It’s Tuesday night and you’ve just finished a long day at work where the boss ripped you a new one for some reason or another. You’re feeling burned-out and beat-up. Getting together with some of your mates to wash away the pain with a couple of rounds would be grand, but alas your friends all have other plans. Even worse, it’s a weekday, which means you can’t walk into work hungover the next day and give the boss yet another reason to tear into you. So what do you do? Do you just drag your sorry ass home to reheat some oh-so-tasty leftovers and binge watch Netflix? No. You go out and treat yourself to a nice dinner.

Sounds good, right?

Wait….”BY MYSELF?!?!?!” you ask in shock and horror.

Yes, by yourself. It’s time to drop the stigma around dining alone. Not only is there is nothing wrong with dining solo in a restaurant, it can often be the best way to eat out.

“But what about my standing in the hierarchy?” you ask? Don’t worry, eating alone is not a sign that you have no friends or that you’re a loser (those things were decided a long time ago). Other diners won’t be shooting sideways glances at you wondering why you’re out alone – let’s face it, they’ll likely be too busy artfully Instagramming their food to concern themselves with you. Going to restaurants isn’t about some form of popularity contest; it’s about enjoying yourself while eating well. So give it a try. Worst case you get to chow down on food that’s better than anything you could make yourself and still rush home to fit in a Netflix marathon.

Dining alone shows that you are truly confident in who you are and that you don’t rely on the crutch of having other people there to feel validated. Think of it as a (delicious) litmus test for your confidence level. If you allow yourself to be open, who knows what could happen? An open mind and a smile go a long way in a restaurant and in helping you befriend the staff or other diners throughout the evening. Who knows, you may even meet someone to keep you company all night.

If self-affirmation and meeting new people aren’t enough for you, there are also the sometimes unexpected benefits of dining alone, like freebies. “Free stuff you say? Just because I’m on my own?” Absolutely. Chefs have been known to send out an extra course or two to lone diners enjoying a tasting menu (likely figuring that they’ve really come to appreciate the food), while bartenders may be inclined to pour you a bonus drink on the house. No guarantees here of course, but in my experience your odds are pretty good.

And now, some things to keep in mind when dining all by your lonesome. First, avoid doing it on a Thursday, Friday or Saturday night, if possible. Those are the busiest times for restaurants so the staff may not be able to give you the best attention. Going on a slower night will ensure the bartenders and servers will actually have time to take care of you. They’ll be happy to chat, give you their opinions on what dishes they like, and check up on you often instead of serving an endless procession of Red Bull and vodkas to people they (probably) wish they could avoid.

Next, grab a prime seat at the bar or lounge if the restaurant has one. Just make sure not to grab a spot right in front of the taps as these take up valuable bar space and don’t provide the best view of a good bartender at work, or of the rest of the room. A good bartender will be happy to entertain you (if you want to chat) and will be grateful for the company, so don’t hesitate to start up a conversation (and maybe buy him/her a round). If you’ve brought some work with you (although this pretty much entirely defeats the purpose of enjoying a night out) then snag yourself a table for two. The bar won’t be wide enough for your drink, food, and laptop.

Finally, don’t forget you’ve come out to enjoy good food. Above all, indulge and treat yourself. Order appetizers, entrees, sides, dessert, anything you want. If anything, you don’t have to worry about looking like a pig in front of anyone because you’ve got no companion to impress. Whatever you can’t finish just take home to snack on later (perhaps while finally getting in your Netflix fix). If you’re really feeling confident, cap off a great night by sneaking your leftovers into the movies and checking out a flick alone too.