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Term: Communal seating arrangements.

Look: 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? Gen Z, it seems. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they like communal tables, versus just 60% of older generations".

A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a major trend during the second world war, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense During Times of Rationing, But Why Do It Now?

It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but shared dining can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The “Fun” of Having Dinner Interrupted by A Loud Conversation That Their Therapist Revealing They Are an Empath

Or being squeezed next to a Hyrox bore eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally of their reel as they massacre a salad? Consider this: young adults – the most online generation, who came of age during the pandemic, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of youth running groups, group hikes and crafting nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, as per an Oxfam survey released this summer). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn’t it a good thing they’re going out and sharing meals with new people?

I Suppose. Research Shows Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier

Conversing with new people 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 landed a date at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating 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."