It isn’t really as taboo to eat alone as some people’s stories would have you believe and I was probably being a little harsh in my introduction.

I do it frequently and have in the majority of cases have had a very pleasant service; sometimes even too attentive – but I think the waiter just wanted someone to chat to.

I have friends who have declared their hatred at being seen out in a bar or restaurant on their own. According to one friend, who works in the hotel industry, statistics show that the majority of guests who are staying alone would rather order room service than venture down to the restaurant for a table for one. And you could hardly blame them if they are likely to be surrounded but groups of business people or romantic couples on a dirty weekend.

For me being a solo diner is all about preparation: yours and the restaurants. After all, a solo diner’s money is as good as the next customers, so why should they not be welcomed with open arms and kindly embrace.

One of my best solo dining experiences was at Rules in Covent Garden. On arriving at this epicentre of traditional English fare, I was shown to my table which was specially designed for the solo diner. It was discrete but not hidden away in the darkest corner of the room. It was laid out for one person; avoiding the clunking removal of extraneous table settings. And opposite the single banquet seat, there was no extra chair. The icing on this solo expedition was the magazine rack fitted to the wall next to the seat featuring a small selection of newspapers and magazines, just in case you came unprepared and didn’t have your own with you.

I reckon that for most people afraid of solo dining the real issue lies with the fear of boredom, prying eyes and being judged

“Do they think I’ve been stood up?”

This is where your own preparation comes into play. I usually have my trusty notebook with me, so I’ll often sit enjoying (or not!) the meal and scribbling some notes.  But you could have tucked away in your bag the current engrossing read, the daily paper or a supper dooper hellish sodoku from the free evening paper you found on the bus.  It doesn’t take much really to look like you’re prepared for some “me” time.

More restaurants could certainly follow the Rules model and have a solo diner table. It is surely more polite to add a table setting should that table be required for a dining couple.

But be confident, be prepared, hold your head high and proudly request: “A table for one please.”