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Term: Shared seating arrangements.

Look: Lengthy, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Refectory Tables is the School Canteen

Who would voluntarily eat with strangers as an adult with free will? The younger generation, apparently. Research indicates from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners say they like shared seating, compared with just 60% of older generations".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the second world war, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

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

This might seem strange to you, I know, but shared dining can be enjoyable! 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 An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast 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: young adults – the most digitally connected group, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse driving the popularity of young people’s running clubs, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I’d Rather Eat in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (47% of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). A recent American study , one-third of men aged between 18 to 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Additionally the Resy data highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meat-cute".

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

My work here is done.

Appropriate comment: "Gen Z think communal dining ate and left no crumbs."

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