Some people cringe when they hear the phrase, 'Table for One' called out in a busy restaurant. Instantly they think back to when they were single. They associate being single with awkwardness, insecurities, and shyness. They instantly pity the poor soul that chooses to enter a busy establishment filled with families and couples to eat their meal. Tongues cluck and heads shake. But also, another phenomenon occurs. They are instantly curious as to who the person is. Will it be an overweight middle-aged women with a poor taste in fashion? Or a gauntly man with horn-rimmed glasses and a severe case of halitosis?
I'd like to interject at this point with saying that the single diner should not be pitied. Instead they should be envied. While families and couples may have to wait in line for a table, the solo eater can sidle up to the bar and order quickly. Or, while the families have to juggle high chairs, screaming kids, and food fights, the person eating alone can quietly sit in the corner and enjoy the ambiance of the restaurant in quiet solitude with a nice glass of merlot.
Advantages the solo eater has compared other paired-up patrons, is that the solo patron can eat what he or she wants. No worry of bad breathe for an end of the night kiss, so bring on the garlic sauce over Portobello mushrooms and black bean sauce for the frittata. Being alone is not something to be pitied or avoided, and has no reflection on the social skills of the individual. To eat alone is a choice, and one in which other single people should not be afraid to choose.
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