Rolling Solo

Published on Tuesday, July 1, 2008, by Kara Zuaro / Edit Post

Epi-Log blogger Heather Tyree learned during her stint at Daniel while she was in culinary school that every solo diner at the restaurant is “automatically elevated to VIP status,” and the rewards of dining alone include “a few extra gougères, a greater assortment of canapés, and special attention behind the scenes.” Tyree recently tried her hand at solo dining, but she chose a restaurant in New York City’s Korea Town rather than a super high-end spot, and she thoroughly relished the experience:

Truth be told, I think I enjoyed it more than ever before because I didn’t have to share myself or my food. I could eat all of the mung beans and spicy tofu, my favorites, alone, and I didn’t have to entertain anyone, make conversation, hell, I didn’t even have to smile or make delighted and approving noises while I chewed.

For all the shy travelers out there, does anyone else have an inside tip on restaurants that pamper solo diners? I’ve heard that at least a few other famous eateries share Daniel’s rewards policy, but since I have a very steady dining companion, I’ve never been able to confirm the rumors.

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  • I think it depends. Because of Business Travel, I have eaten out alone many, many times. I think that some of these places are looking to capitalize on these people. This is because:

    1. They do not linger as long and therefore can free up tables quickly.
    2. If they tracel to the same city over-and-over again (which is typical for most business travelers), then, that restaurant can become a...+READ

    I think it depends. Because of Business Travel, I have eaten out alone many, many times. I think that some of these places are looking to capitalize on these people. This is because:

    1. They do not linger as long and therefore can free up tables quickly.
    2. If they tracel to the same city over-and-over again (which is typical for most business travelers), then, that restaurant can become a staple.
    3. The business traveler is often having the meal expensed. This means that they do not shy away from ordering the Surf-and-Turf and leaving a big tip. They will also get that wonderfully over-priced single glass of wine. Again, they are spending someone elses money.
    4. Lastly, these business travelers should be a treat to wait on. They sit there, quietly, reading there book. They are not looking to make a big deal of the night. They just want there meal so they can go back to the hotel and go to bed (i.e. no special orders. They do not worry if the beef is grass-fed or whatever).
    5. Oh, and again, since this is someone elses dime, they might order desert.

    In short: no fuss, no muss, in-and-out quickly, orders big, tips even bigger.-COLLAPSE

  • As a frequent solo diner, I've actually I've more often experienced the opposite: unless dining at the bar, there is an "oh, poor you, table for one?" type vibe - not super obvious but enough to make me uncomfortable.
    I've noticed though that the choice of restaurant makes quite a difference - in most ethnic eateries I've been too, they really don't care.