Shared Dining Tables: Why 90% of Generation Z Enjoy Them

Name: Communal tables.

Look: Lengthy, awkward and making a comeback.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? The younger generation, it seems. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they enjoy shared seating, versus just six in ten of boomers".

A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

Communal eating in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the WWII, in fact – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical 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 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 “Fun” of Having Dinner Interrupted by A Loud Conversation About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user capturing you in the background of their reel as they massacre a salad? You have to remember: young adults – the most digitally connected group, who came of age during the pandemic, 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 Found in Japan.

This may not appeal to you, but lots of young people are lonely (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). A recent American study 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 positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is good for us, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus the Resy data points out another advantage: 14% of survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a spontaneous "meat-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

Mission accomplished.

Appropriate comment: "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."