Pull up a chair to explore the essential social and societal meanings of shared meals.

Why do people eat together? Across thousands of years and cultures, shared meals have helped forge communities, display status, express beliefs, and create a sense of belonging. This book offers a sweeping history of eating together, from prehistoric feasting rituals and ancient drinking vessels to royal banquets, family dining rooms, street food stalls, and modern restaurants. Moving across continents and centuries, Christine Baumgarthuber examines the objects, customs, spaces, and technologies that have shaped the experience of shared meals. Rich in stories of ceremony, hospitality, extravagance, and everyday pleasure, the book shows how dining has long reflected the values and ambitions of societies. At a time when screens and delivery apps increasingly mediate our meals, it reminds us why gathering around food remains a deeply human need.