I will be eating out a lot soon due to a holiday and I wonder if you have tips and tricks to make it as pleasant an experience as possible, autism-style? 
Let me know as well if you know of any autism friendly restaurants in London!
I will be eating out a lot soon due to a holiday and I wonder if you have tips and tricks to make it as pleasant an experience as possible, autism-style? Let me know as well if you know of any autism friendly restaurants in London!
I always check menus online first and try to pick quieter times to go. Asking for a quiet corner helps too. Sometimes I bring ear defenders if it's likely to be loud.
If you’re going for tea, get there earlier to get a seat easier and not be forced to sit in the middle. I always aim for a corner seat, or like a booth, somewhere more hidden and not exposed. Check the menu prior to going if possible so you know what to order in advance. Take ear plugs if it gets too noisy. Remember you won’t be in there for too long.
I mostly have the same advise as everyone else,
Sit with your back to a wall, check menus before hand so you're not surprised, I'm generally careful with menus that don't tell me all the components because with some things I get a surprise sauce or mayonnaise that I can't eat.
I also take earplugs always. Even if you can't stand eating with the things, they're useful while you're waiting for food and waiting for the waiter. Mine generally allow me to hear someone in front of me but mute the surrounding sound.
Have a lovely time!
Oh wow, great advice here! Great idea to sit in a park and picknick!! Feels so much more free. Thank you!
Some excellent advice here. I find eating out with one person I trust as you mention, easier than with others. Could you eat out as in outside? perhaps one of London's many parks where you cna focus on watching a pond and listen to the friend. I find that the sounds of nature are far more pleasant than the sounds of humans. But I guess it depends on if you are heat sensitive and also these places will be busy!
Do let us know what you find helpful in practice
It might be worth considering whether or not you might find the venue too hot / too cold.
The tactic of layered clothing can be your friend - to enable you to more easily adjust to the temperature of the restaurant environment - as you experience it on the day.
I prefer to sit near a window if they are open at the venue.
I don't enjoy sitting directly underneath an air conditioning vent. In some restaurants there is no choice in the matter due to the layout of the room - in which case; I find a scarf / snood / neck gaiter can help to reduce my tickled-neck sensation under an air conditioning vent.
Some tips from the NAS:
"Eating out 
If eating out can be difficult, then think ahead and book a restaurant in advance. Many restaurants now have their menus online.
When booking, ask about seating, is there a quieter area of the restaurant that you can sit in? What is the lighting and décor like? Are there any other considerations for you, for example, sensory or diet?"
NAS - Holidays - a guide for autistic adults
You might like to consider wearing some unobtrusive earplugs. In that situation, in order to reduce restaurant background noises (eg noisy cutlery / crockery), I'd wear my Loop Engage 2 earplugs, which are designed for conversations and social gatherings. This referral link offers 15% off, and they can be returned (in used condition) if you don't find them useful.
Besides checking out any given restaurant's own website (and even calling them, to ask any questions that you might still have), you could also see whether they're listed on this site:
It enables you to search for venues and view detailed access guides, often with accompanying photos (although they're only small). For restaurants, that can include photos of dining areas along with information about lighting levels, whether background music is played, whether the flooring might cause sensory issues (eg due to patterns, colours, shininess / glare), and much more.
It's best to be as specific as possible when entering a search location. For example, rather than just entering "London", enter a specific area that you're interested in, such as "Leicester Square".
When viewing a venue's access guide, select a topic (eg Eating and drinking, ground floor) to see full details and any photos.
