Do you guys ever like to eat out or see a movie alone?

I've been doing that lately, and I prefer it sometimes. When I'm with a group of friends (or even with my boyfriend), sometimes it's difficult to focus on the movie or the meal.

It's kind of embarrassing to me how society views the act of dining out alone as unorthodox. We live in such a couples obsessed society that the very act of eating alone is bizarre.

For anyone's who has ever done it, you know what I mean when I say you end up getting the pity stare from strangers, lol.

Do you occasionally dine out or see a movie alone?

If I'm coming home from work or class I might stop by a fast food place but that's it. Never go out simply to eat or see a movie alone.

Would never go to a fancy restaurant alone. Fast food place? Yeah sure but it just feels weird to me.

Movies I do that a lot.

As others have said, I would probably grab a burger somewhere while driving home if I was really hungry but I'd feel like I'd be wasting money to go out somewhere fancy by myself...then again, some days I'm into a "treat myself" mood and so far that never meant dinner for 1 but who knows? As for movies I don't go to the theatres often but I have been there by myself once or twice.

Movies? Couldn't see them any other way.

I'm the only one at home who likes to watch war movies. When we go to the mall, I usually watch a movie while the wife n kids watch another movie. We just meet at a predetermined point afterward.

I often traveled overseas alone. So, I'm used to dining alone while on the move.

I don't even bring a laptop, tablet, or book anymore when I'm dining out. It's just me, myself, and I.

I see no reason to be embarrassed =)

admittedly it used to be uncomfortable at first, but then you get used to the uncomfortable.

@jun_aka_pekto: *high fives*

@micha_93: I agree...why should you be embarrassed for eating alone? What if you're single? You're not supposed to be out at meal times? =P

I concur, man.

There's a stigma to being single that I think is strange.

While I am no longer single myself, one of the best things I remember about being single is that you have more time on your hands. You have time for introspection and self-growth, two things that are kind of difficult to do when in a relationship.

I know too many people who are so desperate to be in a relationship, but who don't even know who they are or what they want.

I've been to the movies alone a few times... I like it actually. Plus once you're there watching it, it doesn't matter if you're with people or not anyway.

I do that, and it's quite refreshing. I need a piece of mind at times, focus on mails, read news while I'm outside home. It is less distracting at times.

Also coffee tastes better somehow.

@micha_93: Yep, all in due time and even if you are in a relationship that doesn't mean you need to lose everything you enjoyed about your previous way of life. For example, I love my newborn to bits and I almost can't go get the mail without missing him but I'm really looking forward to tomorrow since his grandparents are taking him in the afternoon and bringing him back Monday afternoon. A whole day just the wife and I out on the town, doing whatever the hell we want...

Congrats on the newborn! =)

Oh and yeah, never feel guilty about taking time off for yourself. Sometimes you need it to come back stronger for you and for the ones you love.

@korvus: "but I'd feel like I'd be wasting money to go out somewhere fancy by myself..."

It will be tripled when you take your significant other =(

True, but then I feel like I'm doing something nice for her. When I am by myself I normally mostly enjoy the solitude, and I can do that just as well in an ice cream parlor as in a formal restaurant.

No.

Maybe

Outside of say a fast food place nah

Dave can't take a joke.

Haven't ever really done either.....

I often frequent the Denny's restaurants at the Flying J travel plazas (truck stops) when I'm on the road.

It's weird eating alone at a sit down restaurant.

I've eaten at fast food places all the time and have seen movies by myself. Not a big deal.

Of course I have a girlfriend now so I'll be doing a lot more dining with company from now on.

@TheWalkingGhost: reported

Ok.

Oh I wasn't being serious

My first response was going to be something else more obvious but I thought better of it

I know. I was playing along.

What's going on in this topic? lol

As a bilingual Mexican American Texan I'm deeply offended by this whole misunderstood misunderstanding

Vato

Yeah sit down restaurants are pretty much a no go for me if alone

Diners and stuff are a go

Movie theaters I guess can be a go

Prefer to make own meals, never liked restaurants. Tightly packed on stiff wooden chairs hearing "blabalbla" murmuring in the background. Annoying.

Tend to get wasted watching movies, ended singing along to "Hearts On Fire" last Friday, probably best no one is around.

Yeah, I have a lot.

Hell no. I eat out alone if I have to, but I don't like it. I would rather take it to go and eat at home.

sometimes you have to in order to see the movies you want to see... eating alone isn't a big deal in morning or lunch, at night though eating alone does feel lonesome, but no not often do I eat alone at night

You travel a lot too? Yup. A lot of people, especially those on business, travel alone. Pretty evident at most airports.

Closer to home, my wife n kids (all female) prefer to watch Frozen while I prefer to watch Fury...... Usually the wife goes bonkers for Brad Pitt. But, not on Fury. Probably the only Brad Pitt movie the wife doesn't want to watch.

I like to shop for electronics and gadgets while they like to shop for toys/clothes/shoes or get their hair done.

It's only natural I do my own thing and they do whatever they like to do. We just meet back up later.

Sure, why not? It's a great feeling to be independent and not living your life dependent on someone elses schedule.

