We have all been there, your hungry so you stop into the first fast food restaurant you see. The place is packed. After receiving your food you seek out a place to sit. You spot a table that seats two. The problem being one person is sitting at one of the seats. Do you walk up and ask to sit with the other person or do you stand with food in hand waiting for another seat to open up?
I'll often try to find an alternative place to eat (such as a park bench, my car, etc.), however there have been cases where I'd sit in front of someone who is alone and strike up some conversation. I've made friends this way in the past, and sometimes it highlights your day/night! This is not always appropriate, mind you, so you may want to consider an alternative if it seems like you'd be negatively impacting someone's meal.
I would probably stand around awkwardly, and eventually just sit with the stranger. If he's around my age, I would definitely strike up a conversation, but if he's much older than me I would probably not talk at all. I wouldn't recommend talking with strangers just because you feel it's the appropriate thing to do. There's sometimes a certain position where it's fine to just not talk at all. For example, waiting in line to buy condoms.
I have no problem asking if I can sit with them. Most people realy don't mind and if they do then just be polite and wait for another table. Just because someone is sitting alone does not always mean they are lonely. lol Sometimes I like to sneak away and go have lunch somewhere alone with a book and just have some peace. I would not want to share then.
No, it's not that serious. I'll take my lunch with me and eat somewhere else. In fact, I probably would've seen that it was packed before I ordered and would've already asked for it to go. If when I was done, I saw a table, then I'd sit down. The only time I ask complete strangers something in a restaurant is if they look hungry or homeless and I'll ask if they want something to eat. I order it, take it to them or let them grab it and I leave with my food.
Prior to serving over in Germany I would have never thought to sit with a complete stranger. But over there, at least in the 80's, it was nothing for you to go to a restaurant that seats you and have the hostess seat you with complete strangers. It was more about using all available space, besides I am told it is good to get out and meet someone all the time. That being said...I refuse to eat alone and will always get it to go if I am by myself LOL
Well, I grew up in Africa and road trips through different parts would pretty much demand that you sit by that 'stranger' and chat...we do not have that personal space requirements...and 'stranger danger' phenomenon going on. Lol. However, it really does depend where you are but everyone tends to speak to each other in most cities and countries here. We do have boundaries though, like even though I may ask if I could sit at the table with the stranger, I would not force a conversation...too weird, and in some situations: just not appropriate.
I don't sit with strangers. Germs, etc. I'm too weird for all that. LOL I would probably just take my food to my car and eat.
There's no way that I would ever approach a stranger in a public place because I have a lot of anxiety issues. If a strange approached me, I'd probably allow them to sit down and then make an excuse to leave as quickly as possible. It's a shame because I know that those are good opportunities to make new friends. Now if only I weren't so afraid
This is an interesting question. The only places where this might actually happen to me are more open minded friendly independent establishments where it isn't a big deal. Everyone is friendly to one another and open to meeting new people. This kind of thing only seems to happen at local coffee shops and not someplace like Applebee's.
This has happened to me many times. Most of the time, I take my food with me and go eat somewhere else. It's a bit funny because people ask me if they can sit at my table and I really don't have a problem with it. It's not really awkward or weirdo. I don't know why I don't do it.
LOl, I would probably take my food to go, and just eat it in my car. I am always on the run and usually eat there anyway, so I am used to it. I don't think I would feel comfortable eating with a stranger. Well, maybe it depends what the stranger looks like...
Oh this is a tough one. I've done both... I mean sat opposite a complete stranger (of the same sex) and we both continued with our individual meals without a word exchanged; as well as waited for a table to get vacant. More commonly, if the item is something I can take away, then I get it packed and eat it on a park bench or on the move.
I have been in this situation and you have said, you are already hungry. I would definitely ask the person seating on the other seat if I could seat with him and eat my meal. If I am hungry, I wouldn't mind eating in front of a stranger. Unless if that stranger looks at me as if I murdered someone from his family. That would be totally awkward.
That doesn't usually happen to me because my daughter is my best friend and we go everywhere together. So if there's one empty seat ,neither of us sits down, we find a bench and eat together. When I went to a Chinese restaurant in New York, a REAL Chinese restaurant with half the menu written in Chinese and a bathroom that's a hole in the floor, they sat us at a big round table with an Asian couple and an elderly couple. So maybe sitting with strangers isn't a big deal to Chinese people.
I've never gone to a fast food place and sat with a complete stranger for food. In the event that the place is full, I'll most likely ask for a bag to put my food in and eat at a park bench or something. I'd probably just stare awkwardly out a window and avoid eye contact the entire time if I was seated with someone I didn't know.
Heheh, I'm the other way around. When I would leave for a lunch break, and go through the drive thru - I always try to pull off to some remote section of the parking lot to get away from everyone and have lunch. It almost never fails, someone always pulls up right near me and starts eating their stuff. It's creepy, I mean, of all the other places to park they have to pull up right by me. I feel like I'm being stalked or monitored or something.
It doesn't bother me to sit, chat, and/or eat with strangers. Often, I'll find that I'm looking around for a seat and a kind stranger will offer me a seat at her table. Of course, I won't try to speak to anyone who doesn't want to be spoken to, but sometimes strangers sitting alone in a fast food place are willing and eager to converse.
I'll just eat it in my car or wait until I get to my house to eat. I don't like to eat in front of strangers it's awkward. I've had people sit at the table with me and eat before it wasn't pleasant. Most of the time when I order food it's from the drive thru, or I'll wait until I get home.
