Shoulder to Shoulder with Strangers: Dining at the communal table.

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The communal tables of school cafeterias and summer camps are in the past. As adults, we envelop the experience in an aura of privacy, seated with just our private party, at our own table, booth, or banquette. We seldom pay to eat a meal at a table alongside strangers.

Personally, I even enjoy a table for one; just me and my meal?no extraneous conversation, no one asking me to switch to the tuna because they’re already ordering the lamb, no presumptive fork sticking into my dessert.

Unlike us, Europeans have long-standing traditions of communal dining. In 18th century France, a court decree banned caterers from bringing meals to the nobility in their palaces, in favor of the socially equalizing store-front dining. Shared tables are still a key element of bistros, beer halls, tavernas, and tapas bars.

Recently, communal tables have been cropping up all over this country. Experts speak of the trend and point to a hunger for personal connectedness. Isolated by technology and separated by distance from families, we yearn for social engagement and a sense of community. Restaurants are all too happy to meet that need. For them, communal tables are an efficient use of space that can accommodate any size party and don’t require reservations.

Sitting with strangers isn’t always a success, but that’s OK. It’s not a dinner party?you order what you want, eat at your own pace, walk out when you’re ready, and in between you’re under no obligation to make conversation. But more often it works. You get to eavesdrop on conversations, scope out other dishes, and share in celebrations. And the bonding over food is unbeatable?sort of like a live version of Yelp.

Grub With Us is a startup that makes communal dining less of a crap shoot. The Grub With Us team books a large table at a popular restaurant and then allows individuals and groups to reserve seats through an Open Table-like system. Before you book you can see who’s already coming and access their social media profiles. Grub With Us is currently arranging dinners in Chicago and San Francisco, with more cities on the way.

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