Do you go out to lunch with work friends (if you work at an office job)?

Question

With the terrible economy I have noticed a general slow down at the restaurants at the big shopping center next to the office building where I work. They use to be jammed with people from 12 noon on but now they are only half full.

I wonder how much of it is based on the economy and how much is based on people just not making as many friends at work anymore.

I am curious what the average office worker does at lunch time. Here are your choices to answer my informal poll:

I usually have lunch at my desk

I usually have lunch in the break room by my self

I usually have lunch with a group of work friends in the company break room

I usually go out to a sit down spot with a menu

I usually go to a food court

Answer 1

I usually have a home made lunch at my desk. It consists of a sandwich, dried fruit of some sort (craisins/raisins), nuts, an apple, and water or coffee. My wife has a sandwich, orange, baked chips, and whatever she drinks. We mix it up by varying what's in the sandwich. Sometimes we'll bring in leftovers from the previous night's dinner (I'm a very good cook.).

Once every two weeks I go out with my officemates.

That's what I allow myself. My wife and I are saving up for a house. It has nothing to do with the economy. Both of us are in what you'd call "recession-proof" jobs.

Answer 2

if you think about **** like this, your life must suck! OR! you just suck at life!

Answer 3

I only go out with people from work if it's someone's birthday or a special occasion.

I live close enough to go home, so I usually do that.

Sometimes I'll get a sandwich somewhere and sit in my car and read. Even though I get along with everyone, I like to be away from my co-workers during lunch. It also breaks up the day!

Answer 4

I usually eat lunch at my desk

only b/c I work with my hubby and we bring our lunch to work

When I worked in a larger office, I ate lunch in the breakroom with my friend

Answer 5

Two to three days a week I usually have lunch in the break room by myself.  The other days I go home then to my mom's to visit her and my nieces and nephew.

Answer 6

none of the above.

When we have the money, or if we need to escape, we go up the street to Food & Friends, or hit the salad bar at Ruby Tuesday. But I skip lunch a lot. We also have the opportunity to eat at the picnic tables on the college campus.

Answer 7

I go out to eat with friends

Answer 8

I work two jobs - one is shift work in a mine site, the other at the airport as a flying instructor....SO, I have two different schedules.

In the mine, we usually have lunch with a group of work friends in the company break room - none of us are allowed off site for lunch, so we stay, bring our lunches and usually eat together (if there's a big job being done in the mine though, we take turns to eat)

Flying - is usually lunch at my desk since we don't really have a break room - and my fellow colleagues and I are in and out at all times.

In the case of the mine though my entire "shift" (the group I'm always on with) usually try to go out to the pub for tea once a week as a social exercise - and in flying, we have a Saturday afternoon barbeque at the airport :-)

Answer 9

I usually have lunch at my desk.

Answer 10

I have to check off about three of the answers.  Most days I take a TV dinner to work, and either eat at my desk or in the break room with a friend.  If I forget, or am not in the mood for a TV dinner, I'll pick up a sandwich from the Subway across the street.  I try to go out for lunch with friends to a "sit down" restaurant about once a week.  I have noticed that I seem to be doing that less--it's now more like once every two weeks.