For a movie yeah, I'll go out alone all the time. A lot of times if I have a few hours between work and class I'll stop and see a flick I'm interested in really quick.

As far as eating out alone goes, I'm only willing to do it for breakfast before work sometimes at like an iHop or something, I feel weird going to a restaurant alone for dinner or something(excluding a drive through fast food joint).

No, no and NO.

It's pretty much asking for trouble. I've experimented a bit with both - and it ain't pleasant. I didn't get much pity - I just got hate/disgust/wtf kind of looks/stares from people.

lol.

But I see what you mean about having a bf/gf making it harder for personal growth.

How?

You go up to the ticket vendor at which point nobody truly knows whether you are alone or buying a ticket for yourself and somebody else. You buy the ticket, did the ticket vendor gave you a dirty look? Never happened to me. At worst the person right behind (usually on my regular "big movie/blockbusters" theater the vendor ask you forward away to the vending box while the next person stays quite away back in the line waiting to see which of the vendors will call him forward to buy his ticket) hears you are buying a ticket for one which he/she probably won't care for either and you don't even have to look at them since they are behind you.

Then you either go inside the theater right away, or stay close in line or wandering in which case people are usually just minding their business/talking to their acquaintances etc.

You go in, maybe buy some popcorn, did the popcorn person dude/gal gave you the stinky eye? Never happened to me.

You go in, at which point you are pretty much home free unless someone sits right beside you, which is rare, but yet there is no reason for them to give you the stink eye.

I guess what I'm asking, where are these specific instances in which complete strangers take out time from their life to spend on you with their stares? Are you just looking out for the looks?

PS: I do note that I usually go to the first showings since there is less public and tickets are cheapest.

That aside from the fact that if they were to give the stare (which I think you are exaggerating), so what? You give them the Travis Bickle look and they are on their way.

Just substitute "talking to me" with "looking at me" on your mind.

Okay, initially buying the ticket isn't that hard. But then (in Australia at least) you have to give your ticket to the person outside the theatre. And that will be your first piece of sympathy as the guy you give the ticket to will see that you are clearly by yourself.

Then, no amount of intelligence will have you find the "right" spot to be unnoticed in the theatre.

If you sit right up at the back people in front will turn around and notice the "loser" sitting there all by himself. And obviously sitting at the front is asking for the entire fucking crowd to notice you and maybe even throw popcorn at you!

... But that's not all...

As people come in, they'll look around to find a spot - and notice you - no matter where you are.

And if it's crowded you'll end up with couples/friends/ families sitting right near you - or even NEXT to you. awkward? yes!

We have no movie theaters around here so I never had the option to begin with, though I wouldn't go to movie theaters all together anyway; too misanthropist for that. As for dining alone, I did it quite a few times and never really felt awkward about it nor did I get any puppy eyes from anyone. But our fancy restaurants differ from what others are used to in the sense that they're more like "clubs" or a combination of fancy restaurants and coffee shops. Back in the days I used to take my laptop and go to that nice restaurant by the sea whenever I needed to get some exceptional work done. The staff was always accommodating and I'd order a hookah to add extra zing to the escapade. Food was probably the least prominent part of the entire experience. There were times when I just ordered coffee+dessert and skipped the food entirely.

But there are times when I go to a restaurant to satisfy a craving; it's almost always shawerma and I choose to eat it in the restaurant rather than taking it home - more convenient and certainly fresher.

Could you go into detail about what you mean by this? How is it difficult to "focus" on the meal? What does that even mean? Like just sitting in silence and savouring every single bite slowly? Doing this alone seems puzzling to me. As for eating a meal or going to a movie alone, yeah it's totally normal if you want to do it and nobody else does/is there to join you.

Are these people who you know? If not, wtf do you care if they're thinking that you're a weirdo? I could understand if they were actually HARASSING you. But simply noticing that you're alone and thinking that you're weird? Why even give a shit?

And as far as people throwing their popcorn at you, did you ever try complaining to management about that? How are you even sure that they were picking on you for being alone? Some people are just assholes, they could have been picking on you for any number of reasons.

I see a lots of people doing it in the country I am living atm. :) its really okay to do so. :)
what's wrong for that?
They stare at u, u stare at them :D

Nah, I do that kind of stuff with friends all the time so I don't really feel like doing them on my own on another day.

I've done this on occassion and don't have any problem doing so.

@micha_93: I have great respect for people that can dine out or go to a movie by themselves.

I do enjoy my own company but thats just if I'm chillin at home, i would feel so arkward in a restaurant or at a bar or the movies by myself.

what about people that go on holiday by themselves, could you do that?

In my youth I've done some experimenting on this sort of stuff... and I've got to say that I don't like being noticed by others in a negative way. Whether they think I'm rude or weird or simply just feel sorry for me - it ain't fun.

And the more you expose yourself to this sort of stuff - the worse it gets. Before long you could become known as "that guy" - and end up as the butt of others' jokes.

As for whether people "know" you or not - well, it'd be worse if they did - but even if they didn't - they may recognize you in a future encounter - so it's best to be cautious.

Now, as for dining alone - particularly at non fast food places - THAT is by FAR worse than going to the cinema alone.

And as for holidaying alone - hahhaha - that's just unthinkable - hahha - don't even go there!