The New Status Symbol for Men? Having Friends Over.
Posted
By Tom Henkenius · Updated October 2026
Men are suddenly searching for dinner parties, game nights and things to do without a phone. What's driving it, and whether anyone is actually setting the table.
At Henkey's, we're constantly paying attention to where men are, what they're doing, and how we fit into their lives. Sure, we sell grooming products, but understanding the men who use them is just as important as understanding what's in the bottle.
So when Pinterest released its latest report on men's interests, one particular trend caught our attention: Apparently, men are really getting into hosting.
Dinner parties. Game nights. Setting a proper table. The whole production.
Now, I happen to love entertaining. I have an inherited collection of 16 crystal highball glasses, not to mention enough serving bowls, vases, and tablecloths to suggest I might have a problem. Give me a reason to have people over, and I'm there.
So what's going on? Was I ahead of the curve? Is the pendulum simply swinging back toward an earlier era when inviting people into your home was a regular part of social life? Or is something else happening altogether?
Interest in hosting aesthetics jumped 160%. Searches for offline hobbies increased 551%. And searches for activities that don't involve a phone rose a remarkable 581%.
Even chess clubs are having a moment, with searches up 98%.
Taken together, the numbers paint an interesting picture: Men aren't just looking for things to buy or ways to improve their appearance. They're looking for things to do. Preferably with other people, and increasingly without a screen involved.
But there's an important distinction here. These are increases in Pinterest searches, not evidence that men are actually throwing more dinner parties or joining chess clubs.
In other words, we know what they're curious about. We don't necessarily know what they're doing.
And that raises a more interesting question: Why now?
Maybe We're Just Tired of Our Phones.
Ever find yourself in bed, scrolling through your phone? You blink, and suddenly it's way past your bedtime, with an early start waiting for you tomorrow.
Searches for running clubs are up 749%, vinyl listening rooms 407%, and pottery handbuilding 297%. Even charcuterie board designs are up 390%. Apparently, some men are getting very serious about their cheese arrangements.
The common thread isn't necessarily entertaining. It's doing something tangible, often with other people.
And perhaps that shouldn't surprise us.
In fact, we're spending considerably less time socializing than we used to. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans averaged about 47 minutes a day socializing and communicating in 2003. By 2025, that had dropped to just 35 minutes.
And the decline is especially striking among younger Americans. Americans ages 15 to 24 went from about an hour a day of in-person socializing in 2003 to 35 minutes in 2025.
Maybe we're discovering that being connected to everyone isn't quite the same as spending time with someone.
There's also a generational element. Gen Z men now account for more than 62% of men's monthly searches on Pinterest. These are young men who've grown up with social media, streaming entertainment, and smartphones. And at least on Pinterest, they're increasingly exploring activities that happen away from a screen.
Of course, there's an irony in using a social media platform to research how to spend less time on social media.
So, Is the Pendulum Swinging Back?
It certainly looks like there's an appetite for it. But here's something surprising: We've actually been moving in the opposite direction for decades.
And it isn't simply that we've traded dinner parties for restaurants and bars. Americans are spending less time socializing in person generally.
So perhaps the Pinterest findings aren't evidence that we've returned to entertaining. Maybe they're evidence that we want to.
And there are signs that some people are acting on that impulse.
According to Eventbrite data reported by Axios, puzzle competitions increased 151% over a recent 12-month period. Mahjong events are growing, too. And younger Americans are showing up for everything from birdwatching groups to silent book clubs.
Yes, silent book clubs. Apparently, we've even found a way to socialize without talking.
There's a name for some of this: soft socializing. Rather than getting together simply to socialize, people gather around a shared activity. The activity gives everyone something to do, and the conversation can happen naturally.
It makes sense when you think about it. Joining a running club or inviting friends over for game night can feel easier than suggesting everyone get together for no particular reason.
And maybe that's what Pinterest is picking up on. Not necessarily a return to the formal dinner parties of previous generations, but a growing interest in creating occasions to spend time together.
Maybe It's Time to Get the Good Glasses Out.
So, was I ahead of the trend? Maybe. Or perhaps I've just been holding on to something we're collectively realizing we miss.
There's no guarantee that Pinterest searches will turn into dinner parties, game nights, or new friendships. But the curiosity is there. And after years of spending more time connecting through screens than across tables, that feels like something worth paying attention to.
