Originally Posted by cyccommute

Get a mountain bike shoe (or touring shoe) with a recessed cleat. You can walk in them just like a normal shoe. I've walked in a carbon fiber soled mountain bike shoe for most of the distance of a marathon (the wheelchair rider I was shepherding was really slow) without problems. I've worn them into restaurants and movie theaters. They aren't a problem.

Road shoes, on the other hand, are mostly useless off the bike.