Communal Restaurant Seating: The Reason Nine in Ten of Gen Z Like Them
Term: Shared seating arrangements.
Look: Long, awkward and making a comeback.
Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the School Canteen
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 young adult patrons say they like communal tables, compared with just six in ten of boomers".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today
Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the WWII, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed 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 Pablo Rivero notes: "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 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 while eating a salad? You have to remember: gen Z – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. This same desire behind the rise of youth running groups, hiking outings and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.
I’d Rather Eat in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.
This may not appeal to you, but lots of young people are lonely (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). In a 2023 US report , one-third of men aged between 18 and 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 Report Greater Happiness
Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus 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 offers a chance for a unplanned "meet-cute".
I Hate That Pun Nearly as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.
My work here is done.
Do say: "Young adults believe shared meals are a total success."
Inappropriate remark: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."
