Shared Dining Seating: The Reason 90% of Gen Z Enjoy Them
Name: 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? Gen Z, it seems. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners 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
Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the second world war, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.
It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?
This might seem strange to you, I know, but shared dining can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO notes: "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 “Fun” of Having Dinner Interrupted by Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”
Or sitting beside a fitness enthusiast eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user capturing you in the background 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 started careers remotely – love a structured communal activity. This same desire 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 They Have in Tokyo.
You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (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 had no contact outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and sharing meals with new people?
Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier
Talking to strangers is good for us, 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 shared meal event. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meet-cute".
That Joke Annoys Me Almost 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: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."
