How to dine alone

My top tips for the dreaded lone restaurant visit.

• Choose a restaurant that's not too busy, but not too quiet either. Too busy and you'll feel like you're using up a valuable table-for-two, too quiet and you may feel like everyone else will notice you.
• If possible, pick a table by the window, in a dark corner, or on the mezzanine level. Better people-watching from these spots.
• Face towards the rest of the restaurant, not towards a wall. Better people-watching, as well as making it easier to get the waiter's attention.
• Put your chair, jacket, scarf, or feet on the spare chair. This tells everyone else that you're not expecting someone else.
• Take a book! Or knitting or crochet or something. A phone isn't ideal, as it doesn't look like you were prepared to dine on your own. Playing Angry Birds in a fancy restaurant can also attract unwanted attention. Similarly, this is not the time for your iPod.
• Enjoy the extra attention from wait staff. They don't have to interrupt a conversation to serve you, so as soon as you are ready, they tend to turn up right at the moment you need them. You can also enjoy them asking you how the meal is, and if they can get you anything else, as again, they're not interrupting you (unless you're playing Angry Birds).
• When it's time to leave, take a deep breath, remind yourself that dining alone is a huge achievement, hold your head high, and make your exit.