5,782
people per km² in London
Compared with 450 across England. Density creates proximity, not necessarily connection.
Greater London Authority, London in FiguresWhy we built Lunchd
London is densely populated, but finding a natural reason to meet is getting harder.
+101%growth
20142025
growth in searches for “where to meet people”.
UK search interest roughly doubled between 2014 and 2025—a useful signal that more people are asking the same question.
Google Trends, UK annual average7%2011–12
22%2020–21
Under-35s with one or no close friends roughly tripled.
The change is not just a feeling: the smallest friendship networks became much more common over the decade.
Onward, Age of Alienation; UK longitudinal survey analysisYoung-adult loneliness and common mental-health conditions are rising.
69%
feel lonely at least occasionally.
12% said often or always, 24% some of the time and 33% occasionally.
ONS, Great Britain, ages 16–29, May 2026The wider mental-health picture is moving in the wrong direction too.
Common mental-health conditions among 16–24-year-olds have risen over the long run. This does not mean loneliness causes every condition; it does make regular ways to feel part of something worth taking seriously.
NHS England, Adult Psychiatric Morbidity Survey 2023/415.4%1993
18.9%2014
25.8%2023/4
Most London office workers stay inside for lunch, even though many would rather socialise.
44%at desk31%elsewhere inside25%outside
would rather socialise over lunch
Compared with 42% who preferred after-work drinks.
Just Eat for Business, 2,003 UK office workerssolo-diner bookings in London
Solo restaurant bookings rose in 2023.
Resy UK Trend Report 2024