Sounds like a pretty sad title for a blog post, but I promise its not sad at all.

For one group of people, dining alone is their idea of hell, they feel awkward and worry everyone thinks they’ve been stood up. For others its pure bliss, and here are 15 reasons why;

1. You can order whatever you want. If you want to eat edamame beans and nothing else, fine, if you want to order a set menu for two to yourself, also fine. NO judgement.

  

 2. You are free to take pics for Instagram until they look like a damn magazine editorial. Without all the sighing from your lunch companion, or them getting their hairy hands in the shot, or blocking the light, or asking “can I eat yet? It’s getting cold.” Ugh. 

3. You can drink alcohol at any time of the day, without anyone raising an eyebrow. Chances are you aren’t the first person to have ordered a Mojito at 10am, just make sure the room looks reasonably evening-ish if you’re taking pics.

4. You don’t have to hear stories about someone else’s boring life. OK, this sounds mean now I read it back, but y’all know the ones I’m talking about, right?

5. You can check your phone whenever you please. Without feeling rude because you should really be listening to those aforementioned boring stories.

6. You look all kinds of sophisticated. “Is she waiting for her diplomat husband?” “Is she a celebrity enjoying a rare moment of solitude?” “Is she a writer who’s been cut off from her family because of her radical views?” They. Will. Never. Know.

7. You can stay all day, plug in your phone/laptop to charge and order a drink made with every different type of coffee bean available, or leave without ordering anything, because you don’t like the waitresses’ *vibe*, and no one can tell you off for bad behaviour either way. 

8. You can catch up on the reading you were supposed to do on the tube but you; bumped into a colleague/were doing your make up/were squashed into someone’s armpit.

9. You don’t have to look cute when you eat. Some food stuffs were not designed to be eaten with company; burritos, cupcakes and fajitas are the main offenders.

10. There’s no awkward conversation when the bill comes: Friend: “Thanks, we’ll split it,” You:”Oh, well you had that £16 cocktail and a steak while I had tap water and a chip, but ok…”

11. You don’t have to worry about being interrupted by a waitress mid-conversation. Waitress:“Is the food OK?!!” You: “And then opened the bedroom door and… oh yes, thanks, it’s great.”

12. You can have uninterrupted bible study. Which I have foolishly tried to do while in bed, the flat surface of a restaurant table is a much safer bet.

13. The food tastes better when you actually concentrate on the experience of eating it without distractions. Trust me. 

14. You interact with your surroundings more, that means talking to the staff about their plans for the weekend, people watching, and in some places, seeing your food being cooked. 

15. You will go back home/to your desk/to meet friends feeling more in tune with yourself because you’ve taken a break from constantly worrying about if the other person is enjoying their meal, or if your lipstick is on your teeth or if you’re impressing them enough with your hilarious banter.

Written while dining alone at Wagamama, Great Marlborough Street, in between mouthfuls of chicken katsu curry.

Further reading: An Empowered Woman’s Guide To Eating Lunch Alone (in GIFs) — www.thefrisky.com