One is the Magic Number: the Solo Dining Trend

Pop quiz: The last time you were truly alone was: 

1. This morning’s bathroom break while your partner/child/dog threatened to barge in.
2. In your dreams. But you can’t say with 100% certainty because that melatonin really hits. 
3. Circa 2004. You have a faint memory of hiding out under a blanket tent with your laptop creating your Myspace profile.
4. What is alone time? 

When we think of alone time often what we’re seeking is not just being without the pressures of social performance but a sacred space beyond the distractions of modern life. No phone. No laptop. No notifications. You with your thoughts uninterrupted. This is what solo dining can deliver and why it’s a rapidly growing trend as an antidote to the seemingly inescapable noise of the world. Solo dining is an opportunity to just be in the moment. Online restaurant-reservation service OpenTable saw solo dining as one major trend that emerged in 2023,  reporting a  4% growth year over year in their annual trends report. From the New York Times to CNN and Vox, it seems everyone is getting reacquainted with their own company.  

The growing solo dining trend

Let’s explore more perks of solo dining, why it’s a growing trend in hospitality and what opportunities restaurateurs can explore to elevate the experience for their patrons. 

• Solo dining as self care
• Put the fill in fulfillment
• Enrich their experience
• Today one is always many

Solo dining as self care

Solo dining, defined as eating by yourself at a restaurant or other establishment, taps into many of the desires an individual seeks for a day of “self care.” In Lightspeed’s recent State of Hospitality report, 45% of people said they go to sit-down spaces and dine solo, with 34% viewing it specifically as part of their self care. When a person chooses to dine alone there are no limitations to how individual they can make the experience, from where they choose to sit to what dishes they order and how much they eat. Dining out provides an immersive experience for the senses and without distractions, each can set their own pace and timeline. With upwards of 43% of people using online booking services to secure a spot, it’s more than worthwhile to ensure your restaurant allows solo diners the possibility. 

Part of the allure of solo dining is the total freedom to cater to one’s own needs and desires. With the push and pull of everyday life, there’s something refreshing about tuning out the demands of the many and tuning in to your own needs—exclusively. In Alissa Wilkinson’s The Glories of Dining Out Alone, she distills all the possibilities that negate any initial apprehensions: 

“Dining out by myself is a form of self-care, a way to derive immense satisfaction from the experience — the ambience, the flavors and textures, the chatter around me. Without a dining companion to entertain, I can sit with my thoughts, watch the world around me…Eating alone, in a paradoxical way, can get me out of my own head.”

And Erica Horton’s seeing additional perks, some financial. In her recent article, I’m Begging You to Eat Alone for Edible Memphis, she details some lessons she took away from the ritual and what made her fall in love with it. As she describes it: 

“I can keep a budget in mind or order like a queen and worry about the check when it gets there. Solo dining freed me from the guilt…”  

In Lightspeed’s recent State of Hospitality survey,   of those polled 43% said people watching is their favorite activity when dining solo .  For this reason, we recommend finding ways to cater to customers to personalize their solo-dining journey, such as seat selection in advance or spots within your space that facilitate people watching. Don’t hide solo diners away but rather let them have an amazing vantage point of the space. They are an audience of one; set the stage. 

Put the fill in fulfillment

Ordering is one aspect of solo dining that might hold anxiety for customers. What to order is always a big decision but when you’re eating for one, there are additional considerations. From not wanting to order “too much”, sometimes out of embarrassment or simply not wanting to create waste, to making the ‘right’ choice if you will only have a single dish or working within a budget. 

Restaurants can meet these uncertainties by providing innovative and flexible solutions. For Lightspeed X Avant Garden’s Table for One event in New York cities, guests were offered a curated tasting menu, allowing them a selection of the most popular picks on the menu. Not only does this option help with food waste, and consequently profits, it garners good will by not forcing solo diners to compromise. An added benefit is more choices for solo diners  increases the chances they will find a favorite and return (as one or many). 

