Shared Restaurant Seating: The Reason 90% of Gen Z Enjoy This Trend
Name: Shared seating arrangements.
Look: Long, uncomfortable and making a comeback.
Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria
What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, it seems. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they like shared seating, versus just 60% of boomers".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing About the Youth of Today
Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the second world war, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.
It Was Logical During Times of Rationing, But Why Do It Now?
It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but communal tables can be enjoyable! 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 About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”
Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast eating chicken to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel while eating 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 – 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.
This may not appeal to you, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, according to an Oxfam survey released this summer). In a 2023 US report , one-third of men aged between 18 to 23 reported they hadn’t seen anyone outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn't it positive they’re getting out and sharing meals with new people?
Perhaps. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups More Often Feel Happier
Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it gives us a greater sense of belonging. Additionally the Resy data points out another advantage: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a shared meal event. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meat-cute".
I Hate That Pun Almost as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.
Mission accomplished.
Do say: "Gen Z think communal dining ate and left no crumbs."
Don’t say: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."
