More than half of US office workers skip lunch at least once a week as prices rise, survey finds

Rising inflation in the United States is now affecting people's eating habits. Food prices are climbing, and heavy workloads and back-to-back meetings at offices mean employees often cannot find time for lunch. More than half of the country's office workers skip lunch entirely at least once a week.

This emerged from the 2026 annual lunch report by the company ezCater. According to the report, the rising cost of food is one factor, and the workplace environment is also keeping employees away from meals. Concern is being raised over both employee health and productivity.

The report says 54 per cent of US employees do not eat lunch at least once a week. The share has risen for four years in a row; in 2023 it was 48 per cent. Rising food prices play a big part. As many as 81 per cent of employees said they had changed their eating habits because of inflation and higher restaurant menu prices.

Of these, 42 per cent are ordering in less often, while 40 per cent are choosing cheaper food. Employees spend an average of $100 a week on food at work.

Money is not the only reason. The way offices work is also a major cause of skipped meals. About 31 per cent of employees said company work culture and the expectations of senior managers make it hard to find time to eat.

There is pressure to be online at all times, responsibilities are growing, and meetings are scheduled over the lunch hour. As a result, many employees keep working at their desks. The report says younger employees in particular feel more pressure from senior managers.

Skipping lunch is now showing in employees' work. In the report, 84 per cent of employees said hunger hurts their ability to work. Of these, 49 per cent lose focus, 40 per cent are more likely to make mistakes and 38 per cent take longer to finish tasks.

This shows the midday break is not only for eating. It is also needed to keep the mind fresh and sustain the ability to work.

In these circumstances, US companies face questions about employee health and the working environment. Steps said to be needed include giving employees time to eat every day, providing food and drink facilities at the office, and avoiding unnecessary meetings at midday.