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Term: Shared seating arrangements.

Look: Long, awkward and making a comeback.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, it seems. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they enjoy shared seating, versus just six in ten 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 WWII, 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?

It’s an alien concept for you, I know, but shared dining can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal by Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Revealing They Are an Empath

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally in their video while eating a salad? You have to remember: young adults – 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 art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I’d Rather Eat 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 survey published in June). A recent American study 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 getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

I Suppose. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Additionally the Resy data points out another advantage: 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 "meat-cute".

That Joke Annoys Me Almost as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

Mission accomplished.

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

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