🔗 Share this article

Name: Shared tables.

Look: Lengthy, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Oh no. The Sole Appropriate Location for Long Benches is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, it seems. Research indicates from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they like communal tables, versus just 60% of boomers".

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

Communal eating 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?

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

The Enjoyment From An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally in their video as they massacre a salad? Consider this: gen Z – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – love a structured communal activity. This same desire behind the rise of youth running groups, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I’d Rather Eat in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey published in June). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 to 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 Report Greater Happiness

Conversing with new people 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 communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meet-cute".

I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

My work here is done.

Do say: "Young adults believe shared meals are a total success."

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