In other parts of the world, eating alone was especially frowned upon for women, who were thought to be “selling their services,” for the lack of a better term. As late as the 1960s, establishments banned those who didn’t come with a male companion—and even when these restrictions were lifted as they entered the workforce, men were often relentless, bothering them when they so obviously didn’t want to be disturbed.
Needless to say, there seems to be something so scandalous about someone—more so, a girl!—who is so sure about who she is that she would choose to keep herself company. This security I feel in my independence, this exercise in agency is one of the best benefits I get from dining by myself. I’m an only child, which somehow comes with the innate talent of knowing how to keep busy without relying on anyone’s availability or attention. Though I accept (and enjoy!) all offers to hang out with old friends and meet new people, I take pride in the fact that I will survive if plans are canceled at the last minute and can stomach being around no one else without feeling FOMO.
Wait, that was a thing?!
I don’t understand why people would think less of people they see dining out alone. Sure, it could have been true that some women of the night dined alone (waiting for their customers to join them or otherwise), but that kind of scene I’d imagine would be more appropriate for the 24/7 diner, or whatever it is the US equivalent of your corner pares/tapsihan. Even then, pake ba nila?!
Kung trip ng taong mag-pares nang alas-tres nang madaling-araw, problema nya yun! Kahit pa nag-aantay siya ng costumer, eh wala na silang pakialam dun.
Sure, dining out is better with a good friend, but I’d rather dine alone than to drag someone unwilling just because “it’s bad to dine out alone”. It’d just make the atmosphere worse, and the food even worse.
I didn’t think it was an issue either but then I remember so many memes borne out of people dining alone.
Sobrang out-of-the-loop ko lang talaga siguro. I saw the “mouse moment” meme being referenced in the article (or the related articles) and I had to look it up too. Also, I remembered the “eating alone in the toilet” trope in anime.
Pero parang off pa rin eh, it doesn’t have to be lonely eating alone. Or maybe people are just conditioned to think that being alone is lonely.
IDK, I’ve always ate lunch alone back when I was in high school and college, and I don’t really see anything wrong with that. It’s far easier to get a seat if you don’t have a group and all of you must be seated together and stuff. Besides, I already am seeing those people the rest of the day anyways.
There was a post in r/PH of a stolen shot of a decent looking guy eating alone wifh a caption na sana sila na lang jowa. Really cringe.
The thirst is real, ampota, hahahaha!
If I were that guy, I’d be flattered at first, and then creeped out. Also, malay ba nila kung may jowa na pala yun, kaso di lang nya kasama at that moment?
Hay nako. We should really normalize eating alone, and being alone in general without it being associated with loneliness.
As someone who used to eat alone all the time while waiting for my gf to finish at the gym back then, I can relate. Awa ng diyos (or at least I hope) wala pa naman kumuha sa akin ng picture and posting whatever on Twitter.
Sana nga talaga (walang stolen pictures floating around in the internet).