We're in our dinner party era
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Foodies say 2024 is the year of the dinner party, but these aren't your parents' gatherings.
Why it matters: Entertaining at home is one way for people to get the connection they crave on a budget, Axios' Brianna Crane reports.
The big picture: A host of online dinner party startups like Hauste and Canary are catering to younger adults at a time when dining out is expensive and many of them have soured on drinking.
- The businesses aim to make food-focused fetês easier to pull off, offering menu ideas, plate rentals, Spotify playlists and other services.
What they're saying: "You're not going to be Martha Stewart the first time you host," Hauste co-founder Lea Raymond says. (And that's OK.)
Zoom out: Searches for "dinner parties" on Evite increased 148% from this time last year, according to online invitation data the company shared with Axios.
Between the lines: Millennials and Gen Zers are especially leaning into hosting, with an emphasis on creative tablescapes and themed experiences — in part to share on TikTok and Instagram, "where visually appealing content around hosting is highly valued and widely shared," Olivia Pollock, senior brand director at Evite, tells Axios.
💭 Sam's thought bubble: You don't need to own a house to host — I see local creatives on Instagram throwing dinner parties in their apartments.
- A dining table and an artistic spirit are really all you need to throw a memorable dinner.