Going out to eat alone should be much more normal
If you’ve ever travelled by yourself, whether it was a city trip or a longer journey, chances are you’ve eaten out solo at some point. Maybe the threshold felt a little high, but you had no other choice and it turned out not to be nearly as exciting as you’d feared. There was probably plenty of entertainment in people-watching, especially while enjoying local street food specialities. But what happens when you’re simply in the Netherlands?
Do you ever go out to eat alone then? Many people find it embarrassing and are afraid that others will feel sorry for them, or simply find it awkward to sit at a table without anyone to talk to. In AD, Gijsbregt Brouwer, founder of food platform De Buik, argues for change:
One guest is no guest
On the reservation tools of various restaurants, the option of booking a table for one isn’t even available. Could it be that, after the long, financially difficult lockdowns, restaurants would rather earn the revenue of two people at that one precious table? Perhaps, but the people who want to bring money to a restaurant on their own should also be cherished, shouldn’t they? By the way, if it isn’t possible to reserve online, don’t hesitate to call.
Escape the bustle at home
According to Brouwer and AD, going out to eat is often still “a conservative affair” and “entrepreneurs like to see a traditional form of conviviality at the table, where small groups talk in hushed tones or couples look romantically into each other’s eyes”. But there are an enormous number of singles in the country, not to mention people who simply want to eat out alone for a moment to escape the constant chatter. People who want to give the food and the restaurant their full attention, and really make an occasion of it. Good food, finally some peace ?. That’s quite special (and lovely), isn’t it?
Hey ho let’s go solo
It would therefore be wonderful, they write, if restaurants would at least designate some pleasant spots for solo diners: at the bar, or at a shared large table or Chef’s Table for those who want company and conversation, and perhaps a small table against the wall for those who prefer to quietly observe their surroundings. In short, there are plenty of possibilities that could make solo guests feel welcome and normalise going out to eat by yourself. We do know that many restaurants already go out of their way to spoil a guest dining alone. But all restaurants could take an example from this story about a girl who went to eat alone at a Michelin-starred restaurant!
Also read:
- Five restaurants you’ll want to plan your holiday around
- Hilarious: Chinese restaurant owner writes his own comments on the menu
- Listening tip: new podcast by restaurant critics Hiske Versprille and Joël Broekaert
Source: AD
