187 Good Conversation Starters for Any Table
A good conversation starter is an open question that anyone can answer with a short story, like "What did you do last weekend that you'd happily do again?". Here are 187 of them, grouped by situation and depth. Start light for the first 10 minutes and go deeper once the food arrives.
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Table of strangers · Light
- 1What's the best thing you've eaten this month?
- 2What did you do last weekend that you'd happily do again?
- 3What's something you're looking forward to this month?
- 4What's a small thing that always improves your day?
- 5How did you end up living where you live now?
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Which conversation starters to use, and when
Match the question to the table. Use this as a quick guide, then jump to the full list.
| Situation | Start with | Then try | Example |
|---|---|---|---|
| The first 10 minutes with new people | Light openers | Get-to-know questions | What did you do last weekend that you'd happily do again? |
| A table of six who have never met | Ice breakers for strangers | Deep questions | What made you say yes to tonight? |
| Getting to know a new friend one to one | Get-to-know questions | Deep questions | What could you talk about for an hour with no notes? |
| A dinner party with old friends | Questions for friends | Funny questions | Which of our old plans should we finally make happen? |
| A work dinner or team meal | Work dinner questions | Food questions | What's something you enjoy outside of work that might surprise us? |
| The table has gone quiet | Food questions | London questions | Which dish on this menu would you order every time? |
| Late in the evening, once everyone has relaxed | Deep questions | Funny questions | What's a decision that changed the direction of your life? |
We wrote these questions for Siena dinners, where six people who have never met share a table in London every Thursday. Every question is about friendship and getting to know each other.
Light conversation starters for the first 10 minutes
Start here. These are easy to answer and nobody has to perform. Most of them lead to a story after a reply or two.
Easy openers anyone can answer
Light
- What's the best thing you've eaten this month?
- What did you do last weekend that you'd happily do again?
- What's something you're looking forward to this month?
- What's a small thing that always improves your day?
- How did you end up living where you live now?
- What's the last thing you watched that you'd recommend?
- What's a hobby you picked up in the last few years?
- What are you reading or listening to at the moment?
- What's been the highlight of your week so far?
- Are you a planner, or do you like to see where the evening goes?
- What's the last thing you did for the first time?
- What's your favourite way to spend a Sunday?
Openers that lead to a story
Light
- What's the best trip you've taken in the last few years?
- What's a skill you taught yourself?
- What's the most interesting thing you've learned recently?
- What was your first ever job?
- What did you want to be when you were a kid?
- What's a place you went back to that was even better the second time?
- What's the best advice you've been given recently?
- What's a small purchase that made your life better?
- Who's the most interesting person you've met this year?
- What's a plan you've been meaning to make happen for ages?
Questions to get to know someone
Use these once names are done. They move past the job title and towards what someone cares about. Ask one, then ask a follow-up before you move on.
Where they come from
Light
- Where did you grow up, and what do you miss about it?
- What was your town like when you were a teenager?
- Who in your family are you most like?
- What's a tradition from your childhood you'd like to keep?
- What's the first place you lived away from home?
- Which teacher do you still remember, and why?
- What did a perfect Saturday look like when you were ten?
- What's something about where you grew up that people get wrong?
What they enjoy
Light
- What could you talk about for an hour with no notes?
- What do you do that makes you lose track of time?
- What's something you're a bit of an expert in?
- Which hobby would you take up if time and money didn't matter?
- What's a film or book you recommend to everyone?
- What does your ideal day off look like?
- What's a small thing you're surprisingly good at?
- What are you working towards outside of work at the moment?
How they see things
Deep
- When do you feel most like yourself?
- Who has shaped the way you see the world?
- What's a belief you held five years ago that has changed?
- What's something you're proud of that most people don't know about?
- What makes a friendship last, in your experience?
- What's a question you wish people asked you more often?
- What's a value you got from your family that you still live by?
- What's a risk you took that you're glad you took?
