Party of one: Restaurants are catering to a growing number of solo diners

A growing number of restaurant customers are choosing to eat alone. Restaurant reservation site OpenTable says solo dining reservations in the U.S. increased 29% over the last two years. They’re up 18% this year in Germany. Japan even has a special term for solo diners: “ohitorisama.” It means “alone” but with honorifics added before and after to make parties of one feel less hesitant. Some restaurants are redoing their seating and menus to accommodate people eating alone. OpenTable CEO Debby Soo thinks remote work and a broader focus on self-care are behind the trend. A Penn State University professor who has studied solo dining thinks the pandemic and smartphones also explain it.