Shared Restaurant Seating: Why 90% of Gen Z Like This Trend
Name: Shared tables.
Look: Lengthy, uncomfortable and back in fashion.
Communal Dining is Back? Oh no. The Only Acceptable Place for Long Benches is the Cafeteria
What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they enjoy communal tables, compared with just 60% of older generations".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People
Communal eating in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the WWII, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.
I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, What's the Appeal Today?
It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but communal tables 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 “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath
Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background in their video as they massacre 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 – enjoy organized group events. This same desire driving the popularity of youth running groups, hiking outings and art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.
I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.
You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, as per an Oxfam study published in June). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 to 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the past week. Isn’t it a good thing they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?
Perhaps. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups Report Greater Happiness
Conversing with new people is good for us, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy survey 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 gives them a shot at a unplanned "meat-cute".
I Hate That Pun Nearly 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."
