I attended my first munch last month and felt completely out of place. Everyone seemed to already know each other and I didn't know what to say. Should I go back?

The first munch experience you are describing is not an unusual one; it is close to the most common first-munch experience there is. Established groups have existing relationships and shared histories, and a newcomer walking in has none of that context yet. It is normal to feel like an outsider at a social event where everyone else already has connections.

The second visit is usually meaningfully different because you have one piece of context the first time you did not: you have been there before. You are no longer evaluating an entirely unknown room. You might recognise a face, even just from being at the same event. That small familiarity changes how the room feels.

Most munches have regulars who are specifically there partly to welcome newcomers, though they are not always identifiable from the outside. Arriving slightly early rather than late gives you a chance to talk to people before the room is already full of established groups. Approaching whoever appears to be organising the event and introducing yourself as a newcomer is also a reliable way to get introductions.

Munches are not always the right entry point for everyone. Some people find workshop-based events easier because the structured activity gives you something to do and discuss besides simply existing in a social space. If munches consistently feel wrong, that might be useful information about your best path into community.

But for most people, consistency is the factor that makes community feel real, and one visit is not enough to know whether a munch is the right space for you.