2 Bad solo dining experiences

[InstImpres]

I just returned from a 4 day solo trip that was terrific. I did however experience 2 bad sit down dining hostess.

The first was at Boma:
I think it was just sheer stupidity on the part of the hostess. I arrived saying my name and party of one with a 9am PS. I was than asked "how many children?"

Let's see party of 1, I would have to guess none, but I contained my rudeness and said "none, just me".

Here comes the leap in logic "so, your dining alone "
"yes"
"why would you want to do that?"
I still tried to hold my head high "I enjoy my own company" ( I was really unsure of the "right answer")

Next leap in illogic "so, you must be here on business?"
"no, pleasure"

That's when all she can think of is "oh" and thankfully we had made our way to the table


The second was at Bierengarten in Germany. I guess I am partly to blame as I didn't realize it was "family seating". I arrived and was brought to a table that already had a couple across from each other at one end and a family of 4 at the other end and was told I had my choice of middle seats. I asked if it was possible to get a private table and was given a flat out "NO". I than asked to be seated at one end or the other and preferably not with people that were already eating. I was told to wait one minute and they would see what they could do. After three times of them walking over to me (they told me to wait in the middle of the restuarant) they kept saying "we're seeing what we can do", I finally walked out without eating.

I did eat at Whispering Canyons without any problems but think in the future I will opt for counter service vs. sit down.

Otherwise, the trip was terrific and I will definetly go solo again.
Sandy

 

[Disney Freak Numero Uno]

Sorry to hear about your bad experiences. I was planning to eat at Boma's during my August trip alone. I thought that because it is a buffet, I might not stand out too much as a solitary diner. The hostess had no right to interrogate you in that way. It is none of her business if you are dining alone or are there on business or on a pleasure trip. A good hostess or host would do as much as they possibly could to make every diner feel comfortable.

 

[Safari Steve]

Sorry to hear that you had those experiences. I have never been made to feel awkward while dining solo.
A custodial CM did throw away my lunch while I was going to get more water at The Land the other day... Really a result of the inconsistent procedures when "a cup of ice water" is ordered, but It gave me a good idea: Take along a notecard that says I'm Not Finished, Do Not Clean Up! to place on the table/tray if you have to get up.
I am going to pursue the ice water situation, though.

Because of the way seating is arranged at Biergarten (and it should have been mentioned to you when you made your PS), they don't do private tables.
I have always enjoyed sitting with others.

 

[clhcpaca]

Last September on my solo trip (my first one) I ate at Boma. It was a really nice experience. Usually I ate at the food court or counter service. The hostess seated me at a table for two by the window with the small waterfall/pond; it was a really great location. It was raining and I could watch the rain fall on the waterfall/pond. I didn't feel conspicious, but definitely wasn't overlooked by my waitress. I really enjoyed the meal. You should definitely try Boma. I also ate at the Cape May Cafe, Rain Forest Cafe, Le Cellier, Akerkus and San Angel Inn (got close the the boats here). The seating was alright at all the locations.

I like the food at the Biergarten, but won't go there because of the seating arrangement; I'm just not comfortable with that. And, I definitely would not have taken a seat in the middle of two groups of people. I can sympathize with your situation.

Cindy

 

[CarolA]

I have done Boma solo at least twice and never had an issue. You just got the weird hostess, just ignore her!

Also, I have to agree that Beirgarten is a difficult one solo. However, I don't like the food so it is no big deal. I did the one in Japan and that was fine, but everyone kind of eats at the same time there.

I was in Paris on my own not too long ago and I went to a resturant where they seat solo diners together. I don't speak much French and my poor dinner partner spoke no English. It was a quite meal LOL. (However, the waiter flirted with me non-stop!)

 

[InstImpres]

Thanks for the support. I am already trying to pick the next solo trip date, just a little leary on PS's. It was a great experience and although I covered much more than when I am there with my DD or other family, I left with a longer to do list than I came with.

That's the great thing about Disney, somehow that always happens!

And the best part, just 6 weeks until my next trip

 

[CarolA]

I don't normally do PS on my solo visits. A lot of times resturants can squeeze you in. My Japan visit was a spur of the minute thing. I went and asked and they said 10 minutes for one person. While I waited they told at least three groups that they were FULL. And I think they were, my table was full but it had one opening that I got so.... I met the two nicest older men who come to Disney from the Miami area and we had a great time.

Even in the French resturant there is a bar area where you get to watch them make desserts while you eat.