Deep conversation starters
Save these for later in the evening, once the table has relaxed. Answer first yourself so the others know how open to be.
A step deeper
Deep
- What's the kindest thing a stranger has ever done for you?
- What's a moment this year that made you really happy?
- What would you do with a free year?
- Which conversation has stayed with you for years?
- What's a fear you've got past in the last few years?
- Who is the friend you've known longest, and how did you meet?
- What's something you used to be embarrassed about and now aren't?
- What do you wish you'd known at 18?
- What's a decision that changed the direction of your life?
- What does a good week look like for you right now?
For late in the evening
Deep
- What are you most grateful for at the moment?
- What's something you'd like to be braver about?
- What's a piece of advice you ignored and later wished you hadn't?
- When did someone change your mind about something important?
- What's something you hope you never stop doing?
- What's the hardest thing you've done that you'd do again?
- Who do you owe a thank-you that you've never said?
- What does home mean to you now?
- What's a plan you've quietly put on hold?
- What has surprised you most about being an adult?
Funny conversation starters
Funny questions work best when the answer is a true story. Pure what-ifs run out of steam quickly. Use one when the table needs a lift.
Silly questions with real answers
Funny
- What's the most useless talent you have?
- What's a harmless opinion you'll defend forever?
- Which fictional character would you want as a flatmate?
- What would your specialist subject be on a quiz show?
- If your life had a theme tune, what would it be?
- If you opened a restaurant, what ridiculous rule would it have?
- What's the most random fact you know?
- What's a bad film you secretly love?
- If animals could talk, which one would be the rudest?
- Which word do you always mispronounce?
Tell us the story
Funny
- What's the worst haircut you've ever had?
- What's the weirdest job you've ever had?
- What's the silliest argument you've ever won?
- What's the most ambitious thing you've tried to cook, and how did it go?
- What's the most British thing you've ever done?
- What's the worst gift you've ever received?
- What's a plan that went wrong in the best way?
- What's the most lost you've ever been?
- What's your most irrational fear?
- What's a terrible holiday that makes a great story now?
London conversation starters
Everyone at a London table has opinions about London. These get people swapping tips and recommendations fast.
London questions to open with
Light
- Which London neighbourhood feels most like home to you?
- What brought you to London, and what keeps you here?
- Where would you take a friend on their first night in London?
- Which place in London have you always meant to visit?
- What's your favourite walk in London?
- What's the best free thing to do in London?
- Which London market do you keep going back to?
- What's a London spot you'd keep secret if you could?
- Which park is your park?
- What's a London habit you picked up without noticing?
London opinions to argue about
Funny
- What's the funniest thing you've seen on the Tube?
- Which Tube line has the best personality?
- North or south of the river, and can you defend it?
- What's the most overrated thing in London?
- Which unwritten London rule do newcomers always break?
Food conversation starters
You're already at a table, so food is the easiest topic there is. These work with any group.
Food questions for any table
Light
- What's a dish that tastes like home to you?
- What's the most underrated restaurant you know?
- Which dish on this menu would you order every time?
- What's your comfort meal at the moment?
- What's the best meal you've had on holiday?
- What's a dish you've learned to cook properly?
- What did your family eat on Sundays when you were growing up?
- What's a food you hated as a kid and love now?
- If you could only eat one cuisine for a year, which would it be?
- Which restaurant would you pick for your birthday dinner?
Food opinions
Funny
- What's your most controversial food opinion?
- What's the strangest food combination you secretly enjoy?
- What's the worst meal you've ever had out?
- Which food do you refuse to share?
Dinner party conversation starters for friends
With friends you can skip the basics. These questions catch up on the year and pull out stories you haven't heard yet.
Catching up
Light
- What's the best thing that's happened to you since we last caught up?
- Where should we go on our next trip together?
- Which of our old plans should we finally make happen?
- What's a new place we should try together?
- What's a small win from your week?
