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Name: Shared tables.

Appearance: Lengthy, uncomfortable and making a comeback.

The Return of Communal Eating? Oh no. The Sole Appropriate Location for Long Benches is the Cafeteria

What kind of adult chooses to dine alongside strangers? The younger generation, apparently. Research indicates from the dining booking company Resy, "Nine out of ten of young adult patrons say they like communal tables, versus 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 major trend during the second world war, actually – there were about 2,500 of them, backed by Winston Churchill.

I Suppose It Made Sense When Food Was Scarce, But Why Do It Now?

This might seem strange to you, I know, but shared dining can be enjoyable! As the Resy CEO explains: "Dinner becomes a collective event," and "The excitement lies in not knowing your neighbor!"

The Enjoyment From Having Dinner Interrupted by Someone Explaining Loudly About Their Therapy Says They’re “a Highly Sensitive Empath”

Or sitting beside a Hyrox bore chomping chicken breasts to fuel his "farmer’s carries"? Or a social media user filming you accidentally 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 – enjoy organized group events. It’s the same impulse driving the popularity of young people’s running clubs, hiking outings and art nights: they’re craving offline social connection.

I Prefer Dining in a Solo Ramen Stall They Have in Tokyo.

This may not appeal to you, but lots of young people are lonely (47% of them, according to an Oxfam survey published in June). 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 going out and breaking bread with strangers?

Perhaps. Studies Indicate Those Dining in Groups Report Greater Happiness

Talking to strangers is beneficial, too: it enhances our feeling of community. Plus the Resy survey points out another advantage: one in seven survey respondents said they’d found a romantic partner at a communal dining experience. Since young people are leaving dating apps, this offers a chance for a unplanned "meet-cute".

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

Mission accomplished.

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

Don’t say: "Things are fine until food spills on your vintage clothes."