 

[katypop]

oh sorry you were made to feel uncomfortable. i think, whether you are solo or with others , sometimes bad experiences happen. i would try doing at least 1 or 2 sit down meals again on your next trip i went solo for the first time in may , and while i did feel a little uncomfortable a couple of times, for the most part i had great dining experiences. i went to Boma once for dinner and twice for breakfast and all three times got a nice window table which helped pass the time. really enjoyed my window view of the castle and fireworks at CG too. enjoyed Le Cellier , San Angel Inn, LTT character dinner and a few others. but i really felt out of place at HDD and would not do that one again. i know what you mean about Biergarten, my dd and i went last year and were very uncomfortable sharing a table, we were crammed in against the railing and had to ask everyone to move their chairs in every time we wanted to get up to go to get more food. we won't go back. have fun planning your next trip
kathe

 

[julfre]

I did Boma solo and had a really nice waitress who spent time telling me about the restaurant and had a great table. Most places at WDW are great for treating solo diners well.

My worst solo eating experience was at Rain Forest Cafe at AK. It was the middle of the afternoon and they were not busy. I got my reservation and when they called my name, the seater looked at me and said I'll seat you at the bar. The bar has very high seats(far off the ground) which i find very uncomfortable and I said I'd really prefer a table. She got mad and said " well, in that case it is going to be a long wait". I could see tables empty and there was only one other party in line. I said ok, I'll wait. About 2 minutes later after the other party was seated, she came back and said follow me and went off to an isolated area where no one else was sitting. I was alone in the middle of about a dozen other empty tables and I really stood out as a solo. I was tired and just wanted to sit down and eat otherwise I would have walked out right then. But they did lose a customer for life. I also sent a note into the company. but never heard anything. I realize this was just one rude person, but that is the way many places lose customers. When the company didn't respond in any way, that made it a company problem in my mind.

 

[FlameBoyUK]

I think it's always risky dining solo in such a family-orientated environment. I haven't done it often whilst on vacation, preferring the easy opt-out of counter service over the inevitable "would you care to sit at the bar?".

On my last trip I did eat at the "Sci-Fi Dine In Theatre" where I got a seat in the back of one of the six-seater cars behind a family of four in front of me. That worked out very well, although the food was nothing special.

I also dined alone at Mythos in UO where the waiting staff couldn't have made me feel more welcome. They were attentive without going over the top and at no point made me feel like an outsider for dining alone.

My forthcoming trip (17th Sept for two whole weeks!) I intend to do a Fantasmic dinner package (Brown Derby) as well as a couple of the Epcot restaurants (San Angel Inn for definite). I'm not scared! A British accent often helps to break the ice with the servers anyway

 

[BriarRosie]

I've had fairly pleasant solo dining experiences. In some cases, it helps to bring a small book.

My first experience at Flying Fish was when I was a solo diner back in October of 1997. I requested seating at the showplace kitchen area, and it couldn't have been nicer.

The server was friendly, and the meal was early enough that she was able to chat with me when she had free moments.
I wish my experience (with friends) last September was as pleasant. (They took my potato-wrapped red snapper off the menu at the time, so that added insult to injury. LOL)

I've eated at Chefs de France and Le Cellier solo without a problem. I had brought a book with me to the 50's Prime Time Cafe, where my "cousin" commended me for being so quiet with my book. Hee hee.

 

[Auntie Bon]

I had something similar to this happen this past week at Bertucci's in Mass. The restaurant wasn't busy considering it was a Saturday at noon. I requested a table and the host questioned whether I wouldn't prefer the bar. Like the poster above I don't like the high bar chairs and requested that I have a table. Off the host went to check the dining room (visible from the host stand), back he came to look at the list, off to the dining room, back again to the list. Finally he approached a waitress who loudly exclaimed "Do what you have to" Now I was the only one waiting for a table so it was pretty evident that the young lady had issues with having a single seated in her section. The host finally brought me to the dining room and offered me a choice to two tables. Apparently that would take him off the hook from having to explain to the waitress why I was at her station. Luckily for me I picked the station where a waiter was working and got pleasant service and tipped him accordingly.

This bothered me so much that I went home wrote the corporate headquarters and early Monday morning received a response both from corp. but from the manager of the location as well. She promised to speak to the employees and is sending me a gift certificat. Now the gift cert. is nice but certainly not expected I simply wanted to have the employees trained that even single diners deserve respect. With the number of professionals traveling, both pleasure and business, they need to know that we are valued "group".

