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Name: Communal tables.

Appearance: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, it seems. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they like communal tables, compared with just 60% of boomers".

A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the WWII, actually – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but shared dining can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO explains: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," and "You never know who you’ll be seated next to; that’s the fun of it!"

The “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally in their video while eating a salad? Consider this: gen Z – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, according to an Oxfam study published in June). In a 2023 US report , one-third of men aged between 18 and 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the past week. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Studies Indicate People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Additionally the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meat-cute".

I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

Mission accomplished.

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

Inappropriate remark: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."