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Term: Shared tables.

Appearance: Lengthy, awkward and making a comeback.

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, apparently. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners say they enjoy communal tables, versus just six in ten of older generations".

A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the second world war, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, What's the Appeal Today?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The Enjoyment From Having Dinner Interrupted by A Loud Conversation About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally in their video as they massacre a salad? You have to remember: gen Z – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. This same desire behind the rise 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, as per an Oxfam study released this summer). 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 a good thing they’re getting 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 data points out another advantage: 14% of survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a communal dining experience. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this offers a chance for a spontaneous "meat-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

My work here is done.

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

Don’t say: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."