Single woman was excited for a popular tea room — but the owner’s response to her reservation for one made her walk out
Everyone loves to romanticize the single life. You move on your own schedule and never have to coordinate someone else's moods or calendars. There’s a quiet kind of freedom in that. But now and then, an oddly specific moment can make that independence feel unexpectedly inconvenient. For TikTok user Krista (@kristainspain), that moment came in the charming city of Ghent. She was looking forward to a relaxed high tea experience. Instead, what followed was a brief but frustrating exchange with the owner that ended with her quietly getting up and leaving. She later shared the incident on April 6, 2026, in a video that quickly gained over a million views.
@kristainspain It should be illegal for there to be a 2 person minimum #single #solotravel #fyp #travel ♬ original sound - Krista in Spain
Krista has been a solo traveler for quite some time now and made a reservation at a high tea café during her trip to Berlin. Once she settled into her seat, the lack of attention already began to bother her. However, the actual shock came later when the owner came to speak with her about her booking for tea. It turns out, the establishment doesn't allow singles for high tea. "It's for two people only," she said. "You didn't mention that earlier when I made the reservation with you," the creator naturally retaliated.
This really makes one wonder how, even in the 21st century, a single person is indirectly made to feel ashamed for their relationship status. "It should be illegal for there to be a two-person minimum," her caption rightfully read. In fact, she even requested the owner to make an exception, but none was made. What angered her the most was the apology that followed when she was about to leave.
The owner said "sorry" twice as Krista left, and she responded, "If you were sorry, then you would make an exception." Ghent is also a well-known tourist destination. So it naturally raises a few questions: how rigid does a rule like that really need to be? Would bending it once have caused any real issue? The idea that a policy like this exists just to embarrass people dining alone feels almost too harsh to be true. The comment section was rightfully upset with the establishment.
@byclairesuzanne mentioned, "Businesses are going to have to start adapting to single people as more and more of us are single," and @dog.one.2 remarked, "I feel the same way when it comes to my taxes. Why am I being punished because I'm single?" @gwgw_011 defended the restaurant, "High tea menu is prepared in advance for an even number of people. If one person goes and sits, they will have food waste, and as you’ve said already, you didn’t want to pay for two people. But I checked the website, and it’s not clear that they can’t serve one person high tea." Whatever the reason may be, clearer communication could have avoided the entire situation because such policies can start to feel personal quickly.
For more such videos, you can follow @kristainspain on TikTok.