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Term: Shared seating arrangements.

Look: Long, awkward and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Oh no. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. Research indicates from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they enjoy communal tables, compared with just 60% of older generations".

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

Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the WWII, actually – there were about 2,500 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 shared dining can be fun! As the Resy CEO explains: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

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

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally in their video as they massacre a salad? You have to remember: gen Z – the most digitally connected group, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse driving the popularity of youth running groups, group hikes and art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I’d Rather Eat in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam study published in June). In a 2023 US report , one-third of men aged between 18 and 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the past week. Isn’t it a good thing they’re going out and sharing meals with new people?

Perhaps. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups 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: 14% of survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meat-cute".

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

My work here is done.

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

Inappropriate remark: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."