24 Things you should be able to do

OK, no one likes to dine alone if they can help it. You know people at the next table are looking at you like you’re a loser and wondering if you’ve been stood up or just don’t have any friends. However, when you’re in a foreign country on your own or live by yourself, dining alone can be unavoidable.

Tips for eating at a restaurant by yourself

• Choose a restaurant with a bar area, where you can opt to eat at the bar or at a table. You’re more likely to be able to start chatting with someone if you’re feeling lonely.
• Take a book or magazine to read, or people-watch. You can turn the people-watching into a game, where you try to imagine their situation. For example, a sour-faced lady attending a birthday party with a happy young couple might be the ex-wife who is at her child’s birthday under duress.
• If you’re ballsy and talking to people at the bar, announce that you are dining alone, and ask if they’d mind if you join them. You might be pleasantly surprised.

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