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Name: Communal tables.

Appearance: Lengthy, uncomfortable and making a comeback.

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, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just six in ten of boomers".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today

Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the second world war, 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?

This might seem strange to you, I know, but shared dining can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO 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 Enjoyment From Having Dinner Interrupted by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background of their reel 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. This same desire driving the popularity of youth running groups, hiking outings and art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). In a 2023 US report , one-third of men aged between 18 to 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the past week. Isn’t it a good thing they’re getting out and sharing meals with new people?

I Suppose. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus the Resy data points out another advantage: one in seven 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 "meet-cute".

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

Mission accomplished.

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

Inappropriate remark: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."