Solo Dining on the Rise as Meal Sharing Emerges as Key to Happiness

The 2025 World Happiness Report finds meal sharing is a stronger predictor of well-being than income, while solo dining grows in the U.S., especially among younger generations.

• The 2025 World Happiness Report highlights a strong correlation between sharing meals and higher life satisfaction, surpassing traditional economic indicators like income and employment.
• In the U.S., one in four Americans ate all meals alone in 2023, a 53% increase since 2003, with solo dining particularly prevalent among those under 35.
• Researchers link the rise of solo dining to increasing social isolation, individualistic habits, and the influence of technology, like social media and smartphones.
• Globally, countries like Senegal, where meal sharing is culturally ingrained, report the highest frequency of shared meals, while Western nations lag behind.
• Further research is needed to clarify whether meal sharing directly causes greater happiness or if happier individuals are more likely to share meals.

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