Communal meal

Communal eating is closely bound up with commensality (the sociological concept of eating with other people). Communal eating is also bound up with eating and drinking together to cement relations, to establish boundaries and hierarchies as well as for pleasure.

Some examples of communal meals are the Native American potlatch, the Thanksgiving meal, cocktail parties, and company picnics. Meals shared for religious traditions include the Christian Agape feast, Muslim iftar, and Jewish Passover Seder.

Some restaurants feature communal meals at large tables where diners are seated next to strangers and are encouraged to interact with neighbors.

Communal dining was an important part of ancient Rome's religious traditions. There is a mention of communal dining in Chinese history.