1.
solo customer; single patron; person dining or visiting alone
A customer who comes alone to a restaurant, bar, hotel, or other establishment. The term is neutral but is culturally significant in Japan, where solo dining has become increasingly common and accepted.
一人客でも歓迎します。
Solo customers are also welcome.
カウンター席は一人客に人気がある。
Counter seats are popular with solo diners.
最近は一人客向けのサービスを提供する店が増えている。
Recently, more and more restaurants are offering services designed for solo customers.
Refers to a person who visits an establishment — typically a restaurant, bar, or café — alone. In Japan, solo dining (おひとりさま文化) has grown into a cultural phenomenon, with many businesses specifically catering to 一人客 through counter seating, partition booths, and solo-friendly menus.
COMMON COLLOCATIONS:
- 一人客歓迎: solo customers welcome
- 一人客向け: designed for solo customers
- 一人客用の席: seating for solo customers
RELATED TERMS:
- おひとりさま: a person who enjoys doing things alone — a broader, trendier term covering solo activities beyond dining
- 常連客: regular customer — often overlaps, as many solo diners become regulars
- 団体客: group customers — the opposite end of the spectrum