Table for One: Navigating the ‘Dilemma’ of Solo Dining When Travelling

At around dinnertime on a recent work trip in Columbus Ohio to deliver a presentation and communication training program, I faced the “Big Dilemma” of traveling alone:

Should I eat alone at a restaurant, or get room service takeout to bring up to my hotel room?

It seemed like such a straightforward question. But it didn’t feel like that in the moment.

When faced with the decision, I had two very separate parts of my personality take over:

— The part of my personality that wants to be “that person” who doesn’t give a second thought to eating alone at a busy restaurant: I was staying in a cute area with lots of restaurants within walking distance of my hotel, I’d enjoy a good meal, I’d get to people-watch 🤩, and who knows…maybe I would find someone to talk to (and even if I didn’t….I do love a fresh, hot meal).

— Then there’s the part of me that can be “that *other* person.” The one that feels  a bit weird or awkward to be sitting alone in a busy restaurant, surrounded by people who are dining with others, while I’m all alone. 😬

But is it really weird and awkward? Or am I just making up that story in my head?

And then it dawned on me that in my role as a presentation & communication expert, my job is to ‘gently nudge’ my clients into a place where:

• They have to confront feeling weird and awkward.
• They have to manage their mindset away from how they’re feeling, and focus on both the audience AND a successful outcome
• They have to deal with their discomfort and move forward to share their message and expertise, both of which need to be shared.
• They need to be more open and willing to ‘put themselves out there’ in the guise of unfamiliar experiences

After realizing that I can’t ask my clients to do things that feel weird and awkward without being ready to do it myself, I knew that I had no choice but to:

• Take my own advice
• Deal with the uncomfortable feelings (and, you know….try to look cool 😎, even though I wasn’t feeling it )
• Just get a table and sit in that restaurant already.

(And if you think that all sounds very brave, I will skip the part about how I changed my mind between sitting at a table on the terrace, sitting at another table in the restaurant, potentially sitting at one end of the bar, and then finally finding the exact right spot at the other end of the bar – but that level of indecision in my search for just the right spot to enjoy this dining solo adventure is a story for another time).

The end result was:

• A delicious meal, delivered with outstanding service (thank you Forno Kitchen & Bar, in Columbus Ohio!)
• A comfortable spot for people-watching
• A lovely conversation with another woman right next to me, who was also traveling for business and… eating alone (and quite possibly with way less overthinking than I just experienced). 🙌

The learning?

The next time you want to avoid doing something because it may make you feel weird and awkward, it may be important to take a step back to determine if this might be the exact thing that you should be doing — for enjoyment, for growth, and for a better experience.

It may also be a good reminder that we can do weird and awkward things that, in fact, may not be weird or awkward at all — but actually quite pleasant and fun. Especially when there’s a good tiramisu dessert at the end 🍰 (not pictured, because I ate it way too fast to be captured by the photo).

 

→ Have YOU ever had to remind yourself to take your own advice? I’d love to hear YOUR experience of what you did, and how it worked out for you!