Dining alone presents a challenge for many. Eating is usually a social event full of shared laughter – except when it’s not. Whether you travel alone often, or just find yourself at a table for one, the usual advice is to bring a book to read, chat up your server or eat at the bar for company. You could do that. OR you could…
- Build a tiny fort out of your food
- Stare down the other patrons without blinking
- Have a conversation with the imaginary person seated across from you
- Say you’re waiting for a party of 10 that never shows and enjoy a big table all to yourself
- Slowly start eating your paper napkin, then ask for another
- Use glasses, utensils and everything else on your table to become a one-man band
- Pour your drink out onto your plate and use a straw to suck it up
- Fall asleep and take a little cat nap before your entree arrives
- Sing your order to your server
- Announce to the room that you are skilled in the Heimlich maneuver and offer to demonstrate
- Ask if you can purchase a bottle of ketchup to go for dessert
- While you’re waiting for your food, go stand at the front entrance and welcome other patron
- Strike up a conversation with a table across the restaurant
- Put a teddy bear in the opposite seat and order a tiny plate of food for your friend
- Barter with your server over the cost of everything
- Pull out a large map and proceed to cut it into tiny pieces
- Order extra napkins and use them to craft a new hat, then try to sell it to your server
- Read pretend text messages and laugh so loudly you choke
- Use the time to do seated yoga stretches
- Blast music from your smartphone and get up and dance
- Use a wet nap to wipe down the entire table and all the chairs