Communal Restaurant Seating: Why 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

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

A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today

Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the WWII, actually – there were about 2,500 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 communal tables can be fun! As Pablo Rivero explains: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," 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 That Their Therapist Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? 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 grew up during COVID, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. This same desire driving the popularity 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 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 positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

I Suppose. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers 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 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 Dislike Shared Seating.

Mission accomplished.

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

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