🔗 Share this article

Name: Communal tables.

Appearance: Long, awkward and back in fashion.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the School Canteen

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

A Sign of the Times. Before Complaining About the Youth of Today

Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the WWII, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

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

This might seem strange to you, admittedly, but shared dining can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "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 Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally in their video as they massacre a salad? Consider this: gen Z – the most online generation, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom started careers remotely – love a structured communal activity. It’s the same impulse driving the popularity of youth running groups, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

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

You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam survey published in June). In a 2023 US report a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

I Suppose. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups Report Greater Happiness

Conversing with new people is good for us, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Additionally the Resy survey points out another advantage: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a shared meal event. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meet-cute".

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

Mission accomplished.

Appropriate comment: "Gen Z think communal dining ate and left no crumbs."

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