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Name: Shared tables.

Appearance: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

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

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, apparently. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just six in ten of boomers".

A Sign of the Times. Before Complaining Regarding Younger People

Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the second world war, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, But Why Do It Now?

This might seem strange to 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 About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally in their video as they massacre a salad? Consider this: 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 behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I’d Rather Eat in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths They Have in Tokyo.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam survey released this summer). In a 2023 US report a third of males aged between 18 to 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn’t it a good thing they’re going out and sharing meals with new people?

I Suppose. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially Report Greater Happiness

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus the Resy data highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d landed a date 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 Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

My work here is done.

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

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