Inflation isn't just driving up the cost of rent and groceries — it's coming for your lunch break, too.
New data from ezCater shows employees are spending more than $108 a week on work lunches, up sharply from $88 last year. And as costs climb, a growing number of workers say they're skipping meals entirely to save money.
The report, based on the results of an online survey conducted in June 2025 among 1,000 full-time US employees in on-site or hybrid roles, found that, on average, employees buy lunch 2.6 times each week, spending around $34.82 a week buying lunch out — up 26% compared to last year.
Those increasing costs are then driving more employees, mostly millennials and Gen Z, to skip lunch entirely, which reduces productivity and increases work stress.
Read more about why employees are skipping lunch at the link in our bio.
Story by Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert
(Credit: Getty Images)
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