An Intellectual Guy (Male, Washington, DC, 36-45, Lawyer) answered:

Since I am single, and I enjoy good food, I sometimes eat out alone. I am a good cook, and often eat at home, but being single doesn't mean I'm banned from restaurants. :) When I DO eat out alone at a restaurant, I tend to read. What else is there to do if you are alone? I guess I could look around, but once you've looked around and seen everything there is to see within sight, what then? Reading is generally more interesting...

As for not being able to read in a noisy restaurant, its not a problem. If there is a specific sound to distract me, like a song, or a tv show, or one conversation, then yes I find it hard to read - people talking in a library are VERY distracting because all you can hear is their conversation. But if its just a jumble of random noises, like in a noisy restaurant, it becomes much less distracting - there is nothing specific to grab your attention and take it away from what you are reading, its just background noise and easy to ignore.

Wow, I had no idea that as a single person, my reading alone in restaurants caused so much idle speculation among others... :)

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A Thinker (Female, Miami, 56-65, Other Profession) answered:

If it's a good book, I could do it but I'd rather people watch. They just want to look like they are busy doing something instead of staring into space feeling self-conscious.

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A Thinker (Female, 46-55, Who Cares?) answered:

If I have a book in front of me I can tune anything out, and if I'm in a restaturant eating and reading, that's usually perceived as a signal I want to be left alone.

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A Thinker (Female, Who Cares?, Who Cares?) answered:

Some people have the abuility to consentrate

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A Thinker (Female, 46-55) answered:

i could understand a reader so captivated by written word,he/she has no need to chitchat??? just a thuoght.

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A Life of the Party (Female, Denver, 26-28, Student) answered:

Im the type of person who can read in a noisy place.

I study better when there is background noise. I dont know why, but complete silence is distracting to me.

If I was studying at a restraunt, i would non want a random person to just come and sit down with me.

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A Creative (Female, 22-25, Student) answered:

Maybe this person just wants a good meal, and doens't give a shit about what others think. They choose to read, whether they are retaining the info or not, so they don't have to sit there like a retard and stare at everyone else.......

maybe.....

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An Alternative Girl (Female, St.Louis, 29-35, Self-Employed) answered:

Honestly I can and have read in very noisy places. I can read just about anywhere.
Some people are comfortable going places and doing things alone, but instead of just sitting there staring at everyone else read a book or something.

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A Guy Critical (Male, Sacramento, 29-35, Administrative) answered:

You bring something to read so you don't look like a psycho. It's just common courtesy -- you don't want to freak people out. However, I prefer a crossword puzzle, as opposed to a book or something like that to just read.

I like eating alone in restaurants. But one has to make concessions to the vast majority who think it's pathetic or strange or somehow threatening.

I can only think of two occasions where a potential "someone special" has sat down with me. And both times, the person was someone who I sort of knew already.

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A Thinker (Female, 29-35, Other Profession) answered:

Some people feel that being on their own doesn't preclude them from eating out. They bring a book for something to do rather than waiting for their meal while staring at a wall.

If there were any doubt as to a single person wishing someone would come along and 'rescue' them from eating alone, the book should quash that. Reading a book in public is a very strong sign that someone is NOT looking for outside attention.

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A Thinker (Female, 26-28, Who Cares?) answered:

LOL.. I want to introduce myself to you, anon. =)

I very often eat by myself. I am a pretty quiet person. I would be polite if you approach but not sure if I can be friendly.

It probably takes me 10 minutes to concentrate and read if that's something that interests me. No matter how noisy it is.


Regarding why I would be at a restuarant by myself?! Hm. Cause I want to dine at a fine restaurant but is enjoying my ME time?! =P

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A Sweet Sarah (Female, Who Cares?, Other Profession) answered:

Maybe they want to be alone eat want they want while they read a good book, there is nothing wrong with that.

Lady W*

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A Thinker (Female, New York, 29-35, Teaching) answered:

LOL! If someone sat down next to me if I was reading in a restaurant (while enjoying my meal), I would tell him to get the f*ck away from me!

Geez, how immature do you have to be to think that everyone WANTS company 24/7?

I sometimes dine or lunch alone because it's quiet time for me, and when I'm not people watching I'll bring a book that I have to get finished with. It's easy for me to read with background noise--and I actually seem to assimilate information better with the background noise. I love a rainy day in a nice restaurant--it's a great place and moment to just be alone and chill out.

But if I'm not signaling to someone that I want to make his acquaintance, he really shouldn't interrupt my meal / book. This has happened before (they didn't have the nerve to SIT DOWN--that would so freak me out)--but the people in question ASKED me if they could sit there, and I said "No." Some of them were even attractive--it was just the wrong time and place and their attention got on my nerves. :)

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A Creative (Female, 36-45, Student) answered:

I like reading when I'm in a restaurant alone because I can catch up on things that I've been meaning to read and sometimes, I will even work on my checkbook or bills so that I don't have to worry about doing everything last minute...plus, it helps keep me organized to go out alone and do what I need to get done because when I go to a restaurant with others, I tend to just want to sit and visit...:)

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It doesn't bother me to go to a restaurant and eat alone. The way I look at it, no one really cares if I have a companion or not. When I was younger, sometimes I did want a guy to join me but that sort of thing has left me. In fact, sometimes I rather dine alone so I can enjoy my meal without having to make small talk. I don't think I have ever read anything in a restaurant. Perhaps if I had just bought a magazine and there was an interesting article I wanted to read I might bring it into the restaurant with me, provided it was a casual restaurant.

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.....why they're there?............becau se they are hungry?.

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A Thinker (Female, Baltimore, 46-55, Administrative) answered:

Lunch time or Dinner time is just that! Time to eat, read, write alone sometimes. You can always 'tune out' the noise and others when your concentration is 'focused' on what you are doing.

It does not mean that someone is 'lonely' and looking for someone.

I know that if I do it at a restaurant that is 'not the case' with me!

Sometimes you just want to get out of the office, away from home and you go somewhere to get a bite to eat and then do whatever else you want to do.

No harm in that and it SHOULD NOT be perceived as anything else in MOST cases for people.

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