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Name: Communal seating arrangements.

Look: Long, awkward and back in fashion.

Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Refectory Tables is the School Canteen

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, it seems. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they like shared seating, compared with just 60% of boomers".

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

Communal eating in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the WWII, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?

This might seem strange to you, I know, but communal tables can be fun! As Pablo Rivero notes: "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 eating chicken to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel 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 entered an almost exclusively digital workplace – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.

I Prefer Dining in One of Those One-Person Ramen Booths They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (47% of them, as per an Oxfam study 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 past week. Isn't it positive they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?

I Suppose. 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: 14% of 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 spontaneous "meet-cute".

I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.

Mission accomplished.

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

Inappropriate remark: "It’s all fun and games until someone drops a katsu prawn on your Y2K baggy jeans."