Rewriting the Rules for Solo Female Diners

Let's face it, eating alone isn't for everyone — sometimes it's just plain uncomfortable. And for women who travel for business, eating alone may be a normal part of life. But thanks to a new web site, it doens't have to be.

CNN reports on a new web site, Invite For A Bite, that pairs women up to avoid the awkward "table for one." Founded by Cressida Howard, of Gloucestershire, England, the site allows women to invite others (or search for invites) to join them wherever they are — Paris, New York, and even as far as Addis Ababa. After only two months live, the web site has gained considerable traction, says Howard. And it doesn't stop at a meal: one option on the site invites women to pair up for hiking trips, theater outings, and more. Said Howard to CNN, "One example is a message I received from a lady in Germany who wrote: 'I just remember myself on my latest travels for work sitting in a restaurant alone and would be so happy if those times were over!'"

Howard said she created the site to help women feel more comfortable while traveling and to solve the age-old conundrum of dining alone. Some women skip meals just to avoid the "spinster" stereotype, CNN reports. It's not a problem that men face, though — said one businesswoman, Rochelle Peachey, "Men seem to have no such obstacles... My husband happily walks into any place in any city for a drink or some food. So why do I scurry in and act like a lunatic?"

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