I'm guessing that's a little extreme and would chase some men away?

Maybe you should sneak up on them and use the original method.

I'd rather the man come willingly

And if he doesn't?

Sounds interesting. But where does 101 come from?

Lol, Larsi remember when you went to school? Some of the classes were "101" classes... meaning more of an introductory kind of class... a "how to"

And it sounds better than "Initiating for dummies"

Mmmm, I think it is about..dignity.
If, whatever you do, you can maintain your dignity..afterwards
you will be fine with your own actions.

If you feel you have gone over the line, you probably have, that
is what those feelings are for. If you feel rejected, again you
are internalizing and it may have little to do with the
current situation.

Years ago I read something that stayed with me, paraphrased, it
said 'Never go through life REACTING to others (that is THEIR
LIFE) but rather ACT, initiate your own agenda..' be YOU in other
words, take the grief for your own actions, but also take the
glory..I live that.

When you take responsibility for your own actions (and reactions)
there is never any blame to lay elsewhere.

As for initiating, if it feels right, try it, this might be the
only time in life you ever cross paths with that certain person..
and a smile can keep anything going ;-)

Men face rejection all the time, they have to get a sense
of themselves just to stay afloat..I admire this.

As for being 'yourself' well, if you are not, when you finally
show up it could kill the deal.

C. Walk up to the table, ask if he'd like company?

Then start kicking his tires (get information) so to speak.

I once read somewhere that the best approach is to ask a question, like for some help or for a small favor.

Corollary to that was asking about something obvious that establishes a common link.

For instance, say you are into tattoos, and you come across someone you're interested in who has some tattoos. You might make a pleasant remark about the person's tattoo. Going back to the first point, you might even ask if you could have a better look at the person's tattoo. If you have your own tattoo, you might make mention of it, then ask if the other person would like to see it.

The point here is that it creates a topic of conversation that both people have interest in.

A lot of people will pretty much just ignore someone who simply says 'hi'. Sure, they might say 'hi' back, but it won't go any further than that. Next thing you know, there's that awkward silence as you try to figure out what to say to get the person's attention enough to actually strike up a conversation that is more than just polite small talk. Many people aren't into small talk, so just having a pleasant but superficial conversation may actually be a turnoff.

Awhile back, I mentioned a story about a young woman on the bus whom I noticed was interested in me. By taking time to observe her over several weeks, I already had plenty of ways to approach her for conversation. For instance, I noticed that she was into Japanese anime - something we both have in common. I also noticed that we both listened to music on the bus. Since I have very broad interests in music, that was another potential icebreaker. She had a very colorful tattoo on one forearm that I never got a good look at. Normally I don't like tattoos, but I had never seen one with such great colors. I would have liked to get a better look at it, and maybe learn why she chose that specific artwork (often there's a story behind a tattoo like that). I had several more potential icebreakers as well. All I had to do was act. But as I mentioned elsewhere, by the time I worked up the nerve, I stopped seeing her on the bus. The opportunity was gone because I waited too long.

But this is why I like to observe people first. I'm not good at instantly striking up conversation. I need time to find something to work with. Of course, sometimes that's a disadvantage.

Lol, Larsi remember when you went to school? Some of the classes were "101" classes... meaning more of an introductory kind of class... a "how to"

And it sounds better than "Initiating for dummies"

Your "B" is fine if you think you will have another opportunity to get acquainted. You might even make some comment to him or at least give him a nice smile as you are leaving lunch. You can bet, if he is interested, he will be watching you during lunch!!

If it is a situation where you probably will not meet again, the more direct approach is needed. You have only 1 chance to make something of your meeting, make the most of it!! He probably won't say no so the worst case is he isn't interested and there will be no follow up in your conversation.

You ladies also need to understand the implications for a man in the work environment. It is very easy to get into difficulty with HR over harassment. This is especially an issue if a man is somewhere in management. After you have gone through many "learning sessions" about interactions between men and women in the workplace, many men will not initiate anything at work.