As for me, I think I'll get those crystal highballs out.
After all, what's the point of having 16 matching glasses if you never have anyone over to use them?
Not necessarily. Pinterest's 2026 Men's Trend Report found that men's searches for hosting aesthetics rose 160%, but those are searches, not proof that men are throwing more parties. They show what men are curious about, not what they're doing.
What offline hobbies are men searching for?
According to Pinterest, searches for running clubs are up 749%, vinyl listening rooms 407%, charcuterie board designs 390%, pottery handbuilding 297%, and chess clubs 98%. Searches for offline hobbies overall rose 551%, and searches for activities that don't involve a phone rose 581%.
Are Americans socializing less than they used to?
Yes. Bureau of Labor Statistics time-use data shows Americans averaged about 47 minutes a day socializing and communicating in 2003, and 35 minutes in 2025. The drop is steepest among Americans ages 15 to 24, who went from about an hour a day to 35 minutes.
How many Americans still host friends at home?
About 12% of Americans host friends or family at home at least once a month, according to 2026 polling from Data for Progress. In 1975, older survey data put that figure at 42%, a decline of about 70%.
What is soft socializing?
Soft socializing means getting together around a shared activity, like a running club, game night, or puzzle competition, rather than meeting simply to socialize. The activity gives everyone something to do, and the conversation happens naturally.
Why are young men looking for things to do without a phone?
Search data can't say exactly why. But in-person socializing has dropped sharply over the past two decades, especially for young people, and many seem to be realizing that being connected to everyone online isn't the same as spending time with someone.
We buy our own inventory. Nobody pays for placement, and we don't take affiliate commissions on anything you read here. Here's the whole explanation in two minutes.
The New Status Symbol for Men? Having Friends Over.
By Tom Henkenius · Updated October 2026
Men are suddenly searching for dinner parties, game nights and things to do without a phone. What's driving it, and whether anyone is actually setting the table.
At Henkey's, we're constantly paying attention to where men are, what they're doing, and how we fit into their lives. Sure, we sell grooming products, but understanding the men who use them is just as important as understanding what's in the bottle.
So when Pinterest released its latest report on men's interests, one particular trend caught our attention: Apparently, men are really getting into hosting.
Dinner parties. Game nights. Setting a proper table. The whole production.
Now, I happen to love entertaining. I have an inherited collection of 16 crystal highball glasses, not to mention enough serving bowls, vases, and tablecloths to suggest I might have a problem. Give me a reason to have people over, and I'm there.
So what's going on? Was I ahead of the curve? Is the pendulum simply swinging back toward an earlier era when inviting people into your home was a regular part of social life? Or is something else happening altogether?
We went down the rabbit hole.
Quick Guide
First, Let's Look at the Numbers.
Pinterest's 2026 Men's Trend Report revealed something unexpected about what men are searching for online.
Interest in hosting aesthetics jumped 160%. Searches for offline hobbies increased 551%. And searches for activities that don't involve a phone rose a remarkable 581%.
Even chess clubs are having a moment, with searches up 98%.
Taken together, the numbers paint an interesting picture: Men aren't just looking for things to buy or ways to improve their appearance. They're looking for things to do. Preferably with other people, and increasingly without a screen involved.
But there's an important distinction here. These are increases in Pinterest searches, not evidence that men are actually throwing more dinner parties or joining chess clubs.
In other words, we know what they're curious about. We don't necessarily know what they're doing.
And that raises a more interesting question: Why now?
Maybe We're Just Tired of Our Phones.
Ever find yourself in bed, scrolling through your phone? You blink, and suddenly it's way past your bedtime, with an early start waiting for you tomorrow.
Can I posit something? Maybe we're getting tired of this. Tired of our phones.
The Pinterest report seems to support this.
Searches for running clubs are up 749%, vinyl listening rooms 407%, and pottery handbuilding 297%. Even charcuterie board designs are up 390%. Apparently, some men are getting very serious about their cheese arrangements.
The common thread isn't necessarily entertaining. It's doing something tangible, often with other people.
And perhaps that shouldn't surprise us.
In fact, we're spending considerably less time socializing than we used to. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans averaged about 47 minutes a day socializing and communicating in 2003. By 2025, that had dropped to just 35 minutes.
And the decline is especially striking among younger Americans. Americans ages 15 to 24 went from about an hour a day of in-person socializing in 2003 to 35 minutes in 2025.
