Solo Dining Gains Momentum as Restaurants Cater to Changing Lifestyles

As of October 2025, the dining industry in India has seen a significant shift in its approach to solo diners. Just two years ago, when Abhijeet Gandhi entered a restaurant and requested a "table for one," he was met with awkward stares and given the corner-most table. However, this scenario has now changed, with solo dining becoming more accepted and normalized.

The article highlights the growing trend of solo dining, driven by the changing lifestyles of people and the unavailability of friends or partners. Delhi resident Ekta Ramchandani, a self-proclaimed foodie, often eats out alone and finds servers and other diners to be welcoming. This shift is also reflected in the offerings of many restaurants, which now cater specifically to solo diners through smaller tables, special seating arrangements, and personalized services.

Saili Jahagirdar, who runs Zillionth Bistro in Pune, has observed an increase in solo diners, particularly women. To accommodate this clientele, the restaurant offers one-person combos and reduced portion sizes. However, designing a menu for a single diner can be challenging, as it requires micro-planning at the kitchen level, and the economics may not always work out for the restaurants. Solo diners tend to be engaged in work and are usually longer diners, which can be a challenge during busy times.

Restaurants are adapting to this trend by offering specialized menus and portion sizes for solo diners. Karan Kriplani, who runs Hippie at Heart in Pune, says that menu engineering plays a big role in managing meal quantities and portion sizes, with many of their couple tables being offered to single diners. Chefs like Paul Noronha from ITC Maratha in Mumbai and Swanand Thipsay from Amadeo by Oberoi in Mumbai have also curated special single-diner menu options to cater to this growing segment of the market.