Restaurants Play 'the Long Game' on Solo Diners

Parisa Imanirad, a cancer researcher from San Francisco, is married and has a wide circle of friends—but she says dining alone gives her time to think or read. During those outings, Imanirad tries not to touch her phone and relishes the silence. "It's like a spa, but a different type," Imanirad says, per the AP. Imanirad isn't alone in her desire to be alone.

• The numbers: In the US, solo dining reservations have risen 29% over the last two years, according to OpenTable. They're up 18% this year in Germany and 14% in the United Kingdom. Japan even has a special term for solo dining: ohitorisama, which means "alone" but with honorifics spoken both before and after the word to make parties of one feel less hesitant.

• Factors: OpenTable CEO Debby Soo thinks remote work is one reason for the increase, with diners seeking respites from their home offices. But she thinks there are deeper reasons, too. "I think there's a broader movement of self-love and self-care and really ... enjoying your own company," Soo says. The pandemic also made social interactions less feasible and therefore less important while eating out, says Anna Mattila, a professor of lodging management at Penn State University.
• A change in norms: Smartphones help some patrons feel connected to others even when they're by themselves. "The social norms have changed. People don't look at solo diners anymore and think, 'You must be a loner,'" Mattila said.

• Pushback: Restaurants aren't always thrilled to seat a single diner at a table that could fit more. A Michelin-starred London restaurant, Alex Dilling at Hotel Cafe Royal, caused a stir last year when it started charging solo patrons the same price as two customers. Its eight-course dinner tasting menu costs $280 per person. The restaurant, which has only 34 seats, doesn't allow reservations for fewer than two people on its website.
• Advocates: Other restaurants say it's worth seating one person at a table for two, as solo diners tend to be loyal, repeat customers. "While there may be a short-term loss there, I think we're kind of playing the long game and establishing ourselves as a place that's truly special," says Drew Brady, COO at Overthrow Hospitality, which operates 11 vegan restaurants in New York. More here.

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