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Name: Communal tables.

Look: Long, awkward and making a comeback.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the School Canteen

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? Gen Z, it seems. Research indicates from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they enjoy communal tables, versus just 60% of boomers".

A Sign of the Times. Before Complaining Regarding Younger People

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the WWII, actually – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, But Why Do It Now?

This might seem strange to you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! As Pablo Rivero explains: "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 Having Dinner Interrupted by Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user capturing you in the background of their reel while eating 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 – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey published in June). 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 previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Studies Indicate People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy data points out another advantage: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meat-cute".

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

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."