Solo eating trend: Lonely or liberating?
The debate over solo dining heats up as ‘Outnumbered’ weighs in on whether eating alone is a sign of confidence or a symptom of increasing loneliness. OpenTable data reveals a 23% surge in single reservations with an average spend of $94 per meal, prompting discussions about modern social interaction and personal liberation in restaurants.
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A table for one is becoming more common in the dining scene, with solo reservations reportedly spiking in recent years.
Reservations for one surged 22% year over year in the third quarter of 2025, according to restaurant technology company Toast’s latest trends report, suggesting that dining alone may be losing its stigma.
Single-diner bookings still accounted for less than 1% of total reservations, according to Toast, but industry experts say it reflects a broader shift and opportunity in the restaurant world. The trend was also evident in the af&co. and Carbonate 2024 Hospitality Trends Report, which cited Brandwatch data showing interest in eating as a party of one had increased 7% year over year.
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“People stopped waiting for someone else to be free,” Stephen Ingber, owner of Denver private-chef and catering company MileHighCook, told Fox News Digital. “A good meal used to require a date or a group to justify it. Now it just requires a reservation.”
Solo diners may use a meal out as an opportunity to enjoy their own pace and order what they want. (iStock)
Ingber said about 15% of his bookings are now for one guest and that has risen annually. Some solo customers even book weekly or monthly, he added, and are often the best kind of customer.
Solo dining has also grown across both quick-service and full-service restaurants, as more consumers, especially Gen Z and millenials, embrace meals centered on convenience and personal enjoyment, Fox News Digital previously reported.
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“It’s a small slice that is growing fast,” agreed Terry Psaltakis, a 30-year restaurant operator from Chicago and founder of ShiftTrained.
Experts say restaurants can better welcome solo diners with attentive service, bar seating and menu options suited to one guest. (iStock)
Experts say restaurants that offer bar seating, smaller tables with a view, wine by the glass or half-bottle options and menus that do not assume sharing are best for solo diners.
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Just as important, Psaltakis said, is giving solo guests the same care and service as larger parties. Without company to distract them, they are there solely for the dining experience.
“Get it right and that solo diner turns into a regular who comes back every week and knows your bartender by name,” Psaltakis said.
Dining alone is becoming less stigmatized, industry data show. (iStock)
For diners who feel self-conscious, Ingber and Psaltakis both recommend the bar. “Ask the bartender what they’d order,” he said. “A good one, a ready one, lights up.”
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Dining alone isn’t always a sign of loneliness, Rene Mondy, a Georgia-based licensed grief therapist and founder of The Solo Dining Directory, told Fox News Digital.
“Solo diners in healthy relationships seem to understand that dining with a partner or surrounded by friends doesn’t always equal connection,” Mondy said.
Younger consumers, particularly Gen Z and millennials, are fueling the solo dining trend. (iStock)
While some diners might be hungry for conversation, others might relish in the alone time, Ingber said. He recommended using the experience as an opportunity to order something you might avoid with company or on a date, and not hiding behind a phone or book.
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He also says to remember one thing: “Nobody is looking at you, and if they are, they’re jealous.”
Deirdre Bardolf is a lifestyle writer with Fox News Digital.
Dining and Cooking