Current Events: Should Surrey Introduce Communal Dining in Restaurants?

_{Imagine this: Instead of grabbing a bite at a restaurant with friends or family, picture being seated at a long, narrow table and enjoying your meal... with total strangers. It may seem strange or unfamiliar to picture, but this style of dining ("communal dining") has been introduced in Vancouver in 2012; it was one of 19 reports made by the Mayors Engaged City Task Force, a group dedicated to making Vancouver a more "welcoming" and "engaged" city for tourists, residents, and immigrants alike. Communal tables are, as mentioned above, very long tables that can seat many people. Customers can "reserve" a seat on the table for lunch and dinner, then be seated with unfamiliar people (or people they don't know at all!) while they eat a meal. The goal of this project is to get more people in Vancouver to interact and bond with each other. So far, some of the restaurants in Vancouver have already begun to do this, such as "The Salty Tongue" and "The Alibi Room".}

_{People who agree with this idea say that contrary to popular belief, Vancouver is not as engaging as it should be when it comes to making friends. A survey showed that one-third of the residents in Metro Vancouver had a hard time when it came to making friends, and that a poll showed that Vancouver was "less than friendly or inclusive". This way, strangers can meet face-to-face at a public place (a restaurant) in a stress-free environment, and just get the chance to know each other. At the end of the day, the purpose behind the communal tables is to provide a window of opportunity for people to interact with potential friends, and to hopefully form bonds that will eventually lead to friendships. It also develops better etiquette and manners -- one would certainly need to behave themselves when talking to someone they are unfamiliar with, especially if they are eating together.This is also a good way to get Vancouver as a city to be more active and engaged; Canada's global reputation for being friendly and polite somehow didn't extend to the act of eating a meal, and by promoting the use of communal tables, that could change.}

_{However, some ideals might not turn out so well in reality, says the people who disagree. Some people, especially those who are introverted or shy, prefer eating with those familiar to them, such as friends or family. Others, who are preoccupied with phones or music, don't need, and therefore don't like the idea of having long tables. People who prefer privacy over being in the open may not find the idea of having communal tables appealing either. Ian Tostenson of the B.C. Restaurant Association says that idea behind the communal tables is a good one; however, he doubts it will change many things: he implies that friends will still sit together with friends, and they will talk among themselves instead of to other strangers. As stated above, it seems that while Canadians will go out of their way to help someone fix their flat tire or give directions, but draw the line when it comes to eating, an act too "intimate" to share with others.}

<sub>In my opinion, we should give communal tables a chance. As the poll stated, there are lots of Vancouver residents who have a hard time finding friends; the communal tables could make for an opportunity to get some of the people to interact with each other, and to form new friendships. However, we must also take the people who favour privacy into consideration: lots of people (me included), are shy, especially when you consider the fact that you're almost elbow-to-elbow with the stranger sitting next to you. Some people feel uncomfortable when stuck in a situation like that, especially when having a meal; eating is an "intimate" thing, and some people like to enjoy in privacy, away from the prying eyes of strangers. Restaurants should have both communal tables and regular tables so people, whether they're outgoing people who want to gain more friends in their friend circles, or for the introverted adult or the average group of teenagers, can have more choice over who they want to eat with.

Reference links:

Vancouver made friendlier by communal restaurant tables? -- CBC News
Dining with strangers among recommendations to make Vancouver more engaged -- the Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Communal Dining and Long Table Restaurants -- BC Living</sub>