Community Chat

[Noel7]

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@Moonchilde  I have been eating out alone for many years even when I was married.  I never encountered your problem.  I have gone to Panera (you seat yourself), a fine Italian restaurant (no problem at all and I requested a seat close to the door) and other local restaurants.  I am sorry that happens to you and that is definitely discrimination.  I wish you could get your story out to the local newspaper.  

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Fine dining is not Panera @Katcat1

"Fine dining is a style of eating that usually takes place in expensive restaurants, where especially good food is served to people, often in a formal way."

Fine dining in northern CA would probably start around $100 a person.

The best restaurant is considered to be The French Laundry:

"The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant provides several dining options. Dining Room reservations for up to seven will cost $310 per person."

[Noel7]

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@Reever wrote:

Is it possible it's a gendered issue? I have never heard of a man saying he is uncomfortable dining alone. In fact I see several older men dining alone almost nightly  at my local McDonalds. I presume these men's spouses have passed away and they never learned to cook. I dine out myself 3-4 times a week either at Panera, 5 Guys or McDonalds and I have seen many "repeat solo diners". I normally grab and go as I prefer to watch TV while eating.

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@Reever

The OP did not say she was uncomfortable dining alone.

[Reever]

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@Moonchilde  I have been eating out alone for many years even when I was married.  I never encountered your problem.  I have gone to Panera (you seat yourself), a fine Italian restaurant (no problem at all and I requested a seat close to the door) and other local restaurants.  I am sorry that happens to you and that is definitely discrimination.  I wish you could get your story out to the local newspaper.  

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Fine dining is not Panera @Katcat1

"Fine dining is a style of eating that usually takes place in expensive restaurants, where especially good food is served to people, often in a formal way."

Fine dining in northern CA would probably start around $100 a person.

The best restaurant is considered to be The French Laundry:

"The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant provides several dining options. Dining Room reservations for up to seven will cost $310 per person."

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$100 per person ? My entire food budget is about $40 a week !! I would never dine at such an establishment that charged more than $20 for an entree.

[Noel7]

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@Reever wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@Moonchilde  I have been eating out alone for many years even when I was married.  I never encountered your problem.  I have gone to Panera (you seat yourself), a fine Italian restaurant (no problem at all and I requested a seat close to the door) and other local restaurants.  I am sorry that happens to you and that is definitely discrimination.  I wish you could get your story out to the local newspaper.  

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Fine dining is not Panera @Katcat1

"Fine dining is a style of eating that usually takes place in expensive restaurants, where especially good food is served to people, often in a formal way."

Fine dining in northern CA would probably start around $100 a person.

The best restaurant is considered to be The French Laundry:

"The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant provides several dining options. Dining Room reservations for up to seven will cost $310 per person."

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$100 per person ? My entire food budget is about $40 a week !! I would never dine at such an establishment that charged more than $20 for an entree.

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That's fine, no problem @Reever.  The point is that "fine dining" is not a seat yourself, inexpensive place to eat. 

[Moonchilde]

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@Moonchilde  I have been eating out alone for many years even when I was married.  I never encountered your problem.  I have gone to Panera (you seat yourself), a fine Italian restaurant (no problem at all and I requested a seat close to the door) and other local restaurants.  I am sorry that happens to you and that is definitely discrimination.  I wish you could get your story out to the local newspaper.  

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@Katcat1, casual dining like Panera or diners & coffee shops are not the type of restaurant I’m referring to. I’m talking host/hostess escorting you to a seat - a restaurant  that doesn’t require reservations but encourages them. A desired destination restaurant (though not extreme top dollar) that people travel distances to dine at.

Thank you, but the truth is that local media wouldn’t see it as an issue - they want tables full of 4, 8 and 8 to boost the city and county coffers, and the issues that local single diners (or even tourist single diners) face is of no consequence to them. Money talks. 

[Moonchilde]

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@Reever wrote:

Is it possible it's a gendered issue? I have never heard of a man saying he is uncomfortable dining alone. In fact I see several older men dining alone almost nightly  at my local McDonalds. I presume these men's spouses have passed away and they never learned to cook. I dine out myself 3-4 times a week either at Panera, 5 Guys or McDonalds and I have seen many "repeat solo diners". I normally grab and go as I prefer to watch TV while eating.

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@Reever

The OP did not say she was uncomfortable dining alone.

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No, thank you @Noel7, I did not. I said I preferred not to eat dinner alone, not that I felt uncomfortable eating alone, period.

And I don’t think anyone into $20 max entrees who frequents Panera, McDonald’s and 5 Guys has a clue what fine dining is or what nice restaurants are. 

[Moonchilde]

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@Katcat1 wrote:

@Moonchilde  I have been eating out alone for many years even when I was married.  I never encountered your problem.  I have gone to Panera (you seat yourself), a fine Italian restaurant (no problem at all and I requested a seat close to the door) and other local restaurants.  I am sorry that happens to you and that is definitely discrimination.  I wish you could get your story out to the local newspaper.  

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Fine dining is not Panera @Katcat1

"Fine dining is a style of eating that usually takes place in expensive restaurants, where especially good food is served to people, often in a formal way."

Fine dining in northern CA would probably start around $100 a person.

The best restaurant is considered to be The French Laundry:

"The Forbes Travel Guide Five-Star restaurant provides several dining options. Dining Room reservations for up to seven will cost $310 per person."

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Like Tra Vigne when it was still there. Lunch 25 years ago was $80. At the time (it long coexisted with the French Laundry) it was a prime competitor. Many exquisite restaurants in Napa and Sonoma.

[kdgn]

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@Moonchilde wrote:

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@Noel7 wrote:

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@Reever wrote:

Is it possible it's a gendered issue? I have never heard of a man saying he is uncomfortable dining alone. In fact I see several older men dining alone almost nightly  at my local McDonalds. I presume these men's spouses have passed away and they never learned to cook. I dine out myself 3-4 times a week either at Panera, 5 Guys or McDonalds and I have seen many "repeat solo diners". I normally grab and go as I prefer to watch TV while eating.

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@Reever

The OP did not say she was uncomfortable dining alone.

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No, thank you @Noel7, I did not. I said I preferred not to eat dinner alone, not that I felt uncomfortable eating alone, period.

And I don’t think anyone into $20 max entrees who frequents Panera, McDonald’s and 5 Guys has a clue what fine dining is or what nice restaurants are. 

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That's a mighty large brush you just used to paint many posters with, Moonchilde. That wasn't fair-

[sheilababe]

I have eaten alone many times and never felt like I was being treated differently.  That's pretty lousy!  I've also gone on vacations and to the movies by myself. Some people think I'm crazy but that's ok.  People don't always have to do things together and shouldn't be treated differently when they are by themselves.

[Reever]

It seems most humans are social. They enjoy being in groups. Not sure if this is genetic or the way people were raised. The old nature vs. nature debate. And if you don't conform to societal "norms and mores" you are deemed odd.