Is reading while dining alone considered strange?

[Tik-Tok]

I'm in Florida right now on business, and since I hate staring at the walls, or wall mounted idiot boxes, I usually have a book in my hand reading, while dining alone.

I get really strange looks, and a couple of servers have outright made fun of it (thus losing their tips)

Is it really that odd?

[JAYMEZ]

Nope , ive brought work to eat by myself , beats the freakin office lol

[Graham_A_M]

Originally posted by Tik-Tok

I get really strange looks, and a couple of servers have outright made fun of it (thus losing their tips)

Is it really that odd?

about what I'd expect from the caliber of people found in the SE states.

no I dont think its strange at all.. maybe THERE it is, but I see it all the time here

[TomcoPDR]

Could depend on what you're reading

[Hakkola]

I think dining alone is seen as strange by itself...

I went to The Den at UofC and moxies by my old work to eat alone quite often and most people I know wouldn't do that.

[LongCity]

Sometimes it is the best way to enjoy your meal. You have quiet in the sense you don't have to talk to people dining with you.

[Jlude]

I eat lunch at subway everyday and read the news on my iphone.

Also, when I lived in California, I would go check out these little restaurants in San Jose while my gf worked. I'd just chill out and read stuff on my iphone. I love reading news papers, I'm addicted to USA Today... don't really know why.

But yes, I would get weird looks all the time, I didn't really care.

At first It felt kinda weird to go to restaurants alone, but I got over it quickly.

[raidar]

Originally posted by Jlude
At first It felt kinda weird to go to restaurants alone, but I got over it quickly.

Couldn't agree more. Totally normal once you make the step.

[Hamann]

While I have never eaten at a restaurant by myself I think realistically anyone who gives you weird looks etc is just to chicken shit to do it themselves.

Hell I have even been out for a couple dinners etc where being alone would of been alot nicer

[YamahaV8]

Come on now Tik-Tok. They are looking at your weird because they know you aren't actually reading the articles in that playboy jk

Yeah it doesn't seem weird to me. I havn't actually done it myself but have seen other people eating alone with a newspaper, book etc and it seems normal.

[psycoticclown]

If I'm by myself, I usually whip out the newspaper or a textbook or my phone or w/e I have on me. Not that weird. Places like McDonalds and A&W have newspapers for you to read anyways. Or those little one page newspaper things (Jive, etc).

[swak]

a tonn of people read while eating alone.

One time i was sitting at the restaurant at the Delta at the Airport waiting for a flight, and the server brought me a bunch of magazines since i had nothing, and was watching the baseball game on the tvs in the distance.
In turn, she got a good tip.

[nismodrifter]

Why give a shit what other people think???

A restaurant is a place to eat. You go to a restaurant because you're hungry/want somethin to drink/want to just chill for a bit and get your mind off things in a different environment. You're paying to put food in your stomach just like everyone else there. What you do while eating/how many people are with you should be of no concern to anybody. If anyone has an issue with that or wants to give strange looks they can F themselves. Simple as that.

[DannyO]

Originally posted by Hamann
While I have never eaten at a restaurant by myself I think realistically anyone who gives you weird looks etc is just to chicken shit to do it themselves.

Same here.

I think anyone who looks at someone for being weird due to eating by themselves are weird and insecure themselves, fuck what anyone else thinks, if you wanna eat alone, then eat alone, and if you wanna have fun, start talking to yourself, then switch to the other side of the table and start arguing back to yourself.

[black_2.5RS]

I used to travel a lot and have done tonnes of reading in restaurants. I think it's normal and don't really care what others think - chances are you'll never see them again.

[adidas]

Cant say ive ever been to a restaurant alone, but have been to fast food places and the like by myself and have just looked through the newspaper!

I really dont mind it to be honest!

[robpark]

Who the hell cares what anyone else thinks...Enjoy yourself buddy.

[B4tMan]

eat and drink to your hearts' desires

[Hamann]

Originally posted by DannyO


if you wanna have fun, start talking to yourself, then switch to the other side of the table and start arguing back to yourself.

This would be absolutely Priceless To see someone do

[ringer]

Originally posted by Hamann

Hell I have even been out for a couple dinners etc where being alone would of been alot nicer

yep..
I would way rather eat on my own than some of the lunch meetings and awkward dinners i've been through.
I enjoy eating alone every now and then. You can focus more on the food and your thoughts than on making conversation with someone.
And it's a good opportunity to check out a restaurant you haven't been to, but for the most part I only do it on my lunch I don't often go for dinner solo.