Solo dining is more popular than ever, especially among Gen Z. Here’s how restaurants are adapting.
Intimacy and intentionality are keys to an exceptional solo dining experience, says Staci Lovell, a 22-year-old Oahu resident and frequent solo diner. Lovell, who works as content marketing manager for the Hawaii Food & Wine Festival, closely tracks dining trends. She says that she enjoys dining alone because it alleviates “the pressure of conversation or commitment.”
She’s not alone. Solo dining is up 32% year-over-year among Gen Z diners, according to Tastewise’s 2026 trend forecast. Consumer interest in solo dining is growing overall, according to industry trend reports from TouchBistro and Yum Brands.
As interest in this type of dining increases, establishments are adapting their spaces and service to attract solo customers. Restaurants are handing out complimentary blank journals, creating fun puzzles and other games, and developing other small touches to make single diners feel welcome.
Put down the phone, pick up the game
In Nashville, one-Michelin-starred restaurant The Catbird Seat offers games, such as word searches and crosswords that feature restaurant buzzwords and ingredients. Tiffani Ortiz, the co-executive chef, says it helps with pace, as lone customers typically eat faster than couples or larger parties. It keeps these individuals engaged with the restaurant, rather than their phones. The result, she says, has been an increase in banter throughout the dining room…