Having breakfast with a stranger can help cure feeling lonely in LA, according to this Burbank man

Summary by The Los Angeles Editorial Desk · Based on reporting by Makenna Cramer, LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio) · July 20, 2026 · 4 min read

Raz, as he prefers to be called, has sat down for a meal with nearly 20 strangers so far this year.(Makenna Cramer / LAist)On a Sunday morning, I walked into Coral Cafe in Burbank to have breakfast with a stranger.Raz, as he prefers to be called, has been meeting with different people — differen...

Why this matters in The Los Angeles

Raz's initiative to meet strangers over breakfast highlights the potential for community-building in Los Angeles, a city often characterized by its car-centric culture and sprawling neighborhoods. By leveraging online platforms like Reddit to connect with neighbors, Raz demonstrates how technology can facilitate face-to-face interactions and help bridge the social divide. His experience also underscores the importance of informal gathering spaces, such as cafes and restaurants, in fostering a sense of community and belonging. As Raz continues to share his breakfast conversations with the Burbank subreddit, his story may inspire others to take similar leaps of faith and engage with their neighbors in meaningful ways, ultimately contributing to a more vibrant and connected local community. The success of Raz's breakfast meetings suggests that even in a large and diverse city like Los Angeles, there are opportunities for individuals to come together and form meaningful connections.

About this story

Original reporting by LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio). The Los Angeles surfaces reporting from trusted publishers and adds local editorial context so readers can quickly understand what a story means for their community. We attribute every source, link to the original report, and follow a documented editorial standards policy. To understand how stories are selected and reviewed, read our about page.

For the complete original report, visit LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio). Have a tip or correction? Contact our newsroom.

Category: local · Published: July 20, 2026 · Source: LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio) · Reading time: 4 min

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Summary created by	The Los Angeles Editorial Desk — automated, rule-governed
Original reporting	Makenna Cramer, LAist (KPCC / Southern California Public Radio)
Original story	Read at the source
Source published	Jul 20, 2026
AI assistance	Automated summary drawn from the source’s own published text
Prepublication human review	No — editorial rules, flagged-item review, and published samples

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