Friends at the Table is an actual play podcast hosted by Austin Walker. The podcast has been active since September 2014, and episodes are released weekly. The collaboration between the gamemaster and the players is a major component of the show, in contrast to many tabletop role-playing games where the gamemaster has total control over worldbuilding.
The show is an actual play podcast, but due to its heavy editing, the show is similar in presentation to a radio drama or audiobook. Players on the show contribute to worldbuilding more than in many tabletop role-playing games, where worldbuilding is often left to the gamemaster. The show has been producing episodes since September 2014, and releases episodes on a weekly basis.
The show is split across two feeds: the main feed, which is accessible for free on the website and on podcast platforms, and a paid feed via Patreon. The main feed includes weekly episodes, which are split into seasons. The end of a season is marked with a "post mortem" episode, where the cast answers questions about the season.
Seasons one and two of the show were based on Apocalypse World. According to Walker, he drew inspiration for season six from Mobile Suit Gundam Thunderbolt, Code Geass, Legend of the Galactic Heroes, Aldnoah.Zero, and . Various other seasons of the show have drawn elements from many different tabletop role-playing systems, including Dungeon World.
The Patreon feed consists of two main campaigns (Bluff City and Realis) along other show formats and extras.
Since 2023, Friends at the Table has also produced podcasts outside of the actual play genre, which appear in their own public feeds.
The podcast had more than 3,929 Patreon supporters . The show was featured on iTunes in 2020. Dan Neilan wrote in The A.V. Club that it is an "intimidating podcast to jump into" and a "bit overwhelming", but despite this the story had "rich, complex lore." It was cited by The Adventure Zone GM Griffin McElroy as an inspiration for elements of that podcast's first campaign.