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Term: Shared tables.

Look: Long, uncomfortable and making a comeback.

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

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

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before Complaining About the Youth of Today

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the second world war, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

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

This might seem strange to you, I know, 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 A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or sitting beside a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally of their reel as they massacre a salad? Consider this: gen Z – the most digitally connected group, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. This same desire behind the rise of youth running groups, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

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, as per an Oxfam study released this summer). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the past week. Isn’t it a good thing they’re going out and sharing meals with new people?

I Suppose. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meet-cute".

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

My work here is done.

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."