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Term: Communal tables.

Look: Lengthy, uncomfortable and making a comeback.

Communal Dining is Back? Oh no. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the School Canteen

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, apparently. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they enjoy communal tables, compared with just six in ten of older generations".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today

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

I Suppose It Made Sense When Food Was Scarce, But Why Do It Now?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but communal tables can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO explains: "Dinner becomes a collective event," 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 eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background in their video while eating 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. This same desire driving the popularity of youth running groups, group hikes and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I’d Rather Eat in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (47% of them, according to an Oxfam study published in June). 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?

Perhaps. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups Report Greater Happiness

Conversing with new people is beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Additionally the Resy survey 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 "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: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."