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Term: Shared tables.

Look: Lengthy, awkward and making a comeback.

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

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? The younger generation, apparently. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they like communal tables, compared with just six in ten 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, supported by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical During Times of Rationing, What's the Appeal Today?

This might seem strange to you, I know, but communal tables can be enjoyable! As Pablo Rivero explains: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The Enjoyment From Having Dinner Interrupted by Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel 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. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (47% of them, according to 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?

Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus 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 spontaneous "meat-cute".

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

Mission accomplished.

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

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