Reading during dining

I also bring books (yep, more than one) to Disney. I travel solo a lot and always read when I'm eating. The Disney servers are very attentive to me so much so that sometimes I don't get to read as much as a like. I thoroughly appreciate Disney people being so kind to me throughout the meal. Read away, if that's what you want to do. After all, Belle was a reader too.
 
I've had more than one meal at Biergarten. You are seated as a group, in my experience. And I would find it a bit odd if one person didn't want to interact.
The last few years that we have been going, they stick you at any table that has room. Everyone is at different stages of their meal. I can only tell you of our experience. I go solo every year and also travel with both of my kids. So at most, there are 3 of us. I like this better because we are seated right away instead of waiting for them to "fill" the table. But we tend to eat at less busy times. We have also been going there for over 20 years and eat there almost every trip. There have been many times where the groups of people just conversed among themselves after the initial "hi". Maybe you are the chatty one that wants to talk to everyone. We just kind of feel the other groups out and chat if they want to but do not start the engagement.

It’s so interesting to hear all the different experiences. My sister went & told me people were seated by individual party at a communal table. They talked a little with those around them & enjoyed their dinner. That was her experience.

Ours could not have been anymore different! When my husband and I arrived, it was announced that “all the party” was here and we could be seated. I was a little bit mortified. We were seated, talked to by the waiter, and sent through the line together. The couple at the far end tried to keep to themselves, which was completely fine. The other 2 couples chatted us up & we ended up having a wonderful evening! My husband is an extreme extrovert & I'm not shy either, so for us it worked out, but I just wouldn’t book there if I was a true introvert! You never know how they’re going to seat you- and that definitely makes a difference in how you look at your dinner companions. That’s my opinion, anyway 😉
 
It’s so interesting to hear all the different experiences. My sister went & told me people were seated by individual party at a communal table. They talked a little with those around them & enjoyed their dinner. That was her experience.

Ours could not have been anymore different! When my husband and I arrived, it was announced that “all the party” was here and we could be seated. I was a little bit mortified. We were seated, talked to by the waiter, and sent through the line together. The couple at the far end tried to keep to themselves, which was completely fine. The other 2 couples chatted us up & we ended up having a wonderful evening! My husband is an extreme extrovert & I'm not shy either, so for us it worked out, but I just wouldn’t book there if I was a true introvert! You never know how they’re going to seat you- and that definitely makes a difference in how you look at your dinner companions. That’s my opinion, anyway 😉

Sorry for not bringing my response back to the main question here... I brought up our dining experience at Biergarten with the purpose of saying that I consciously have chosen not to eat there when dining solo because I would personally feel uncomfortable (if our experience repeated itself & my husband wasn’t there). At the same time, I wouldn’t mind at all if someone at my table chose to read.
 
Does anyone find it rude to bring a book or read from my phone during a meal- especially at the communal dining spots like Biergarten? If someone speaks to me I'll talk, but I am a true introvert and have a hard time starting conversations with strangers. I have an especially hard time with small talk, so conversations tend to be a bit awkward unless I'm speaking with someone that is very outgoing.

I've been reading while eating alone since I was a child over half a century ago. It's not rude. Rudeness comes from those who think you need to be interrupted.
 


I also bring books (yep, more than one) to Disney. I travel solo a lot and always read when I'm eating. The Disney servers are very attentive to me so much so that sometimes I don't get to read as much as a like. I thoroughly appreciate Disney people being so kind to me throughout the meal. Read away, if that's what you want to do. After all, Belle was a reader too.

I do the same and this has always been my experience. While I enjoy my privacy, I also realize that table space can be hard to find, especially at some of the QS spots, so if I see someone looking for a place to sit, I'll invite them to my table. I'll continue my meal and my book, but if they want to talk that's fine, too.
 
Re: communal seating in particular, I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I also don't think I personally would go to a restaurant with communal seating if I weren't prepared to make conversation. I'm doing Biergarten myself on my upcoming trip and I don't plan to read during that meal; a big part of the upcharge is the atmosphere and I want to take that in.

Agree about Biergarten. It's supposed to be an Oktoberfest type experience, so I put my book aside to enjoy the music, food, etc.

However, a few years ago, I was seated at a table with two families. One was from South America and spoke only Spanish. They were totally overwhelmed or had no clue what they got themselves into, so quickly ate and left. The other family was from Ohio, barely talked among themselves, ate quietly and left. I found myself at the communal table all by myself before the entertainment had barely started. But, I'd lived in Germany and Austria and I meant to have a good time. The German CMs paid careful attention to me, helped me practice my very rusty German, and even brought me a complimentary beer so I wouldn't feel too lonely. I had a great time and because I was there for the experience, didn't once think to pull out my ever present book to read.
 


I go to Disneyland all the time by myself and always bring a book with me. I like reading while waiting in long lines, or reading while I'm eating. For me, it makes the experience more enjoyable than just standing around looking at things (especially if you've gone many times before). I'm covered in Disney tattoos, so people do stop me and ask me questions, but they always let me go back to reading afterwards. Honestly, I don't think anyone would question someone sitting by themselves (as a solo traveler) reading a book. Actually, my husband and I go out for a local pub dinner once a month and we each bring books. We sit next to each other in the booth chat until our food is ordered, then enjoy our books while we eat. It's one of our favourite dates. The regular waiters/waitresses there have told us that they think it's super cute, so I don't think people care. But I may be the odd one out here.

I say, just do what makes you happy and what makes you feel comfortable!
 
I’m reminded of the (old) joke, when you go to dinner alone and bring a book so as to avoid pick-up lines, someone inevitably asks, “What are you reading?”
Somehow I don’t think that happens anymore.
 
I've never considered it rude for a single diner to read a book while eating (or waiting for their food order to arrive). Otherwise, the tendency is to sit and watch other diners, admire the ceiling, play with your utinsils, etc, which makes people even more uncomfortable. Of course, today people focus on their phones, even when they are with other people, so which is ruder: ignoring your fellow tablemates, or keeping occupied so you aren't intruding on the privacy of your neighbors. I even read a book while standing in line for rides (assuming there isn't something else more interesting to keep me occupied).
 

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