Communal dining makes Gen Z comeback, but older guests push back on ‘chaotic’ trend

Gen Z is bringing back a controversial dining trend, a new report found, as the generation seeks connection in an increasingly digital world. 

Members of the generation born between 1997 and 2012 are increasingly eager to dine right next to strangers, embracing long, communal tables in hopes of sparking conversation and perhaps even scoring a date.

Online restaurant reservation platform Resy found that 90% of Gen Z diners enjoy sitting at communal tables, compared with 60% of baby boomers. The report also revealed that 63% of younger diners see communal tables as a great way to meet new people. 

FREE MEAL IS MOTIVATING NEARLY 1 IN 3 SINGLES TO SAY ‘YES’ TO DATE, NEW REPORT FINDS

About half said they’ve had interesting conversations with strangers while dining this way, one in three has made a new friend and one in seven has even met a romantic partner, according to Resy’s November report on the dining trends that shaped 2025 and what may lie ahead for 2026.

For younger generations who grew up online and lost out on critical social development during the pandemic, the rise of communal dining makes sense, said Kelsey Latimer, Ph.D., a Florida psychologist, psychiatric nurse practitioner and founder of KML Psychological Services.

Once considered outdated, communal dining is now back in style as younger generations crave in-person interaction. (iStock)

“I hear from my clients there is a desire to be more connected, especially after this generation was seriously impacted by COVID during critical years of connection,” Latimer told Fox News Digital.

“There is an interesting dynamic in the younger generations of constantly being immersed in the belief that connection is everywhere 24/7 due to the online environment, while simultaneously feeling a sense of disconnection and lacking in authentic connection,” she said.

GEN Z DRINKERS LEAVE BARTENDERS FRUSTRATED WITH SHRINKING TIPS AS ‘TERRIBLE’ TREND EMERGES

She added, “Sharing the communal space with others makes us feel we are naturally part of something larger than ourselves.”

In Astoria, Queens, 24-year-old restaurateur Marc Vasquez is at the forefront of communal dining at Mayahuel, which hosts supper club-style dinners.

After years of remote work and heavy screen time, many Gen Z diners are turning to shared tables for face-to-face connection. (iStock)

“We host ticketed dinners where everyone sits at one long communal table, and almost everyone who signs up is Gen Z or a younger millennial,” Vasquez said. “We usually don’t do plus-ones — you come solo or with a friend, but you’re seated with strangers.”

TEST YOURSELF WITH OUR LATEST LIFESTYLE QUIZ

For people who work from home, the events have become a mix of socializing and networking, he added, as younger diners increasingly seek curated, themed experiences.

“People want to leave dinner feeling like they belong somewhere, not just that they checked off another restaurant.”

“We grew up online and then spent the pandemic stuck on our phones and Zoom,” Vasquez said. “After that, a lot of us are tired of only connecting through a screen. If we’re going to go out, we want an experience and a story, not just another random night at a bar.”

“People want to leave dinner feeling like they belong somewhere, not just that they checked off another restaurant,” he added.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

Ryan Nestor, founding partner of the Chicago-based restaurant design firm Barker Nestor, agreed. He said communal dining is part of a broader shift toward activity-based and shared experiences in hospitality. 

While it has cycled in and out of popularity for decades, it is now making a strong comeback, he said.

The return of communal tables is generating mixed reactions across generations, with young diners leading the trend. (iStock)

“Ironically, the ‘online generation’ is dealing with more isolation than any before,” Nestor said. “Communal dining forces a break from the screen. … You can’t isolate yourself when you’re inches from another human. It’s a built-in antidote to digital loneliness, and young diners are hungry for that.”

Gen Z is driving the resurgence, he said, as communal tables feel “energetic, spontaneous and connected,” while older generations often see them as intrusive.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE LIFESTYLE STORIES

Restaurateurs also appreciate communal tables for practical reasons, he said. 

“It’s incredibly efficient and profitable. When the trend is ‘in,’ owners are happy to lean into it,” Nestor added.

Hakki Akdeniz, chef and founder of Champion Pizza, which has locations in New York, Florida and Texas, said he believes older crowds may eventually warm up to the concept.

While Gen Z embraces communal dining, older diners remain wary of the crowded, high-energy setup. (iStock)

“Some baby boomers may accept this over time, especially if the food is good and the setting is cozy, not chaotic,” Akdeniz said. “But communal dining is currently the domain of younger generations.”

He compared the atmosphere to sitting at a crowded bar.

CLICK HERE TO GET THE FOX NEWS APP

“Almost always, you find yourself sitting next to a stranger when you enter a busy bar and take the first available seat,” he said. “And it never feels odd. It’s just the atmosphere. Even if you don’t speak to the person next to you, you are part of the environment.”

Washington, D.C., leads the nation in communal dining, according to Resy. Top spots to experience the trend include Aita in New York, Dudley Market in Los Angeles, Galit in Chicago, Tapori in Washington, D.C., Little Hen in Miami and Madeira Park in Atlanta.