Man goes on a sweet dinner date with his dog, and it's the cutest thing ever

TikTok user Gemma Colón, who goes by the username Gemmsauce on the platform, happened to catch the sweetest dinner date ever while out for dinner herself in New York City. She spotted a man at a table—with his pet dog. Ever since she uploaded a sneaky video of the date, more than 3.8 million people have viewed it. Indeed, the internet has fallen in love with this stranger and his pup. While the man enjoyed a nice glass of red wine, his dog politely slurped up a bowl of water, Colón shared in separate interviews with The Dodo and Bored Panda.

"I was presented with one of the most unexpectedly heartwarming views," she explained in interviews with the media outlets. "I noticed this dog seated across from his owner, perched up on a chair, acting like an absolute proper gentleman." The sight definitely brightened up the TikTok user's day. The diners around them were also equally happy to see the man on a cute dinner date with his pet. To spread the joy, Colón decided to record short clips of the pair and upload them to the platform. She noted, "[The man] was doing a crossword puzzle and sipping a glass of red wine with his meal. His date, the dog, was enjoying his own bowl of water, which he slurped politely."

Colón highlighted how the dog seemed to have excellent manners while sitting at the table. "It was really amazing how well-behaved the pup was," she said. "I saw better table manners displayed by this dog than I’ve seen from some humans." No one interrupted the meal the duo shared together, but the TikTok user did catch a conversation the man had with a server. She stated, "I heard a waitress comment on how good the dog was at one point, and the man replied saying he brings the dog with him everywhere. It definitely seemed like a very pleasant date, with lovely company."

In a day and age when eating alone can seem like a taboo in the United States, the man in the TikTok video showed viewers that it is perfectly normal (and perhaps even more fulfilling) to eat a meal alone or with a pet. In Japan, for instance, eating alone is becoming increasingly common, with more and more folks requesting tables for one. Part of the reason for this is that the country is full of excellent, affordable places to eat. However, there is also a feeling of safety and security in Japanese society, which means people have no problem being on their own. Andrew Dickens, writing for Flashpack, remarks, "I’m happy for the Japanese nation that they’re comfortable eating alone. I’m envious of the fact that they can eat excellent cheap food." So, with or without your pet, do you think solo dining is for you?