More Brisbane diners are choosing to eat alone, OpenTable report reveals

Brisbane diners are eating out alone in greater numbers and spending much more than those who dine in pairs, new figures show, but the reason behind the recent surge might be a surprise to many.

Women dining alone are sometimes viewed as forlorn, forgotten creatures.

Solo dining has been identified as one of the leading trends in Brisbane this year, new data reveals, with close to a 10 per cent increase in reservations for people eating alone.

A survey released by OpenTable in partnership with KAYAK, revealed that 71 per cent of Australians planned to skip out on that “Lady and the Tramp” dining moment and dine as a party of one, and that Brisbane had seen an 8 per cent increase in solo-dining reservations.

Open Table’s Senior Director of Restaurant Sales & Services Asia-Pacific, Drew Bowering, said those flying solo weren’t doing so out of necessity, but rather as an act of self-care.

“When Australians are choosing to dine solo, it’s not always because they don’t have anyone to join them – over a third enjoy heading out alone because it gives them the chance to fill up their own cup,” he said.

Further, the data showed that 38 per cent of those surveyed would opt to dine alone when their social battery had run out, and that compared to those who dine with others, they spend $94 per meal, which is a stunning 36 per cent higher than the average spending per person of those who dine together.

Vincent Lombino (left), pictured with business partner Jared Thibault, of South City Wine says he has seen a massive increase in solo diners. Picture: Tara Croser.

Vincent Lombino, managing partner at Talisman Group (South City Wine, Casa Chow, Sasso Italiano) said his venues had seen a massive increase in solo diners.

“It (solo dining) is probably up 50 per cent for us over prior years, we see lots of diners who are travelling, living and working alone,” he said.

“We get single travellers, locals, regulars, corporate travellers – if they want to chat, we chat but if they want to be left alone, we leave them alone.

“Our teams are good at making people feel special and for solo diners it makes them feel more connected than ever before.”

Some of those solo diners clearly made an impact on Lombino, who himself enjoys pulling up at a table for one, as he described several regulars who come into South City Wine.

“We have one gentleman, very old school, salt-and-pepper type, he brings a book, ploughs through a white burgundy, oysters, mussels, escargot, it’s great,” he said.

“There’s a regular who says to us, ‘You just make me feel like family, I’m alone but when I come in I know everyone,’ she sits in the same spot every time and she’ll stay with us for a few hours.”