Shared Restaurant Seating: The Reason Nine in Ten of Generation Z Enjoy Them
Term: Shared tables.
Look: Long, awkward and making a comeback.
The Return of Communal Eating? Not Again. The Sole Appropriate Location for Long Benches is the School Canteen
What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. According to data from the dining booking company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just six in ten of older generations".
A Sign of the Times. Before You Start Harrumphing Regarding Younger People
Group dining in nationalistic eateries was a big thing during the second world war, actually – there were about two thousand five hundred of them, backed by Winston Churchill.
I Suppose It Made Sense When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?
It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but shared dining 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 “Fun” of An Interrupted Meal 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 "farmer’s carries"? Or a nano-influencer filming you accidentally of their reel as they massacre a salad? Consider this: 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. It’s the same impulse behind the rise of youth running groups, group hikes and art nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.
I’d Rather Eat 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, according to an Oxfam study 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 beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy survey highlights an additional benefit: 14% of survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this gives them a shot at a spontaneous "meet-cute".
That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Dislike Shared Seating.
My work here is done.
Appropriate comment: "Gen Z think communal dining ate and left no crumbs."
Don’t say: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."