How to Enjoy Dining Solo: My Top Ten Tips

This post is for the solo female traveler wishing to enjoy a meal in a restaurant while traveling on her own. This post is not for the solo female traveler trolling for a male dining companion. I’m pretty sure there are apps to make that easier so better to rely on those.

Here are my top ten tips on how to enjoy the solo dining experience while traveling:

Dress conservatively. Meaning leave the plunging necklines in your suitcase. I promise you, the handsome young waiter doesn’t want to stare at your cleavage every time he refills your water glass.

Order a cocktail, mocktail or a glass of wine while you peruse the menu. Do not order the Conched Out Jumbo Pina Colada or an entire bottle of wine. They are too much for you to consume at one sitting and may lead to blurred vision, a balance issue or both.

If you have food allergies, address them upfront. And it helps to know the translation in that country’s language for vegan, vegetarien, gluten-free, shellfish allergies, peanut allergies and such just to make sure you’re understood.

Try to order in the same language as the menu. If you’re totally baffled, (which happened to me recently in Israel ), ask if the restaurant has a menu in English. In large cities this is often the case. Then again, I’ve had some wonderfully entertaining dining experiences when my servers or hosts took great care to explain a dish using sign language, food props and our mutual attempts at speaking one another’s native tongue.

Solo means solo.If another diner asks to join you and you’d prefer your privacy while enjoying a meal, politely decline with a “Thank you but I’m dining alone,” or a “No, thank you” and leave it at that. In my experience, another woman will understand, a man will get the message but won’t like it. Which is fine.

Same when the glass of wine or cocktail appears that you didn’t order. Politely, firmly decline with thanks to the sender.

Consider small plates. Since you’re not able to share with another diner, maybe order two appetizers and add a salad, soup, dessert or all three if something intrigues you. And ask the waiter’s advice for restaurant specialities. These have always been the most delicious and interesting choices in my experiences. Plus, the server is invested in giving you a pleasant dining experience if you’re noshing on their recommendation.

And if it’s nothing like what you thought you ordered, just do the best you can. In most European and Middle Eastern countries, food is a celebrated form of hospitality. It’s bad manners not to show appreciation. A Turkish friend once explained that my refusal to even sample a selection of “indigenous meats” might have harmed relations between our two countries. One bite will not kill you…unless you have food allergies. If so, remind your host or server.

Know the country’s tipping customs. They differ by country and culture. A little research will allow you to appropriately reward a job well done. Overtipping, in many countries, may be considered gauche or insulting.

Limit phone presence. As in, ask that nice server to take your picture before you order, take a pic of your entree when it arrives, otherwise leave your phone in your purse. If you’re staring at that screen you’ll miss all the delightful opportunities for people-watching and cultural enlightenment fueling your quest for travel.

It’s your window on the world as a solo female adventurer, with drinks and dinner. Bon Appetit!