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Name: Shared tables.

Look: Long, uncomfortable and back in fashion.

The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the School Canteen

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, it seems. Research indicates from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of young adult patrons say they enjoy communal tables, compared with just 60% of older generations".

I’ve Never Felt More Out of Touch. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People

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

I Suppose It Made Sense When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?

This might seem strange to you, admittedly, but communal tables can be enjoyable! As Pablo Rivero explains: "They naturally turn dinner into a shared experience," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The Enjoyment From 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 "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer capturing you in the background of their reel 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 entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – love a structured communal activity. This same desire behind the rise of youth running groups, hiking outings and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths Found in Japan.

You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam survey released this summer). A recent American study , one-third of men aged between 18 and 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the past week. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially More Often Feel Happier

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Plus the Resy data highlights an additional benefit: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a shared meal event. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meat-cute".

I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.

Mission accomplished.

Appropriate comment: "Young adults believe shared meals are a total success."

Don’t say: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."