The average family dining table will play host to 572 conversations, 1,456 meals and 468 jokes - every year. A study of 1,000 parents revealed a further 57 disagreements are had at the dinner table while 72 special moments are shared annually.
It also emerged that half of parents think it is important for their brood to sit together at the end of a day. The research was commissioned by McCain, in line with the wider Nation's Conversations report, and found more than a quarter described the dining table as the heart of their home.
And three in 10 have the majority of their conversations around it. With people currently spending more time at home, the dining table is being used for an average of 28 hours a week and now serves as a classroom