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Term: Communal seating arrangements.

Look: Lengthy, awkward and back in fashion.

Communal Dining is Back? 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, it seems. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they like communal tables, compared with just 60% of older generations".

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

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the WWII, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?

It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but shared dining 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 Enjoyment From An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a fitness enthusiast eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user capturing you in the background of their reel while eating a salad? Consider this: gen Z – the most online generation, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of youth running groups, group hikes and crafting 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 lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). In a 2023 US report a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the past week. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

I Suppose. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Additionally the Resy data points out another advantage: 14% of 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 unplanned "meet-cute".

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

My work here is done.

Do say: "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."