🔗 Share this article

Name: Communal seating arrangements.

Look: Long, awkward and making a comeback.

Communal Dining is Back? Oh no. The Only Acceptable Place for Refectory Tables is the School Canteen

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, it seems. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they like communal tables, compared with just six in ten of boomers".

A Sign of the Times. Before Complaining Regarding Younger People

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

I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, What's the Appeal Today?

This might seem strange to you, admittedly, but shared dining can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The Enjoyment From An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore 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: young adults – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – love a structured communal activity. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of youth running groups, hiking outings and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (47% of them, as per an Oxfam survey 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 previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people is beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy survey points out another advantage: 14% of survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meet-cute".

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

Mission accomplished.

Do say: "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."