Brunch Isn't Just A Meal—It's A Way Back To Each Other

Forbes

13-05-2025

For many American diners, brunch is part celebration, part indulgence—bottomless mimosas, Bloody Mary bars, stylish small plates, and rooftop views. It's a social ritual, equal parts escape and performance. But brunch can also be something quieter—mismatched plates. Toast shared over a kitchen counter. A slow pour of coffee while the light shifts across the floor. It doesn't always ask to be seen. It just asks to matter. Brunch holds both energies at once: the spectacle and the softness, the communal and the personal. And in a time when many are craving reconnection on their own terms, it's that quieter version that's starting to feel essential.
That shift—from brunch as performance to brunch as presence—has reshaped the way we host, cook, and show up for one another. And it's not just a vibe shift—it's backed by behavioral science.
Research from Oxford University shows that people who eat together more often feel happier and more connected to their communities. A 2023 study in the journal Appetite found that social isolation meaningfully alters eating behavior, often deepening emotional strain—while shared meals offer a protective effect. A 2021 NIH report confirms what many of us feel instinctively: regular, in-person connection strengthens health, reduces stress, and improves longevity.
It's why initiatives like Project Gather encourage small, no-pressure meals among friends and neighbors. And why former U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy, now working through academic and public platforms, continues to championhuman connection as critical health infrastructure.
We don't need banquets or matching chairs. We just need each other. And maybe a decent cup of coffee.
Cookbook author and content creator Carolina Gelen recently hosted a strawberry-themed brunch shoot—a cozy, pink-swirled moment she built around a collaboration with Starbucks for National Brunch Month. She developed a strawberry latte using the brand's new iced double espresso capsule for Nespresso, pairing it with strawberry milk, homemade syrup, and leftover strawberry butter from the shoot. But the real magic didn't happen on camera.
'After the shoot, I had so much leftover—lattes, desserts, butter—so I invited friends over,' she said. 'Everyone stirred their own drinks and we just sat around, eating and talking. It was even better than the filming.'
That small moment—a casual post-shoot gathering—became its own ritual. And it reflects something much larger: brunch not as spectacle but as connective tissue. An opportunity to share something you made without pressure. To let people in without pretense. 'Sharing it just amplifies it,' Gelen told me. 'Even though I had fun creating the recipe, I really think you get to experience it at an exponential level when you're with other people.'
Brunch at home can feel like quiet rebellion against the emotional labor of traditional hosting. The pressure to create a curated, Instagram-ready table is giving way to something slower. Today, hosting is not about being the perfect host; it ismore about being a present one. It's not about proving you can do it all. It's about asking for help, letting things be imperfect, and still making space for people to come together.
Gelen's approach reflects that shift. 'I think making the experience enjoyable for the host is very important,' she told me. 'The last thing you want is to clock in for a 10-hour brunch shift.' Instead, she leans into a kind of joyful delegation. Let a guest refill the ice. Let someone else take dishes off the table. Turn the coffee bar into a DIY station. These aren't shortcuts—they're acts of care. They make space for everyone, including the host, to actually enjoy the moment.
According to KPMG's 2025 restaurant outlook, food and labor costs remain top concerns for industry leaders, and dine-in traffic has largely leveled off. In that context, new product innovation has less to do with novelty and more to do with meeting the moment. It reflects how many are reframing brunch—not as an event, but as a ritual. Not just a trend but a tether.
That's echoed in recent data from Tastewise, which shows that online mentions of brunch are down nearly 29% year-over-year. Perhaps the performative brunch is giving way to something quieter: snackable, plant-based plates and at-home hosting that centers comfort over curation. In a world of rising prices and content fatigue, the rituals that remain are the ones that make us feel more like ourselves.
Maybe that's what brunch really is in 2025. Not an event. Not a trend. But a lifeline. A low-stakes, high-comfort ritual that reminds us how to gather again—even if we're just starting with ourselves.