It’s simply previous 1 p.m. on a weekday, and I’m standing on the entrance of a half-empty, no-frills restaurant in Seoul.
As the person behind the counter greets me, I increase a solitary index finger.
“Table for one, please?”
He pauses and calls a employees member over to translate his response.
“No one person,” the opposite man says, flatly, the pair shaking their heads in unison as they gesture in direction of the exit.
The perfume of kimchi stew and grilled meat drifts away because the doorways shut behind me, however the sting of their judgment stays.
I wasn’t shocked, although. This was the second restaurant to show me away that day, leaving me embarrassed and confused for “committing the crime” of touring alone.
My Seoul expertise wasn’t uncommon.
Eating alone has come below scrutiny within the South Korean capital, with one noodle eatery particularly invoking the ire of solo diners late final yr after it reportedly posted an indication stating that singles should both order for 2 or deliver a good friend or partner.
In daring letters, the signal said: “We don’t serve loneliness.”
Many individuals took offense, some going as far as to name it discrimination. After all, single-person households accounted for more than 36% of all properties in South Korea in 2024 — a file excessive.
“At some places, I waited for a companion and some Koreans agreed to share a table with me. It’s not the best option but it’s better than nothing,” commented one traveler on an Instagram post about the noodle shop’s stance on solo diners.
In my case, working as a journey and meals author, exploring new cities and restaurants alone is a part of the job.
I’ve been lucky sufficient to dine solo in lots of locations in any respect worth factors, together with eateries in South Korea, with none points. But my current expertise highlights a long-standing stigma that impacts prospects not simply in Seoul, however worldwide.
In 2023, some Barcelona restaurants stirred anger by refusing to seat single diners visiting town, hoping to order their tables for potential group prospects.
Late final yr, a Turkish restaurant in Liverpool, within the UK, made information after turning away a woman, stating that they don’t accommodate single tables throughout busy durations.
It’s no surprise the worry of dining alone is so actual that there is a reputation for it: solomangarephobic.
Gloria Chung Wing Han, a Hong Kong-based meals and journey author and stylist who spends three months of every yr on the highway and dines alone round 40% of the time, says the strain of flying solo normally comes from inside.
For her, dining alone in a buzzy European bistro feels more remoted than sitting down for a solo 12-course fine-dining meal.
And, she says my expertise in Seoul might have been averted, however there are a couple of caveats diners want to remember in the event that they don’t need to get turned away.
“In South Korea, dining alone is surprisingly easy despite the sharing culture,” says Chung.
Some difficulties solo vacationers face stem from the nation’s communal dining customs — many experiences, from Korean barbecue to meals served in giant stewing pots, in addition to banchan (small Korean facet dishes), are designed to be shared.
But Chung says guests have numerous different restaurants — “especially in business districts like Gangnam or Jongno” — to select from that supply solo menus, in addition to noodle retailers and sikdang (canteens).
Naver Maps, the nation’s model of Google Maps, even has a filter to permit individuals to seek for locations pleasant to solo diners.
Thankfully, issues are lastly trying up for these of us who take pleasure in consuming on our personal. It’s now not a distinct segment necessity or one thing to be ashamed of, and, in some elements of the world, solo dining is even turning into a booming trade pattern that consultants say restaurateurs can be silly to disregard in right this moment’s financial local weather.
“The ‘table for one’ is no longer a matter of convenience; it’s a growing trend across the globe,” says Laure Bornet, senior vice chairman of the International Growth Department at global dining reservation platform OpenTable.
“With parties of one outpacing every other party size, our data suggests that the ‘solo stigma’ has been traded for a culture of independence and exploration.”
According to information shared with NCS Travel by OpenTable, solo dining noticed a 19% improve year-over-year worldwide in 2025, the most important leap by far out of any social gathering sizes.
And solo diners spend more, too.
One-person events paid a median of $90 per particular person, 54% increased than the final per-person common — an quantity that noticed a 7% improve from the earlier yr.
“What we see is a revenue opportunity for restaurants,” says Bornet. “Solo diners don’t only spend more, but they might also fill some of the small gaps that you have in your dining areas.”
Travelers are main the way in which in relation to solo dining, she provides. So it’s no shock that the surge is most noticeable in among the world’s greatest enterprise hubs, akin to New York and London.
Chicago, Las Vegas, Washington D.C. and San Francisco are the opposite prime cities for solo desk reservations within the US, whereas Edinburgh, Manchester, Bristol and Glasgow rounded out the highest 5 spots within the UK.
Canada noticed the most important progress general in solo desk reservations in 2025.
That stated, OpenTable doesn’t have an enormous presence in Asia but, so there’s not sufficient information to showcase the entire image, provides Bornet.
Regardless, whereas solo dining should be more frequent at informal spots in Asia’s main vacationer cities, she sees a “massive gap” that formal and fine-dining restaurants might fill by switching issues up.
“It doesn’t have to be a major shift,” says Bornet.
By providing more pre-set experiences — akin to bar seatings or tasting menus for one — restaurants seem friendlier to solo diners.
The key is to make sure people really feel sorted.
New York eatery Cervo’s is an ideal instance of an area that feels inviting for all visitors — singles included.
