You Are No Longer Invited to Dinner

The share of Americans who regularly host friends and family at home has plummeted 70 percent since 1975, dropping from 42 percent to 12 percent monthly, signaling a dramatic collapse in home entertaining that far exceeds declines in other forms of social connection like church attendance. This decline accelerated after 1975 and has continued into the 2020s, contradicting the notion that Americans simply shifted socializing to restaurants and bars instead of hosting at home. The data suggests Americans are fundamentally withdrawing from in-person socializing across nearly all measures, including card games, sporting events, volunteering, and community projects.