- What song have you had on repeat lately?
- What's something you bought recently that you love?
- What's a skill we could learn together?
Going deeper with friends
Deep
- What's been on your mind most this year?
- How have you changed since we first met?
- What's something you need more of right now?
- What's a memory of us that you still think about?
- Is there an old friendship you'd like to pick back up?
- What's something you've been putting off that we could help with?
- What do you want the next five years to feel like?
- When did one of us help you without knowing it?
Funny questions for friends
Funny
- What's the most chaotic night we've had together?
- Which of us would survive longest in a zombie film?
- If we started a band, what would it be called?
- Who at this table is worst at keeping a surprise?
- What's the most embarrassing thing you did as a teenager?
- If this group had a mascot, what would it be?
- Which of us would be the first to get lost on holiday?
- If we all went on a reality show, which one would we win?
Ice breaker questions for a table of strangers
This is the set we lean on at Siena, where six people who've never met share a table. Every question works without knowing anything about the person you're asking.
First questions at the table
Light
- What made you say yes to tonight?
- How long have you lived in London?
- What do you usually get up to on a weeknight?
- What's something fun you've got planned for the weekend?
- What's the best thing that happened to you today?
- What would make tonight a great evening for you?
- What's a local shop or coffee place you love?
Once the food arrives
Deep
- What helps a new friendship get started for you?
- What's something you'd like to do more of this year?
- What has living in London taught you?
- How do you recharge after a long week?
- What's a community you belong to and love?
- What does a really good friendship look like to you?
- What would you like to get better at this year?
To get the table laughing
Funny
- If this table were a heist crew, what role would you play?
- Which famous person would you invite to join this table?
- What's your best story from a night out that didn't go to plan?
- What's the most ridiculous thing you've ever queued for?
- What's the strangest compliment you've ever received?
- What's the worst advice you've ever followed?
- If you had five minutes to teach this table something, what would it be?
Conversation starters for work dinners
At a work dinner, people want to talk about something other than work without oversharing. These stay friendly and are easy to answer in front of colleagues.
Easy questions for colleagues
Light
- What's something you enjoy outside of work that might surprise us?
- What's the best team trip you've ever been on?
- How do you like to spend a long weekend?
- Which restaurant near the office would you recommend?
- What's a podcast or book you've enjoyed lately?
- Where's the next place you'd love to travel?
- What's your favourite way to switch off after work?
- What's a skill you have that nobody at work knows about?
- What did you do before this job?
Thoughtful questions for colleagues
Deep
- Who has been the best mentor in your career?
- What's the most useful lesson you learned from a mistake?
- Which part of your work gives you the most energy?
- What's a moment at work you're really proud of?
- What does a great team feel like to you?
- What advice would you give yourself on your first day here?
- What's a habit that has made a real difference to your week?
- What drew you to this line of work?
- What's a piece of work advice you still use?
- What would you be doing if you weren't in this job?
Funny questions for colleagues
Funny
- What's the funniest thing that's happened to you in a meeting?
- What's the worst job interview you've ever had?
- If our team were a sitcom, who would play you?
- What's the strangest thing you've seen in an office fridge?
- If you could add one ridiculous perk to the job, what would it be?
- What's the best out-of-office message you could set?
- Which of us would win a bake-off?
- What's your best true excuse for being late?
How to use conversation starters at a table of six
We use these questions at Siena tables every Thursday. A list of questions only helps if you use it well, so here is what works for us.
Who goes first
The person who asks the question answers it first. A short, honest answer shows the table how open to be. Then pass it to your left, so everyone knows when their turn is coming.
Nobody has to answer. If someone passes, move on without comment and come back to them later with a lighter question.
Ask one follow-up before you move on
The question is only the start. When someone answers, ask one more thing about what they said, such as "How did that happen?" or "Would you do it again?". At a table of six, this keeps one good story going instead of six short answers.
