Not so long ago, dining alone in a restaurant was treated as unusual. A curiosity. Maybe even a little sad. But times have shifted. The ‘lone diner’ is no longer an exception, but part of the new normal. For restaurants, this isn’t a footnote, but something that needs attention, because it will only become more relevant.
We’re living in a moment where loneliness is often described as an epidemic. That might sound dramatic, but it’s a reality: more and more people are spending big parts of their lives alone. Restaurants, cafés, and bars – those supposed ‘third spaces’ outside of work and home – can either turn a cold shoulder to that fact or embrace the role they play. Hospitality is about people, and sometimes those people walk in by themselves.
So what does this mean in practice? It doesn’t mean rewriting your menu for single diners or reinventing your concept. But it does mean thinking about the experience from their perspective. If a guest walks in alone, is there a comfortable place for them to sit without feeling like they’ve been pushed into a corner? Is there seating that works well for one person? Maybe a bar stool with a view into the kitchen, a small table by the window, or even a communal table designed for shared solitude?
Lessons from history
There’s a lesson here from the Wiener Kaffeehäuser. For over a century, these Viennese cafés have been havens for people on their own. Writers, students, workers, retirees. People come in, order a coffee or a full meal, and might stay for hours with nothing but a newspaper or a notebook. The brilliance of that model is that it treats the lone guest not as an afterthought, but as a core customer. It normalizes and even celebrates being alone in public.
Compare that with the subtle signals many modern restaurants still give: the awkward glance when you ask for a “table for one” or the assumption that you’ll be serviced quickly. Even the layout and furniture can send the wrong message: rows of two-tops bolted together for couples, large sharing tables that only make sense if you arrive in a pack, or seating arrangements that leave a lone diner exposed in the middle of the room. It doesn’t take much to make someone eating alone feel like they’re in the wrong place. But the opposite is also true. Small adjustments can make guests feel completely welcome.
And let’s be clear: this isn’t just a matter of empathy (though it should be). It’s also good business. A lone diner who feels comfortable will come back, and often more regularly than groups. They’ll become a familiar face, a loyal guest, and part of your community.
The ‘lone diner’ trend isn’t going away. It’s not a problem to be solved, but a reality to embrace. Restaurants that recognize this – by design, by service, by atmosphere – will be the ones that thrive. In a world that can feel increasingly disconnected, offering a table for one isn’t just hospitality. It’s a public service.
Marius Zürcher
About the author:
The co-owner & founder of Millennial & Gen Z marketing and employer branding agency 1520 in Apeldoorn, the Netherlands, Marius Zürcher was a participant at FCSI’s ‘Millennials’ focused roundtable at INTERGASTRA and a speaker at FCSI workshops about industry trends.
