Communal Restaurant Tables: The Reason 90% of Gen Z Like Them

Name: Shared tables.

Look: Lengthy, awkward and making a comeback.

The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? Gen Z, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they enjoy communal tables, versus just six in ten of older generations".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

Communal eating in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the second world war, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical During Times of Rationing, But Why Do It Now?

This might seem strange to you, admittedly, but shared dining can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "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 Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel while eating a salad? You have to remember: 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, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

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

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam study released this summer). A recent American study , one-third of men aged between 18 and 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the past week. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially Report Greater Happiness

Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meat-cute".

I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

My work here is done.

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

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