Escalating Lunch Costs Lead Workers to Skip Meals

The financial crunch isn't just hitting housing or essentials but is also affecting lunch expenses.

A recent study by ezCater indicates that the weekly expenditure on workday lunches has soared past $108, a sizeable jump from the prior year's $88. This surge in meal costs has prompted many employees to forego meals altogether in an effort to cut down on spending.

This analysis, drawn from an online survey conducted in June 2025 and targeting 1,000 full-time employees in the US, reveals that on average, individuals purchase lunch approximately 2.6 times weekly, spending about $34.82 each week on outside food—an increase of 26% from the previous year.

This steep increase in lunch prices has compelled many, particularly millennials and Gen Z workers, to skip these meals entirely, which is having detrimental effects on productivity and elevating stress levels at work.

Reports have shown that omitting lunch can negatively impact a worker's overall well-being, including mental, physical, and social health.

According to Robert Kaskel, VP of People at ezCater, "Employees that skip meals suffer lowered work efficiency: 43% are less timely in completing tasks, 38% are more curt with coworkers, and 25% shun social interactions."

Insights from the ezCater report also reveal that younger workforces are not only more likely to skip lunch but also experience a sense of guilt for taking breaks. Gen Z workers are 110% more likely than their senior peers to believe that their supervisors disapprove of them taking breaks.

The Consequences of Skipping Meals

"When your youngest team members feel anxious about using their lunch breaks, it's alarming," commented Kaskel. "Combining skip-meal guilt with their eagerness for immediate productivity gains can create challenges in terms of performance and burnout for business leaders."

Research published in the Journal of Pharmaceutical Research International in 2021 points out that enjoying a regular, uninterrupted one-hour lunch can reduce absenteeism, enhance job satisfaction, and improve workplace attitudes.

While neglecting lunch might appear to streamline efficiency in today's high-intensity work environment, a staff fueled by nothing can't maintain high output for long.

When lunch breaks transform from a necessity into a rarity, it disrupts the potential productivity of the modern workforce.