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Name: Communal seating arrangements.

Look: Lengthy, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

Communal Dining is Back? Oh no. The Sole Appropriate Location for Long Benches is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, it seems. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just 60% of older generations".

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, backed by Winston Churchill.

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

It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but communal tables can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO explains: "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 Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or sitting beside a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background in their video while eating a salad? Consider this: 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 driving the popularity of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.

This may not appeal to you, but lots of young people are lonely (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey published in June). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 to 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and sharing meals with new people?

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

Conversing with new people is good for us, 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 unplanned "meet-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

My work here is done.

Appropriate comment: "Young adults believe shared meals are a total success."

Don’t say: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."