Restaurants Around The World Are Seeing A Spike In Solo Dining

While going out to eat has often been associated with a social experience, there’s always been a place in restaurants for a party of one. And in recent years, restaurants have reported an increase in the number of people who seek a solitary meal.

“Like a spa”

You might think of dining alone as something typically reserved for fast food or casual restaurants, but many upscale eateries have seen a growing demand for single-person tables. And this isn’t necessarily a result of having no one to share the meal … in fact, folks like San Francisco scientist Parisa Imanirad see it as a respite from the many demands of life.

She is married and has an active social life, but sneaks away to a nice restaurant once or twice a week for an experience she describes as “like a spa, but a different type.”

Comparing figures

Japan has long been at the forefront of this trend, even coining a term — ohitorisama — for people who eat alone in restaurants. Nearly one-fourth of people in that country recently said they enjoy solo dining, an increase of five percentage points since 2018.

But plenty of other nations are seeing a similar increase in solitary dining reservations, as OpenTable reported. Over the past two years, the platform has seen:

• A 29% spike in the United States
• An increase of 18% in Germany
• A 14% bump in the United Kingdom

Sign of the times

Debby Soo, the CEO of OpenTable, has some theories about why more people are dining alone. For starters, she believes the era of remote work has prompted many people to seek a change of scenery after spending all day in their home offices.

Furthermore, she said: “I think there’s a broader movement of self-love and really … enjoying your own company.”

Chris Agee September 4th, 2024

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