Eating out alone in restaurants

Interesting. Trying to get my head around this. It is totally normal and accepted that Singles pay extra on holidays and hotels.

The other day, we went to a nice restaurant and there was only one table left, for 4 people. The waiter said he could not let us have it as we had not booked, and they were very busy. Quite shocked, really. But on the other hand, understand that restaurants have had a really bad time of it with Covid.

We have in the past, seeing people disappointed there was no space, and we had a table for 4- said we didn't mind sharing.

I've eaten in lots of places alone. If this is policy after covid, I'd go for the bad review policy but also say you would be willing to share a table (if you wouldn't mind doing so) if that was an option.
I did have one stroppy Greek waiter in my posh hotel last year who didn't like where I'd chosen to sit. But it was a table I wanted and there'd been no one there to show me to a table, so I ignored his sighs.

I was out for meal in Edinburgh recently , a very popular Indian restaurant, even thought there was a queue , two separate ladies were seated separately at tables for two , and the service was excellent for each of them

I ve eaten on my own and never been refused a table I guess it depends how ‘ posh’ the restaurant is
I ve never made any excuses though
The worst part is when a man sees you on your own and asks if he can join you I often have a book or paper with me so I can be occupied !

In with big Louis here, stand your corner and politely point out that a bad review travels much further than a good one. Or you could do what I have done if I am on my own: I find a table for two and explain that I am meeting a friend who is yet to appear. When the server appears after a while I smile and say I will order and make a start without her.

I enjoy a polite retort back to show these estsablisments just how silly they are being! So take up thy cudgel........

It has never happened to me.. so if you don't expect it to happen it probably won't.. just smile and enjoy

Thank you, if it happens to me I hope to summon up the courage to fight back rather than leave with embarrassment.

Crazy to feel embarrassed in this day and age more people must be eating solo.

Ive travelled alone for many years and just love making it akward for companies who discriminate against single people. But then I do have a confrontational stance when faced with petty jobsworths.

If this happened to me I would ask the management how they would like to be named and shamed on social media?

Alternately you could say something like "Well Im sorry to hear that as I am writing an article for XXX magazine/website so I wonder what our readers will think of that."

Fight fire with fire.

Social media can make or break a company especially if it gets onto one of the big mainline sites like Trip Adviser or Trust Pilot.