Title: Shared dining tables.
Style: Extended, odd and trending again.
Shared dining is trending again? Oh dear. The only suitable setting for cafeteria tables is in a school cafeteria, and even in that case, they leave much to be desired. Who in their right mind would choose to dine alongside strangers as an adult with free choice? Gen Z, it seems. Following information from Business Insider, statistics from the restaurant booking platform Resy show that “90% of gen Z diners express enjoyment of communal tables, compared to only 60% of boomers”.
I’ve never felt more disconnected. Before you start grumbling about today’s youth, communal dining in so-called “British Restaurants” was quite common during the second world war, in fact – there were around 2,500 operational, endorsed by Winston Churchill.
This was logical when food was limited, but what’s the rationale now? It might seem foreign to you, I understand, but communal tables can indeed be enjoyable! As Pablo Rivero, the CEO of Resy, notes: “They organically transform mealtime into a collective experience,” and “You never know who your dining companions will be; that’s the thrill of it!”
The “thrill” of having your meal interrupted by someone vociferously declaring that their therapist claims they’re “a highly sensitive empath” while elbowing you in the face reaching for the soy sauce? Or being crammed alongside a Hyrox enthusiast devouring chicken breasts to fuel his “farmer’s carries”? Or a nano-influencer filming you in the backdrop of their reel as they annihilate a salad? Consider that gen Z – the most digitally connected generation, who matured during the pandemic, and many of whom entered a nearly entirely digital work environment – seek structured communal experiences. It’s the same motivation behind the proliferation of running groups, group hikes, and crafting evenings: they’re yearning for offline social connections.
I’d prefer to dine in one of those solo ramen stalls found in Tokyo. You may not like it, but many young individuals feel isolated (47% of this demographic, based on an Oxfam survey released in June). In a report from the United States in 2023, a third of males aged 18 to 23 admitted they hadn’t engaged with anyone outside their household in the preceding week. Isn’t it somewhat positive that they’re venturing out and sharing meals with strangers?
Perhaps. Studies indicate that individuals who dine socially “generally feel happier and have a greater satisfaction in life”. Engaging with strangers is beneficial for us as well: it enhances our sense of belonging. Furthermore, the Resy findings highlight an extra perk: one in seven respondents from the survey stated they’ve found a date during a communal dining event. Considering that gen Z has steered away from dating apps, this offers them an opportunity for an unexpected (ha ha) “meet-cute”.
I loathe that pun nearly as much as I detest communal tables. My task here is complete.
Do say: “Gen Z believes communal dining was a hit.”
Don’t say: “It’s all fun until someone spills a katsu prawn on your retro baggy jeans.”
