🔗 Share this article

Name: Communal seating arrangements.

Appearance: Lengthy, awkward and back in fashion.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Long Benches is the School Canteen

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? Gen Z, apparently. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners say they like shared seating, compared with just 60% of boomers".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before Complaining About the Youth of Today

Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the WWII, in fact – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, But Why Do It Now?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but communal tables can be enjoyable! As Pablo Rivero notes: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "You never know who you’ll be seated next to; that’s the fun of it!"

The “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal by Someone Explaining Loudly That Their Therapist Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background of their reel while eating a salad? You have to remember: young adults – the most digitally connected group, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse driving the popularity of youth running groups, group hikes and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I’d Rather Eat in a Solo Ramen Stall They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey published in June). In a 2023 US report a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially Report Greater Happiness

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Additionally the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: 14% of survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meat-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

Mission accomplished.

Appropriate comment: "Young adults believe shared meals are a total success."

Don’t say: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."