Communal Dining Seating: Why 90% of Gen Z Like This Trend
Name: Shared seating arrangements.
Look: Lengthy, awkward and back in fashion.
Communal Dining is Back? Not Again. The Only Acceptable Place for Refectory Tables is the Cafeteria
What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? Gen Z, apparently. According to data from the restaurant reservations company Resy, "90% of gen Z diners say they enjoy shared seating, compared with just six in ten of older generations".
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Group dining in patriotic “British Restaurants” was a big thing during the WWII, in fact – there were about 2,500 of them, supported by Winston Churchill.
It Was Logical When Food Was Scarce, What's the Appeal Today?
It’s an alien concept for you, admittedly, but shared dining can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO explains: "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!"
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Or being squeezed next to a fitness enthusiast chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "workout routines"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally in their video while eating a salad? You have to remember: gen Z – the most online generation, who grew up during COVID, and many of whom started careers remotely – enjoy organized group events. This same desire behind the rise of young people’s running clubs, group hikes and crafting nights: they’re seeking real-world interactions.
I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall Found in Japan.
You might not fancy it, but many youths feel isolated (Nearly half of them, as per an Oxfam study published in June). A recent American study a third of males aged between 18 and 23 reported they had no contact outside their household in the previous seven days. Isn’t it a good thing they’re going out and breaking bread with strangers?
Perhaps. Research Shows People Who Eat Socially Report Greater Happiness
Conversing with new people 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 landed a date at a communal dining experience. Given gen Z have gone off the apps, this gives them a shot at a unplanned "meet-cute".
That Joke Annoys Me Nearly as Much as I Hate Communal Tables.
Mission accomplished.
Do say: "Gen Z think communal dining ate and left no crumbs."
Inappropriate remark: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."
