Shared Dining Seating: Why 90% of Generation Z Like Them
Term: Communal tables.
Look: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.
The Return of Communal Eating? Oh no. The Only Acceptable Place for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria
Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? The younger generation, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just six in ten of older generations".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People
Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the second world war, in fact – 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?
This might seem strange to you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! As Pablo Rivero explains: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"
The “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal by Someone Explaining Loudly That Their Therapist 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 in their video as they massacre a salad? You have to remember: gen Z – the most digitally connected group, who came of age during the pandemic, 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 seeking real-world interactions.
I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths They Have in Tokyo.
You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam study released this summer). 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 past week. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?
I Suppose. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier
Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy data highlights an additional benefit: 14% of survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meat-cute".
That Joke Annoys Me Almost as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.
Mission accomplished.
Do say: "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."
