You're listening to the Robin and Kit podcast.
You might have a take on this, this idea that's apparently all over Brisbane, solo dining.
Yeah, it's a new trend and it's timely kicked off. In the last couple of months, since the weather's starting to get a little nicer. People, there's been a ten percent increase in reservations of people eating alone. And that's just as I said, in the last few weeks and months. And it's not because people are lonely and terrified and I don't know, but it's about self care.
Yeah. So the suggestion is that you're not going out by yourself because no one wants to go with you. No, you're going because you want to go by yourself.
Yeah, that's right, and you want to fill up your own cup like you're putting yourself first, which is actually such a wonderful kind of revolutionary idea.
Yeah.
The data shows that thirty eight percent of those surveyed would opt to dine alone when their social battery had run out, and that compared to those who dine with us. Is this is extraordinary dining places. They spend on average ninety four dollars per meal, which is a stunning thirty six percent more than if they dine with someone else.
So round it up. You're going out by yourself, You're dropping one hundred dollars on your meal by yourself. I mean, I guess you can see how it's a bit more because if you go with someone else, you can share, you can get garlic bread between you or whatever else. You know, but that's do you do that to you? You don't you go out to a restaurant by myself, by yourself.
I live in Paddington. I live really close to their strip, that Paddington Strip. There's a great Japanese where they're super friendly. There's a wonderful no nose Lebanese where you can sit up and order some grape food. I'm very happy to eat on my own.
Now those places you mentioned when I wasn't living in America for that year, there's places you can go. You can eat at the bar there. You can literally sit at the bar and they bring your meal to you and you sort of feel like you're part of it. You talk to the barman. So I've done that, and the Japanese, I guess, if you're sitting if you're sitting up near that.
That don't need people.
You're not sitting at a Are you sitting at a table by yourself?
Yes?
Are you reading a book?
No?
What do you then.
Enjoying my own company? Oh? I actually quite like myself.
Yeah, I mean I like myself. I'm happy to be. I love being at home by myself or in a movie by myself. But I don't want to be out by myself.
This is intriguing to me because you are constantly as an introvert extrovert, you are constantly wanting alone time, but you don't want to state publicly that you're by yourself.
No, yeah I would. I would definitely get takeaway and then eat at home alone. That's fine, but being at a table, being at a table.
Public declaration that you are totally at one with who you are.
Well, I'm then I'm not. I don't want to do that.
We've had this conversation before because in terms of relationships, like I was that person that spent four to five years alone working out all of my stuff before I was ready to go back out online because I felt like I really needed to be the best version of me. So I'm super comfortable with me, and you kind of went quickly into a new relationship and can I make you feel better? My counselor says that eighty to ninety percent of men and women don't want to deal with their own company and want they move shut down in a crash burned move.
Yeah, well, I feel like I mean, I didn't have a girlfriend until I was in my twenty I was single for a big chunk of my life. I feel like I've had that. I've had my loone time.
But you don't want it now.
I mean, only only for a bit. I don't, and I certainly not socially, I don't want to be out and alone. The idea, okay, what is.
The terror in that? Forew you were genuinely going, I'm doing this? Why?
But what's the point of it? What's the point of being out if you're not talking to someone? Who are you just sitting there by yourself.
But you're enjoying really lovely food. You're not sitting at home. There's something more tragic about being alone at home.
I mean, oh no, I disagree. I think the tragic is being out. I like being alone at home. I think if I see someone eating at a restaurant by themselves, I think Oh no, how sad for them?
Really? Yeah, don't you think, Wow, there's a super confident person just doing their thing, living in their life.
I go, wow, not one person in this world wants to sit with you. Oh my goodness.
Oh it looks seriously thirteen one or six five Alana in our newsroom? Is she there's she's not? She's another one.
He does this, he dines alone.
Yeah, okay, you're okay, aren't you with this?
Yeah?
I am. Well. I think I can't tell whether it's just something that naturally, like I decided to lean into, or because you know, I finished work at like midday. I've just always had a job where I spend half the day alone. Anyway, so most lunches, most afternoons, I'm always Yeah, I like it, and it's really normal to me to be alone, but not lonely.
Not lonely.
That is the difference, because I'm not lonely. I'm not going to an establishment going.
Please be my friends, talking to the basket, trying to make friends with the waiters.
No, no, and I don't even I mean I have at times brought a book, but I don't want to do that. I actually really enjoy just kind of feeling the vibe in the space around me and just enjoying the food and just being okay to exist in my own space. That is fascinating to me.
Yeah, what about if you started thinking about things, they started self reflecting. I don't want to self reflect Ah huh.
And there is the rub we found people terrifying, Jennifer Calimba. What do you reckon about this?
Dinah alone is one of the best things.
I'm a man of three kids, so if I get a chance to dine alone.
I'm dumping on that.
Yeah, you're right.
The more the more kids I had, the more I'm starting to see your point Because.
You start thinking about the things you don't like about yourself. What is it the self reflection?
I don't know. I don't do it enough to find out.
Well, would you go and do it? Did you do it for lunch today? What?
Sci fi? That's what I.
Okay, you desperately do not want to have a look at myself.
I just want to see people in space? Is it too much dark?
It's Robin on Brisbane's Kiss ninety seven three