile) etc. I think that being 'older' and only 5' 2" means that I am not a threat to anyone (or their pride) and that everyone can look down on me!

Ana I don't know what you mean, such an imagination [innocent face emoticon]

I wouldn't have a problem being on my own in a pub or a restaurant.

Just a problem drinking the bottle of wine all to myself, NOT.

Great Nanado bet you really enjoyed that

Several years ago I flew to Ankara to visit my daughter who was teaching there. We decided to take a coach to Amasra on the Black Sea and stay a few days. First day she went down with a tummy bug so I was left to wander alone in this fishing village. I had to go I to cafés and restaurants alone or starve. My Turkish was minimal. By day four she had recovered but by then I'd acquired a group of friends, all ages, both sexes, who took me under their wing and were great company.

Grannyknot duty, hmmm, like it! but yes, I will store up stories for a better time and sitting across a table, relaxed, with a bottle of wine, it a better time.

Ella46 shame they would have been self-medicating for withdrawal. Sel - I like that, I also tend to embellish when I have an audience, I almost feel it's my duty to entertain. LOL.

I worked fourteen years in two 'olde worlde' country pubs, and very often women came in alone, for a drink or a meal.
They were usually aged about 40 upwards, rarely younger.

Occasionally, an older 'alky' type would lurch in at 11am for a top up while pretending they were waiting for a bus
Not a good look!

Grannyknot so funny and true - 'flinging my handbag, frisbee style' just made me laugh so much. I do the same and do think 'nope, won't tell him now, I can embellish this later'

Ah, Grannyknot I understand now! Quite appreciate that.

Ian - so you should be! There's never been any stigma about men going into places on their own...

I've been quite a few places on my own. Cafes, restaurants, cinema, theatre, opera, art galleries, and museums. As a single person I have no choice in the matter. And I'm quite happy going alone.

Ariadne I didn't mean that I consciously "store up" things to chat about, it's just the difference between bending the poor man's ear the minute I fall through the door whilst simultaneously flinging my handbag frisbee style across the room (I have it down to a fine art) - instead, if I know we are going out for a meal, thinking "I'll tell him about so-and-so tonight at the restaurant". That's what I meant . Truth be told he's more likely to give me his full attention in the restaurant!

I think I must have been 'a certain type of woman' as I was always happy to go into a pub if I wanted a drink if, for example, I had to wait for a bus or was meeting a friend.
I was once having a pre-dinner drink in the bar of the Hilton, Park Lane, and I got into conversation with a man. He told me had assumed I was a 'working girl' as he did not expect to see a woman drinking alone. I told him he should get out of the dark ages and that tax inspectors did not usually need to supplement their income in that way. He was suitably repentant and bought my dinner.

I think we're all getting a bit confused about whether this thread is about 'eating out' alone or 'eating in a restaurant' alone. As I did try to make clear in another post, I have no problem with eating out anywhere alone, but wouldn't choose to eat alone in a restaurant because it wouldn't be worth it - I don't eat enough! Never having been a cosmopolitan businesswoman-of-the-world, the hotel dilemma has never arisen...

Book in the dining room. The Mercure in Cardiff is opposite the tribunal and the food is lovely.
Their scallops are to die for.
And as for their black welsh beef fillet! I'm drooling just thinking of it ,served rare with a red wine jus.

Jeni how do you manage when you are staying in hotels for work? Room service?

Hmmmm, Movedalot how does size come into it? I'm a tall, older lady - do you get away with more than me? Now I'm worried I'm missing something

Too much information, Movedalot!

I find the concept of storing up things to say when one goes out with DH interesting, but I don't understand it! I can burble along all day with the best, but when we are out together, or driving up the A303 (SO often) for example, we talk, and I don't mean me talking and him not listening; it could be about the projects we're involved in, or the kids - it' s an opportunity to have time together.

Having said that, I can see I need to be aware that we are off doing our own thing a lot of the time, so maybe we catch up on such occasions?

I said I'd still go into a pub or restaurant on my own if I wanted to, but again, on reflection, that confidence has come from being on courses and training sessions etc and having to do so occasionally. Used to get chatted up now and then, too.....

I think it depends on the pub. Not much difference between some pubs and some restaurants these days. I do feel that as a small, older lady that I can get away with quite a lot of things now. Some of the things I do surprise DH!

I went about twice after Peter died, but not in the last 9years.

Just would not want to go in a pub on my OWN . Even now . not that i have any need to anyway .

I do think that many years ago it was only a certain type of woman who would go in a pub on her own but those days are long gone.

Nowadays I eat out on my own during the day sometimes it I have gone somewhere on my own but never in the evenings as I have plenty of people to eat out with.

I used to go away for a week at a time on business trips and would have found room service too dreary so used to eat out all the time. I thought the company was excellent . It is rather nice eating out on an expense account.

On one occassion I was on a long train journey home enjoying a meal when a young man spoke to me. I ended up joining him and his colleagues celebrating their signing of a very big contract. They were from KPMG so we had several things in common. It was a good thing DH was picking me up from Kings Cross as I think I might have got lost on the way home after so much imbibing!

Meant Grannyknot . OMG , get a grip Nonu .