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There is a bit of a cultural difference here as well - in the UK and Ireland, by and large, refills aren't free. Also, people tend to like to be left alone while they eat - it's said that the sign of a good waiter is one you don't notice.
Another thing is that there's a minimum wage of about £5.75 and a less pronounced tipping culture over here - people aren't as involved in the job because they don't have to rely on the tips to make up a livable wage (although tips do help!)
And meh, i go to restaurants on my own. Go to the tai won mein in Greenwich, get the singapore spiced noodles. They're brilliant
That's basically it really. We like to be left alone when we're eating, waiting staff pestering us if we're alright really grates. It looks like they're fishing for a tip, which is a big no-no.
The bill only comes when you ask for it because you might not have finished. In a lot of places people will order coffee and then have more drinks afterwards, and waiting staff don't want to push people out the door if they were going to spend another £25 on drinks.
I've eaten alone in restaurants before when I've been on business. I know what you mean, the waiting staff always seem to act as if they pity you for being alone. I don't mind being alone, I like my own company, and I like it even more when the Government's paying for my dinner.
Was quite a big step for me to sit alone in Starbucks for half an hour while drinking hot chocolate and re-reading notes hen waiting for a friend.
Think I could push it to sit in some sort of caffe or something by myself and eat a light lunch, but don't see myself alone at a proper restaurant or fancy caffe.
I associate those places with company and conversation.
I do it all the time, just chance to sit and think, and watch the world go bye while enjoying nice food lol
My friends are quite shocked and not particulary impressed i do it lol they say but what if someone sees you.. !! lol
I've gone to the pub by myself as well, when there's been a game i want to watch that no one else does ... and the cinema come to think of it, because the missus at the time always used to talk through films and it was one I really wanted to see.
Fuck it who cares, you'll never see those people again. In fact if they were giving you pitying looks you should have had a bit of fun with it ... started pulling faces at them and spazzing out a bit.
That would clear the restaurant sharpish and teach the staff not to look down on lone diners
As for eating alone, it's something i think about doing often, but i usually end up just getting a sandwich or something. There's not really anything wrong with it. I guess it depends on where you chose to eat though.
And as for the waiter thing, i really don't like waiting staff asking if we're ok etc etc, i find it rude to be interupted. Perhaps this is a cultural difference between our two great nations.
I dont think i'd know where to look
ETA: if you see a stunning girl working in the museum next time you're in chances are it's my polish friend......
Take along a newspaper or book. Or pretend you have turets and see how long the other diners will put up with you screaming "CUNT" at random intervals.
My - Name - as everyone else has said waiting staff in the UK and most of Europe are very different from those in the States. They tend to be in obtrusive you have to attract thier attention - subtley as well otherwise you just look stupid (its a bit of an art i've never really perfected). Also if you go to posh restaurants the staff are likely to be even more distant than they are in cheap ones. However in my experience american waitresses annoy the hell out of me - half the time you don't even belive that they really care any more or less about your food - they take your plates away with out asking you first - or before everyone on your table has finished eating - which is really rude. Howeve you also call main course entree's when everyone knows that thats a starter in french and you also eat olives with a special fork, put your normal fork in the wrong hand and in general have a table etiquette which is totally different and usually the opposite - to what is accepted in europe. On the other hand though waitresses in the states would never look at you like your scum and are generally much freindlier so you can't win everything.
Yongbull - I got married in the National Maritime Museum and stayed in the devonport on my wedding night. If you get a spare evening you should go to the picture house and watch movies as its really cool and they have reclining chairs. And go to blackheath there are loads of lovely places to eat there as well - Chaper 2 mmmmmmmmmmmm
If you ate in the hotel restaraunt you would very rarely get dirty looks (in my opinion, i aint mystic meg).
Agreed
Yeah, but the food in hotel restaurants is largely overpriced and rubbish.
When I've eaten alone I've either taken a book, or been given a window seat and just watched the world going by.
I drink in pubs alone sometimes too, its nice after a day on the phone at work to go and sit somewhere and have a quiet pint without having to talk to anyone.
At any 'The Village' hotel, there is a restaraunt chain attached to it called salingers, they do decent food. It is a little overpriced, but you generallly get what you pay for.
(I should be on commission for this).
But hotel food is largely rubbish. The only exceptions are small hotels, such as the Moulin Hotel in Pitlochry, where the food is absolutely fantastic. As is the real ale, if that needs to be said:p
Chain hotel food isn't my cup of tea.
And I am taking an awful lot of schadenfreude from the fact that everyone at de Vere's Slaley Hall hotel in Northumberland's gone down with winter vomiting
I think you should too;)
I don't know... Chapter 2 used to be really good, but recently i think that it's become far to fiddly and a bit... up its own arse. 'Look at us, we can make a mousse out of prawns!'
I wasn't vastly impressed the last time I went there.