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Term: Shared tables.

Look: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they enjoy shared seating, versus just 60% of older generations".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before Complaining Regarding Younger People

Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the second world war, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, But Why Do It Now?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! As the Resy CEO 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 That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel while eating a salad? Consider this: young adults – the most online generation, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – love a structured communal activity. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, group hikes and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I’d Rather Eat in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam survey released this summer). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 to 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the past week. Isn't it positive they’re going out and sharing meals with new people?

I Suppose. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups Report Greater Happiness

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Additionally the Resy data points out another advantage: 14% of survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meat-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

Mission accomplished.

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

Don’t say: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."