Dining alone: improving the experience of solo restaurant goers

Abstract

Purpose Solo travel for leisure and business is increasing. It is therefore timely to conduct research into the experiences of solo tourists. This paper aims to explore one aspect of the solo tourist experience that can be challenging, that of dining alone. This topic has received little attention in the tourism or hospitality literature. Design/methodology/approach A qualitative approach was adopted and narrative inquiry was selected as the optimum route to obtain detailed and rich accounts of the experiences of solo diners. In-depth interviews of 27 solo tourists were conducted with varying socio-demographic characteristics. Findings This study shows that though travelling alone is prized by participants, dining alone, especially in the evening, is often discomfiting. Discomfort is caused by the perceived negative judgement of others and is mitigated by the use of various props such as books and mobile phones. Research limitations/implications A research agenda is put forward on the aspects of the solo tourist/diner experience. Practical implications The paper concludes by asking what can be done to ameliorate the solo dining experience and provides some recommendations to hospitality operators to support this market and improve competitiveness and profitability. The paper shows that inclusive environments can attract multiple market segments and agile restaurants can develop both solo and plural dining experiences. Originality/value This paper addresses a topic that has received limited scholarly attention as well as industry engagement despite the growth in solo travel.

Solo dining in Chinese restaurants: A mixed-method study in Macao

“…The nature of public space exposes solo consumers to social judgement and unwanted gaze, especially when they participate alone in hedonic activities or activities that are traditionally deemed as communal ( Hirschman and Holbrook, 1982 ; Ratner and Hamilton, 2015 ). A recent study by Brown et al (2020) substantiated previous studies by demonstrating how the perceived stigmatisation and negative judgement of other diners cause discomfort on solo diners based on stigma theory. In particular, the study identified the evening meal as the most stressful with the most pronounced social stigma.…”

“…Past studies have suggested that solo dining is induced by the circumstances, such as convenience, work schedule, and lack of a dining companion ( Heimtun, 2010 ; Moon et al, 2020 ; Takeda and Melby, 2017 ). For instance, eating out alone is regarded an unavoidable experience for solo travellers ( Brown et al, 2020 ; Heimtun, 2010 ). On the contrary, YouGov, a global market research company, identified enjoying solo time as the key motive to dine alone in the United Kingdom ( Grant, 2015 ).…”

“…Studies have shown that the motivations of dining alone could be explained by both utilitarian and hedonic factors, which are determined by the work/life circumstances and subsequently affect the solo dining experience. Nevertheless, gaps remain in terms of how social motive, an important component of eating ( Brown et al, 2020 ), fits into the solo dining context, for example, if and how solo diners interact with fellow diners.…”

“…Existing research investigating the solo dining experience has predominantly focused on emotions ( Her and Seo, 2018 ; Hwang et al, 2018 ; Moon et al, 2020 ). Regardless of the motivations, negative emotions such as loneliness, discomfort, embarrassment, shame, and heightened self-consciousness have been consistently reported in the context of solo dining in restaurants ( Brown et al, 2020 ; Her and Seo, 2018 ; Lahad and May, 2017 ). Using the concept of emotional geography, Heimtun (2010) identified the public dining space as the most uncomfortable and lonely holiday space for solo female travellers.…”

“…In particular, the study identified the evening meal as the most stressful with the most pronounced social stigma. To mediate the stress and discomfort, the interview participants in Brown et al (2020) used various props, with smartphones being the most effective in creating virtual dining companions.…”