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Solo Dining Is The New Treat Culture
Treat yo’self // Illustration by Kate Walker
Americans are increasingly giving themselves a surprising little treat these days — having dinner out for one.
Why It Hits: Buying groceries and eating out are in a heated competition to see which breaks the bank faster. Coupled with a persistent loneliness epidemic that has left American adults in relationships at lower rates and with fewer friends than past generations, it’s only natural that eating alone would be on the rise.
Between The Dishes: Shareable plates are finding themselves in front of more solo diners.
According to a new study by food giant Yum! Brands, eating out alone has been on the rise since 2021 (yes, a COVID trend that stuck).
47% of fast-food runs are now solo outings, up from 31% in 2021, per Axios.
When it comes to nicer restaurants, single-person reservations increased 22% in the third quarter of 2025 compared to the same period the year before (still, they represent only about 1% of all reservations).
The trend is reshaping restaurant offerings, including more personal pizzas (a favorite of Gen Z and millennials).
Last Bite: Despite the economic woes, 70% of these diners don’t use discounts — they’re simply getting what they want, when they want it. That’s underscored by the fact that a quarter of them go out to eat alone to satisfy a specific snack or drink craving. Yum! Brands says the solo-dining trend reflects a larger movement in the food and beverage space called “choice therapy” — the ability to eat where, how, when, and what best fits your life.
In other words, it’s like cooking… but letting restaurants provide the ambiance and ingredients.
Next Meal: Prepare for some eating establishments to bill themselves as places where customers arrive solo and leave with friends by curating group tables. It could be a novel recipe for building community.
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PARTNERSHIPS | COMMUNITY | PODCAST | FRIENDS
Today’s email was written by David Vendrell.
Edited by Nick Comney. Polled and Copy-edited by Kait Cunniff.
Published by Darline Salazar.