44 Tips for Dining Alone As a Female Solo Traveler
The fear of eating alone in public is a real phenomenon, so if you are feeling fearful and/or anxious about eating alone while in your hometown or while traveling, then rest assured that you are not alone. In fact, in researching information for this blog, I discovered that fear of eating alone in public has its own name: solomangarephobia.
Some people think that solo dining is socially unacceptable and that it is an activity to be feared and that brings up some anxiety for some people.
In particular, among female solo travelers, dining alone is a major source of anxiety as I have seen a huge number of posts in female travel groups on this topic where women are expressing their distress about eating alone and they frequently ask for advice on how to manage their discomfort while eating alone, especially at dinner time.
I have been fortunate to travel to 35 countries and hundreds of towns and cities on six out of the seven continents and I have a lot of experience with eating alone as a solo traveler. Over the decades of my travel experiences, I have gathered and practiced many different approaches to eating alone and so I am happy to share my top tips with you here.
So, if eating alone does not come naturally to you, here are my top 44 tips to alleviate your discomfort as a solo diner.
Find healthy plant-based vegan restaurants through websites/apps including happycow and abillion
Find healthy plant-based vegan options through a google search such as “vegan near me” or “vegan plus the name of the city you are in”
Maximize your safety as a solo diner, by never leaving your eats and drinks unattended on your table (or at the bar) if you are dining alone to avoid potential tampering by someone who has problematic intentions
Search for restaurants/cafes that are famous for their beautiful views and/or locations so that your attention (and the attention of other diners) will be the beautiful views and/or locations (for example, you can google, “best restaurants with beautiful views in Paris” or “best restaurants with beautiful sunset views in Barcelona”)
Practice solo dining in your hometown by going to cafes and restaurants alone for breakfast, lunch, and/or dinner periodically to get yourself used to sitting alone for eats and drinks
Practice walking into cafes and restaurants with self-confidence rather than feeling apologetic and guilty for showing up alone
Go to the restaurant early to avoid a crowded restaurant with no vacant tables (for example, if they open at 6 p.m. you might arrive a few minutes after they open)
If you go early and you sense that they are gearing up for a busy spurt soon, let them know that you will not be long so that they know that you will vacate the table in one hour, for example
Make a reservation to avoid being told they are full
If you don’t want to sit at a table alone, you could choose to sit at the bar, or a communal table, if you feel comfortable (you could choose to chat with the bartender or other guests, for example)
Do not expect others to invite you to join them at their table (they have their own reasons for wanting to keep their table just as it is, either alone or with others)
Do not be upset if others do not invite you to join them at their table (it is not something personal against you)
If you want company, you might consider inviting another solo female traveler to join you at your table (if she declines do not take it personally as she has her own reasons for declining that have nothing to do with you)
Know deep within yourself that you are just as worthy of dining solo as the diners who are dining with others
Do not worry about what others “might” be thinking about you dining alone as you have no proof of what others are thinking (and what others “might” be thinking is irrelevant to you)
Do not project your feelings of being a “loser” or “weird” (or some other unpleasant description) for dining alone onto others as you have no idea what others are thinking
Feel gratitude for the freedom you possess to choose where you eat and what you eat while having your meal alone versus being limited to please others whose choices may not please you
Repeat self-worth affirmations when you start to feel nervous and anxious about your self-worth and what others “might” be thinking about you
Be happy in your own company (YES, BE HAPPY IN YOUR OWN COMPANY) since, after all, YOU are the BEST COMPANY for YOU
Shower yourself with loving kindness and self-compassion if you are feeling lonely or sad (or some other uncomfortable emotion) about dining alone
If you start to feel anxious about sitting by yourself, you might lower your gaze or close your eyes, and take a few deep, long breaths to calm your nervous system
If you start to feel anxious about sitting by yourself, bring a slight smile to your lips as this will send a signal to your nervous system to relax (also known as smile yoga)
If you are feeling bored, anxious or lonely (or some other uncomfortable emotions), spend time people watching
Practice mindful eating by focusing your attention on your meal and savoring the colors, textures, flavors, aromas, sounds (chewing, crunching) of your meal
Enjoy the peace and quiet of having your meal without the pressure to keep up a conversation with anybody
Practice your food photography skills by taking photos of your eats and drinks
Take photos of the restaurant and your meal to save as souvenirs and/or to share in a blog or a social media post, or with friends and family, for example
Spend time before and after eating your meal to use your mobile phone or tablet to research your tours and sightseeing for the upcoming days of your trip
Take a book (hard copy or digital copy) to read
Take a journal (hard copy or digital) to journal about your day, your thoughts, emotions, feelings, plans, etc.
Play word games (or other games) on your mobile phone or tablet while you wait for your meal to arrive at your table
Scroll social media to research hashtags related to your travel location to learn more about the destination while you wait for your meal to arrive
Sign up for a vegan cooking class so that you learn a new skill and you dine with the cooking class group
Attend a food festival to enjoy eating locally made vegan eats and drinks in a public setting
Go to a food market where you can choose different vegan eats and drinks in a public setting
Sign up for a vegan food tour if you want to have dining companions instead of dining alone
If there is no space at a restaurant or cafe where you want to eat, or you don’t want to eat alone on the premises, you can order a meal to take away to enjoy during daylight hours in a park or garden with many other people around to maximize your safety
Order a takeaway meal to enjoy in your accommodation room
Feel gratitude for your meal and your awesome opportunity to travel to a new place and enjoy a beautiful meal even if you are dining solo
Use each solo dining experience as a building block to build your self-confidence and self-worth and to lower your fear and anxiety about eating alone
Use each solo dining experience as a tip that you can offer to other female solo travelers who can benefit from your solo dining experiences
Become aware and notice if you also experience anxiety, fear and discomfort in other areas of your life (perhaps not only with dining solo) and consider including calming practices such as meditation and deep breathing in your regular routine at home as well as while traveling
Join a retreat where you will have the option of dining solo or dining with the retreat participants
Have fun dining alone! After all, YOU are THE FUNNEST dining companion for YOU!
I hope that my list of 44 Tips for Dining Alone As a Female Solo Traveler will help you to plan and enjoy your solo trips around the world!
Read my blogs 50 Benefits of Female Solo Travel and More Than 50 Safety Tips for Female Travel to add to your knowledge, expertise and fun as a solo traveler.
Let me know what your favorite tips are for solo travel dining and I would also really enjoy hearing about your favorite travel destinations so let me know in the comments! Happy travels!
Follow me on YouTube and Instagram for more inspiration and information and join our beautiful retreats around the world!
Best wishes,
Angel
Certified Raw Vegan Chef & Yoga Teacher
Wellness Lifestyle Coach & Author
Meditation & Retreat Leader