Maybe we're discovering that being connected to everyone isn't quite the same as spending time with someone.
There's also a generational element. Gen Z men now account for more than 62% of men's monthly searches on Pinterest. These are young men who've grown up with social media, streaming entertainment, and smartphones. And at least on Pinterest, they're increasingly exploring activities that happen away from a screen.
Of course, there's an irony in using a social media platform to research how to spend less time on social media.
So, Is the Pendulum Swinging Back?
It certainly looks like there's an appetite for it. But here's something surprising: We've actually been moving in the opposite direction for decades.
Writer Derek Thompson recently compared survey data from the 1970s with new polling from Data for Progress. In 1975, 42% of Americans entertained friends or family at home at least once a month. By 2026, that number had fallen to just 12%.
That's a 70% decline.
And it isn't simply that we've traded dinner parties for restaurants and bars. Americans are spending less time socializing in person generally.
So perhaps the Pinterest findings aren't evidence that we've returned to entertaining. Maybe they're evidence that we want to.
And there are signs that some people are acting on that impulse.
According to Eventbrite data reported by Axios, puzzle competitions increased 151% over a recent 12-month period. Mahjong events are growing, too. And younger Americans are showing up for everything from birdwatching groups to silent book clubs.
Yes, silent book clubs. Apparently, we've even found a way to socialize without talking.
There's a name for some of this: soft socializing. Rather than getting together simply to socialize, people gather around a shared activity. The activity gives everyone something to do, and the conversation can happen naturally.
It makes sense when you think about it. Joining a running club or inviting friends over for game night can feel easier than suggesting everyone get together for no particular reason.
And maybe that's what Pinterest is picking up on. Not necessarily a return to the formal dinner parties of previous generations, but a growing interest in creating occasions to spend time together.
Maybe It's Time to Get the Good Glasses Out.
So, was I ahead of the trend? Maybe. Or perhaps I've just been holding on to something we're collectively realizing we miss.
There's no guarantee that Pinterest searches will turn into dinner parties, game nights, or new friendships. But the curiosity is there. And after years of spending more time connecting through screens than across tables, that feels like something worth paying attention to.
As for me, I think I'll get those crystal highballs out.
After all, what's the point of having 16 matching glasses if you never have anyone over to use them?
More From Field Notes
I Hope You Were Bored → The Wrapping Is the Point →Hosting and socializing, answered
Are men really hosting more dinner parties?
Not necessarily. Pinterest's 2026 Men's Trend Report found that men's searches for hosting aesthetics rose 160%, but those are searches, not proof that men are throwing more parties. They show what men are curious about, not what they're doing.
What offline hobbies are men searching for?
According to Pinterest, searches for running clubs are up 749%, vinyl listening rooms 407%, charcuterie board designs 390%, pottery handbuilding 297%, and chess clubs 98%. Searches for offline hobbies overall rose 551%, and searches for activities that don't involve a phone rose 581%.
Are Americans socializing less than they used to?
Yes. Bureau of Labor Statistics time-use data shows Americans averaged about 47 minutes a day socializing and communicating in 2003, and 35 minutes in 2025. The drop is steepest among Americans ages 15 to 24, who went from about an hour a day to 35 minutes.
How many Americans still host friends at home?
About 12% of Americans host friends or family at home at least once a month, according to 2026 polling from Data for Progress. In 1975, older survey data put that figure at 42%, a decline of about 70%.
What is soft socializing?
Soft socializing means getting together around a shared activity, like a running club, game night, or puzzle competition, rather than meeting simply to socialize. The activity gives everyone something to do, and the conversation happens naturally.
Why are young men looking for things to do without a phone?
Search data can't say exactly why. But in-person socializing has dropped sharply over the past two decades, especially for young people, and many seem to be realizing that being connected to everyone online isn't the same as spending time with someone.
What we read
Pinterest Shares Insights Into Men's Trends — Social Media Today, 2026
American Time Use Survey, 2025 Results — U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics
Americans of all ages are spending less time socializing — Axios, July 2026
Why we stopped hosting — Axios Finish Line, October 2026
America's meetup explosion — Axios, August 2026
How we work
We buy our own inventory. Nobody pays for placement, and we don't take affiliate commissions on anything you read here. Here's the whole explanation in two minutes.