Shared Restaurant Tables: Why Nine in Ten of Gen Z Like Them
Term: Communal seating arrangements.
Appearance: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.
Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the School Canteen
What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of gen Z diners say they enjoy communal tables, compared with just six in ten of boomers".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People
Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a major trend during the second world war, in fact – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, backed by Winston Churchill.
It Was Logical During Times of Rationing, What's the Appeal Today?
This might seem strange to you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! 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 Having Dinner Interrupted by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath
Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background in their video while eating a salad? You have to remember: young adults – the most online generation, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. This same desire behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.
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 published in June). 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 People Who Eat Socially Report Greater Happiness
Talking to strangers is good for us, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Additionally the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d landed a date at a shared meal event. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meet-cute".
I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.
Mission accomplished.
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."
