Family Dinners

Mclean's life with her divorced father has made her a stranger to family meals. She usually ends up eating at the restaurant he's working at or eating alone because he comes home late. Mclean's new friend, Riley, invites her to her house, along with their other friends, for a family dinner. They all enjoy spending time together and it's implied that the other friends rarely partake in family dinners at their own house.

I always eat dinner at the table with my family. It seems a little strange to me that other people don't. I've heard plenty of speeches from different sources on how eating dinner together improves family relationships and other aspects of life. Improving your relationship with your family can make you happier which is an overall benefit to you. I can't imagine just eating in my bedroom or alone somewhere in the house. It just seems sad and lonely for a family to be distant like that.

Do you actually eat family dinners together? Do you think there's any truth to the whole -eat-dinner-together-and-improve-your-life mantra?