There’s plenty of people going to the restaurant alone and I bet the human experience is a big part of their motivation. They may not be as noisy and visible as groups of cheering young folks but you’ll notice them for sure if you take time to scan around with your eyes and not your phone (pun intended, not disdain over techies). Think of old widows, singles, workers away from family/friends, peoples with difficulties to have social interactions.
> and I bet the human experience is a big part of their motivation.
Restaurant business is one of the rare where "free market" is really fully functional, and market will quickly self-regulate and award the good ideas, and punish the bad ones.
If your guess was right then the restaurants without it would loose the customers, and niche restaurants with the "human experience" would start popping out attracting those unsatisfied customers. Since this is not happening in China (yet?), then perhaps it's about the difference in the culture and your bet is wrong?
