Marina O’Loughlin is wrong – there’s joy in solo dining

Joyless box tickers? Please. The former Sunday Times critic couldn’t be more wrong, says Mike Daw. Solo diners are simply ordinary people eating out to engage, discover and create memories. He would know – he’s one of them

In my experience, solo diners can be some of the most extraordinary people you could ever want to meet (Getty)

This week, the furore over solo diners took centre stage as Alex Dilling found himself at the frontline of an argument around his eponymous restaurant’s decision to charge solitary punters more. Or not. An apparent online clarification (which in politics might be dubbed a “screeching U-turn”) now says that the two-Michelin starred restaurant welcomes those dining alone, and that they won’t pay any more.

In all the blustery back and forth with online debate, hot takes and hotter counter-takes, one journalist’s reaction flew under the radar.

Marina O’Loughlin, the former Sunday Times restaurant critic, took to Threads to announce of solo diners that “Overwhelmingly, they’re joyless pretentious box-tickers”.