Named probably the greatest restaurants within the metropolis for solo diners by the Michelin Guide web site, the vibe is electrical every evening. Small teams squeeze into nooks, seated round small tables, whereas solo diners rub shoulders with {couples} on the heat picket bar, observing the busy open kitchen and the scene behind them in a strategically positioned mirror.
“There is a comfort in being alone that comes from feeling like the lively energy of a space is moving around you,” Russell Perkins, co-owner and designer of Cervo’s, tells NCS Travel. “I love eating by myself.”
Key design parts, together with mirrors, create completely different strains of sight that permit diners to be immersed within the vitality round them, no matter social gathering sizes.
“We’ve really thought carefully about how to make bars not just a place to have a drink while you are waiting for your table, but places where you’d very happily spend an entire evening.”
Along with fellow co-owners Nick Perkins — Russel’s brother — and Aaron Crowder, head chef, the three consider strongly {that a} restaurant must seize the hearts of lone diners.
Crowder says the kitchen is operated with that very same philosophy of openness.
“Menu-wise, it’s really flexible. The food is very light. So even as a solo diner having four dishes, it’s not hurting,” says the top chef.
For these planning to go to for the primary time, he recommends the crispy shrimp heads, Louisiana prawns and the clams served with bread. You’ll nonetheless have room to pattern one more entrée that catches your eye.
Nick Perkins, who has opened a number of award-winning restaurants round city, says the staffing is extremely necessary when creating that intimate feeling.
“Our staff is really great — not just the front-of-house, but even the kitchens because they’re so exposed,” he says.
For him, it’s necessary to have an actual sense of neighborhood in his restaurant — whether or not you’re there to steal a peaceable second alone from the chaos at residence or to people-watch with a couple of good bites and glass of wine.
And the 18-seat bar counter is the place the kitchen staff turns into a part of the leisure.
“The way we station and interact with each other is also probably one of the most important things — being a part of the energy of the room versus just contributing to it only with food. It also allows us to enjoy our jobs a little bit more,” says Crowder.
Different cities have completely different unofficial guidelines for solo dining.
As seen at New York restaurants like Cervo’s and in different international cities, together with London, bar counters are an more and more popular characteristic — and a welcoming signal for solo vacationers on the lookout for a spot to eat.
In cities like Tokyo, solo dining is an artwork type, with sushi counters and single-seat ramen cubicles designed for privateness and optimum meals experiences.
Hong Kong, my hometown, treats solitude pragmatically.
In native informal eateries — or what we name cha chaan teng — solo diners are largely welcome, and also you’re typically handled as a puzzle piece filling up empty house.
Grabbing a bowl of noodles alone? You’ll be herded right into a tiny 2-by-4-foot desk that is designed to seat 4 individuals.
It’s not nice for communal bonding — however effectivity triumphs private boundaries on this metropolis.
Food author Chung admits that on the lookout for a meal alone does have its limitations, however its perks have outweighed its cons.
“Does it limit my choices? Absolutely. Family-style cuisines — Chinese hot pot, Korean BBQ, Spanish paella. I need to think twice before going. Reservation-only fine dining — some Michelin-starred restaurants refuse solo bookings because they lose revenue from a two-top table,” says Chung.
“But I enjoy dining alone because it turns eating into a pure, uninterrupted sensory experience — no small talk, no menu negotiation, no rushing to share plates. It’s like meditation with chopsticks. You notice textures, temperatures and the rhythm of the kitchen. For a food writer, that focus is gold.”
She recollects experiences that wouldn’t have occurred if she weren’t dining alone, akin to sharing a pizza with a fellow solo diner and meals lover who sat subsequent to her at Bæst Pizza in Copenhagen, as they each wished to attempt more flavors.
For those that aren’t comfy having fun with alone time whereas consuming, Chung has a couple of suggestions.
“Target counter culture restaurants,” says Chung.
Look for ramen bars and teppanyaki grill bars in Japan, locations with a banco (bar counter) for espresso and tramezzino in Italy and hawker stalls in Thailand, she gives as examples.
Secondly, keep away from peak hours. Dinners at 5:30 p.m. or lunches at 11 a.m. offer you a greater probability of snatching a desk.
“Restaurants are quieter, staff are less stressed, and they’ll happily seat a solo diner,” says Chung. “You also get better service and faster food. Avoid Friday 8 p.m. like the plague.”
Instead of looking at your cellphone as a mealtime distraction, a small pocket book for jotting down tasting notes, or a e book to learn will hold you entertained throughout your meal with out shutting individuals out.
“Dining alone doesn’t mean being antisocial. Chat with the chef, ask the waiter about their favorite dish, and observe the room. The best solo meals happen when you’re half in your own world, half curious about the one around you,” says Chung.
“And always say ‘One person, please’ with a smile — confidence changes everything.”
For many, the primary time is the toughest.
Bornet remembers her first solo fine-dining expertise in Berlin in her 20s.
“There was a restaurant I really wanted to try but I had no one to go with me,” says Bornet.
She finally went, feeling a bit nervous, however ended up having fun with the evening.
Now, it’s her favourite journey ritual — making an attempt out a brand new restaurant alone.
For her, the rise of solo culinary experiences is in step with the present self-care pattern.
“Guests are more comfortable investing in themselves and experiencing new things,” says Bornet. “I think it might also affect how we define connection. Connection could be reconnecting with ourselves.”