Tara Theatre artistic director Abdul Shayek dies

Highlights:

• Communal dining tables are becoming popular again, especially among Gen Z.
• Surveys show younger diners enjoy meeting strangers, while many older diners prefer privacy.
• Shared tables help tackle loneliness and encourage real-life conversation in a digital age.
• Restaurants are adapting with supper clubs, shared platters and “come alone” nights.
• The trend reflects a wider shift toward connection, experience and affordable social dining.

Walk into a place to eat and there is just one huge table. Everyone there is a stranger, talking, laughing, passing bowls around like they already know each other. For some older diners, the setup feels odd. It can come across as too open, almost like someone stepping into your personal space. But younger diners see it differently. For Gen Z, that setup is the fun part, the chance that the person next to you might turn into a friend, or at least a good conversation.

A 2025 Resy survey shows a clear generational split: 90% of Gen Z enjoy communal tables, compared with 60% of Baby Boomers. Beyond numbers, the social benefits are real; making friends, striking up conversations, even finding a date. For a generation often described as “the loneliest,” dining together offers a rare sense of connection.