 

[Pumbaa_]

Originally posted by InstImpres
I

Here comes the leap in logic "so, your dining alone "
"yes"
"why would you want to do that?"
I still tried to hold my head high "I enjoy my own company" ( I was really unsure of the "right answer")

Next leap in illogic "so, you must be here on business?"
"no, pleasure"

That's when all she can think of is "oh" and thankfully we had made our way to the table


Sandy

That is when you look her direct in the eye and say in your most surprised voice, Why would you ask such a rude question?

A solo diner is absolutely entitled to a nice TABLE and friendly service. And no 20 questions!Eat where you want, make no apologies and if the host/hostess asks 20 questions, turn it around and question them!!

 

[ducklite]

I don't have much experience as a solo diner at WDW. I think the only place I've ever eaten solo there was the GF Cafe for breakfast while DH was running the marathon. I took the paper and had a wonderfully relaxing breakfast.

But I used to travel 90% for business, and almost always ate solo.

I went into a restaurant in GA one day, and a minute or two after I was seated, was asked by the hostess if I would mind having another "single" seated with me. She motioned to an elderly woman by the hostess stand. I figured "What the hey" and had the most lovely lunch with the most charming lady who entertained me for almost two hours with stories about her life. The thing I can compare it the most closely to was the scene in Forrest Gump where he's on the bench at the bust stop telling his most incredible life story to strangers. At the end of our meal I insisted on picking up her lunch tab, it was so worth it for the incredible lunch partner I had just encountered. I'll never forget that woman for as long as I live.

Anne

 

[seashoreCM]

>>> throw away my lunch while I was going to get more water at The Land...

Is The Land a buffet now? If not, then thy have to serve you again gratis, i fyou wish.

About rude questions, don't reply. The silence that follows can be deafening to the asker.

Disney hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/disney.htm

 

[jaysue]

Sandy, how did the positive solo experiences go?

Did you go to the Flying Fish Cafe or other restaurants where they have "counters" overlooking the kitchen for example?

Curious, since I will be solo for four nights.....

Thanks
jaysue

 

[bavaria]

Interesting to see all of your solo experiences - I think that I have eaten in all of the full service restaurants in the World solo over the past few years, with generally good results, but definitely have had the odd server or host who is not comfortable with a solo diner.

Generally, the hotels are better at dealing with solos, particularly the deluxe resorts which have more business travellers. I would never return to Rainforest Cafe, had the exact same experience at DL (seated in the bar, then in the middle of nowhere) and they were very obvious about it.

The lounge at the Japanase pavillion is great if you don't want to sit at the bar with other diners, and the servers are very good - they never make me feel out of place. Almost a hundred visits to Akershus with never a problem. Le Cellier not so great - some of my fellow Canadians are not comfortable with solos. Rose and Crown fine with solos. My favourite (after a tip on this board) is tea at the GF, lots of solos and deuces.

It really does depend on the host/hostess and the individual server. I too use the 'non response' if someone is asking intrusive questions - after all, there are lots of solo travellers each day, and if we are made to feel uncomfortabe Disney is losing money on us. So enjoy yourself, eat whereever you want, and don't worry about what anyone thinks.

 

[nativetxn]

I'm sorry to hear that you were disappointed in your solo experience at Boma and Biergarten.

I only eat at a buffet if it is a character meal and I always have at least one solo character meal each trip. I just love doing that and I've never had any problems.

I prefer a sit down, someone taking your order restaurant for my solo meals, instead of a buffet. I've never had any problems with those either. I've eaten at Brown Derby, Mama Melrose, Le Cellier, and SciFi as a solo. I don't think Prime Time would be that much fun simply because they need a group for their shenanigans.

I'm going to try lunch at the castle, I think, next.

 

[katypop]

the castle is a great choice solo nativetxn. i went there for lunch and really was treated "royally". it didn't seem to faze them in the least that i was dining solo
kathe

 

[Chicago526]

I've never eaten solo at DW but I've done it else where. I always bring something to read during that awkward time between ordering and getting your food.

For the posters who had trouble at Rainforest Cafe, I'm sorry to hear that. I used to work there as a hostess in the Chicago location. It was 6 years ago, under differant management than the chain has now. If any of us had tried that stunt we'd have been fired on the spot! The few solo's we had were always seated at a 2-top unless they REQUESTED the bar seats.

I've been thinking about a solo trip to DW for a while. When I go with a group I never manage to do all the things I want to do, or have enough time to shop in the stores or at Epcot. I'm glad so many of you have done it and had a good time!