It also makes you better company. In a 2017 study of get-to-know-you conversations, people who asked more questions, especially follow-up questions, were liked more by the person they talked to.
How to rescue a silence
A pause of a few seconds is normal while people eat. If it lasts longer, go back to a light question about the food or about London. Everyone at the table can answer those.
Better still, go back to something someone said earlier: "You said you'd just started climbing. How's it going?" It shows you were listening and gives that person an easy way back in.
When to go deeper
Many people hold back from deeper topics with strangers because they expect them to feel awkward. In a series of experiments, conversations between strangers felt less awkward and more connecting than people expected. People overestimated the awkwardness of deep conversations most of all.
So once the main course arrives, try one deep question. Answer it yourself first.
What to avoid
Leave out salary, politics and questions about someone's private relationships. Avoid questions that only some people can answer, like ones about children or expensive travel. Asking for a job title first can feel like an interview, so ask what someone enjoys instead.
Don't run the questions like a quiz. Three to five good questions can fill a whole dinner.
Frequently asked questions
What are good conversation starters?
Good conversation starters are open questions that anyone can answer with a short story. "What did you do last weekend that you'd happily do again?" works better than "What do you do?" because it has no right answer and it leads somewhere. Start with light questions and go deeper once people have relaxed.
What are some deep conversation starters?
Try "When do you feel most like yourself?", "What's a decision that changed the direction of your life?" or "Which conversation has stayed with you for years?". Ask them after the first half hour, and answer first yourself so others know how open to be.
What are good ice breaker questions for a group of strangers?
Pick questions with no wrong answer that don't depend on someone's job, money or background. "What made you say yes to tonight?" and "Where would you take a friend on their first night in London?" both work well at a table of six. Go round the table so everyone gets a turn.
How do you start a conversation at a dinner party?
Ask a light question and answer it yourself first. That shows the table how open to be. Then pass it to the person next to you and ask them one follow-up about their answer. Keep to one question at a time and let it run.
How many conversation starters do you need for one dinner?
Three to five questions are plenty for one evening. A good question with a few follow-ups can fill twenty minutes. Keep one light question in reserve for a quiet moment.
What should you avoid asking people you've just met?
Leave out salary, politics and questions about someone's private relationships. Avoid questions that only some people can answer, like ones about children or expensive travel. Asking for a job title straight away can feel like an interview, so ask what someone enjoys doing instead.
Is it awkward to talk to strangers at dinner?
Usually less than people expect. In a 2014 study by Epley and Schroeder, commuters asked to talk to a stranger reported a more positive journey than those who sat alone, while other commuters predicted the opposite. A 2022 study by Kardas, Kumar and Epley found that deep conversations between strangers felt less awkward than people predicted.
Where can I have dinner with strangers in London?
Siena runs dinners with strangers in London every Thursday at 7:30pm. You book a seat for £12.99 and we put you at a small table, usually six people who haven't met. Booking closes on Tuesday at 23:59, and we send you the restaurant on Wednesday. You pay for your own food and drinks at the restaurant. No membership is needed, and regular guests can choose Siena Premium, which includes dinners.
Research we mention
- Epley, N. and Schroeder, J. (2014). Mistakenly seeking solitude. Journal of Experimental Psychology: General, 143(5), 1980-1999.Commuters asked to talk to a stranger on a train or bus reported a more positive journey than those who sat alone. Other commuters predicted the opposite.
- Kardas, M., Kumar, A. and Epley, N. (2022). Overly shallow?: Miscalibrated expectations create a barrier to deeper conversation. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 122(3), 367-398.Conversations between strangers felt less awkward and created more connection than participants expected. They overestimated how awkward deep conversations would be most of all.
- Huang, K., Yeomans, M., Brooks, A. W., Minson, J. and Gino, F. (2017). It doesn't hurt to ask: Question-asking increases liking. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 113(3), 430-452.People who asked more questions, especially follow-up questions, were liked more by the people they talked to.
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