In a recent article from  Curiocity, they delved into discovering the best bars, patios and restaurants for solo diners. Some of the elements that were called out were being dog friendly, people watching  and cozy seating.  But of course, no one can resist a touch of intrigue from their favorite local spot’s evolving offering. As they describe with Mercato di Luigi, “With pasta lunches that change every day, you can bet there’s always something exciting and new to taste.”

This trend not only shapes how menus will be perceived and spur innovation but the scale of the dishes themselves. In Stephanie Rosenbloom’s article for The New York Times, On Eating Alone in Paris,  it’s noted that within the United States,  “dining alone has led to what th Hartman Group, a food and beverage consultancy, has called the: snackification of meals.”

No matter their appetite, encourage your staff to support their solo customers by being curious. Simply asking questions about what their guest is in the mood for or if they have lingering questions around portion size, ingredients, or off-menu options like daily specials or promo—puts people at ease and opens up the conversation. 

Solomangarephobia  | Definition: the fear of eating alone in public (especially at a restaurant).

Enrich the experience

One somewhat obvious but perhaps overlooked aspect of hosting solo diners is that they’re not immersed in talking. This presents an opportunity for restaurants to add in an additional layer to the experience, be it entertainment or otherwise. If you’re an establishment known for your incredible selection of mocktails,  we suggest asking the client if they want to come to the bar and take a closer look at the process of mixology. If there’s a history to your space, whether within the neighborhood or within the design of the interior space, consider sharing these details with your customer. 

It might surprise you that the most popular solo dining days are Thursdays and Fridays. People are truly treating the experience as an outing or ‘date with themselves’ and this is a powerful reframing from the stigma of eating “all alone”. 

Within this growing trend is a fresh opportunity for restauranteurs to make an imprint of their values. Focusing in on what makes your space and culture unique and a way to communicate this that would build on the experience. Even for solo dining—there’s no one size fits all approach to the trend. For Emi Guerra, co-founder of Breakwater Hospitality Group, which runs multiple concepts in South Florida, this translates to even the seating arrangements. As Guerra explains, 

“We have community tables where solo diners can sit together if they wish to engage with others, fostering a sense of community, which is a big part of our mission at all our venues.”

In Lightspeed’s State of Hospitality 2024 survey 23% of those surveyed said they dine alone to try out a new place. With this in mind, it’s important for staff to not assume the customer is ‘in the know’ and instead provide an added level of service that comes from sharing knowledge and appealing to their comfort. From making sure they have enough light if they are reading to making suggestions based on their taste and hunger level, don’t underestimate the details because solo diners are tuned in and paying attention. 

“Sometimes eating supper alone feels private, quiet, and blessedly liberating.” —Marion Cunningham in the New York Times

Today one is many

Globalization has changed the essence of solo dining. Sure that person is sitting alone but are they really? Each person that walks through your door could represent thousands or even millions more in social collateral—and future dollars. From an up-and-coming food blogger who might be one post away from going viral to a lifestyle influencer—who you’ve never heard of, but has an audience of millions that hang on to their every word and recommendation. And that next reco might be your restaurant. 

All staff should be trained on the importance of respecting and revering all guests, not just those that promise big bills or boast food critic credentials. Each customer has the potential to guarantee future business and putting your best foot and food forward, even for that unassuming diner who is nose deep in a novel, could lead to a digital wildfire of (free!!) word of mouth. Make sure it’s positive, providing soloists an exceptional experience every time. 

Methodology

Lightspeed initiated a consumer survey throughout May 2024 using third party survey vendor Medallia. Over 7,500 responses were collected globally, distributed amongst the following countries: Canada (1,500 respondents), United States (1,500 respondents), United Kingdom (1,000 respondents), Germany (1,000 respondents), France (1,000 respondents), Netherlands (1,000 respondents) and Belgium (1,000 respondents). Respondents were required to be over the age of 18, and have attended a sit-down restaurant within the last six months. All responses collected were anonymously.