Eating at a restaurant alone can be a really fun experience - it gives you time to sit with your thoughts, process the meal you're having fully, and gives you serious main-character energy.
But one man was almost forced off the table he was sitting at because it had three spare chairs and a person dining in the restaurant wasn't pleased that he was eating alone.
He took to Reddit's 'Am I the a**hole' forum to ask whether he had been in the wrong for eating at the restaurant on his own - especially because he had requested to eat at the bar or at a table for two, rather than the four he had been given.
He wrote: "I (27M) often go out to eat alone. It’s never an issue for me since I am usually sat at bars or at a table for two. recently I wanted to go to a new place that had opened in the area. I went alone and but the hostess lead me to a table for four.
"I asked if they had smaller tables or a bar to sit at since I didn’t want to take up a spot for larger groups. She said this was their smallest table and they don't do bar seating. The restaurant wasn't super busy, but definitely picking up as it was dinner time.
"While I was waiting on my food the attendance picked up big time and there were people sitting outside waiting. I noticed at the host stand and an older woman, man, two younger adults, and a kid were crowded around and the woman pointed directly at me. I tried to ignore it since my food was about to come out.
"While I was eating the group from earlier were sat in a booth not far from me. The lady who pointed at me made a loud comment about how selfish young people can be. How some people are so entitled they take things from others without a care. Then I felt something hit my neck, it was a wadded-up straw wrapper.
"I turned to look where it came from and noticed everyone at that table was glaring at me, except the kid who was oblivious. I wouldn't say I have social anxiety but I am non-confrontational so I went back to my food. Then the unthinkable happened.
"The lady came over and asked for one of the chairs at my table saying they squeezed five into a booth and just wanted a chair for the kid. Before I could get an answer out since I was chewing a server walked by 'oh no ma'am we can't have the chairs moved around. Safety with the walkways.
"She said 'well why does one person need three extra chairs? I have a kid suffering and his parents horribly uncomfortable because you sat one guy at a table when you could’ve just given his food to go!' The server told her she needed to sit back down but she kept ranting 'oh I'd love to sit comfortably at a table too big for me! It must be so nice knowing I’m ruining another family's dinner!'
"At this point the hostess interjected and the server left. The hostess tried to shoo her back to her table but the lady kept demanding an extra chair. 'Ma'am you told us to sit you at the first table that opened. The manager and I told you it would be a squeeze and you still wanted it. Either you take this table or you can leave.'
"The lady finally grumbled her way back to sitting and I finished my meal, paid, and got the hell out. She was definitely unhinged, but I’m stuck wondering if I'm the a**hole here for taking up a space meant for more people."
People in the comments were shocked at the woman's behaviour, quickly noting that it was perfectly fine to dine alone if you want to.
One fumed: "Not the a**hole. The hostess knew you were alone and sat you at a four-top because they don't have twos or bar seating. They can't reasonably turn you away for being alone or force you to have takeout. The family squeezed into a booth and were in the wrong before throwing the wadded-up straw wrapper at you."
"You did nothing wrong!" someone reassured, "Glad the staff put her in her place."
Another raged: "It's not against the law to eat alone. I do it all the time. I would have kicked my feet up on a chair, put my purse in another chair, and spread out. F*** her."
What would you have done in this situation? Let us know in the comments.
