Workers Discuss Whether They Skip Lunch At Work, And Why

Author image for Emmy Pratt
Emmy Pratt • Senior Editor
Jan 7, 2023 12:30 PM EST

Lunch breaks are a tricky beast. Some bosses shame their workers for not using their lunch breaks to socialize with their coworkers. Others encourage their employees to eat as quickly as possible so they can return to work. The best jobs are the ones where management is required by law to give their employees a certain amount of break time. 

At this point in my life, I don't need to take a 30-minute lunch break. My stomach is like a vacuum cleaner, and any meal I consume can be sucked down in less than 10 minutes. But every job is different! When I worked 8 hours a day at a library where I could not look at my phone and had to watch security cameras all day, I valued my 30 minutes of lunch more than anything. I listened to podcasts, I ate delicious pasta, and I fully enjoyed my worker's rights. After finding an article that said that 1 in 4 Gen Z workers hesitate to take a full lunch break, Redditor u/TCS728 asked the workers of Reddit whether they take a lunch break. The answers were varied and informative. 

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  • 01
    Organism - r/antiwork u/TCS728 1d. i.redd.it W ● Who here is skipping lunch, and what are your reasons? moneywise.com https://moneywise.com › employment 1 in 4 Gen Z Workers Hesitate to Take a Real Break At Lunch - MoneyWise 21 hours ago - A recent survey found that a quarter of Gen Z workers think their bosses will frown on them taking a lunch break. ... Should I take a lunch break at...
    via u/TCS728
  • 02
    Font - aliteralbagof_dicks. 1d 1 Award At my job, if I skip lunch, I can leave 30 minutes early. I'm also allowed to eat as I work. Reply 1.6k
    via u/aliteralbagof_dicks
  • 03
    Font - dirty_cuban. 1d At a previous job (10years ago) if you stayed in the building you would get paid during lunch, if you left the building you'd need to clock out. It definitely caused people to have less of a break but hey they got paid. 342
    via u/dirty_cuban
  • 04
    Font - BlackMesaEastt. 23h Same. I eat whatever I want at my desk and we have a full kitchen at our office. My boss even stocks the fridge and snack closet. I get water, juice, soda, cheese sticks, breakfast sandwiches, chips, candy, oranges, avocados, etc. For free. We even have pizza Fridays. This is the first job I actually really like. 56
    via u/BlackMesaEastt
  • 05
    Font - ExploratoryCucumber. 1d I "skip" lunch because if I eat at my desk and watch youtube and relax somehow people still think I'm working and I get to leave an hour early. Reply 629
    via u/ExploratoryCucumber
  • 06
    Font - Semi-Hemi-Demigod. 1d Boss makes a dollar, I make a dime, that's why I eat on company time ... 198 198
    via u/Semi-Hemi-Demigod
  • 07
    Font - Kitchen-Proposal5060. 1d I'm salary and I'd rather not work an extra hour to catch up Reply 316
    via u/Kitchen-Proposal5060
  • 08
    Font - Tylenol_the_Creator • 23h I'm salary, I take two 30 minute breaks and an hour lunch lol 479 79
    via u/Tylenol_the_Creator
  • 09
    Font - ginpanse. 1d I can leave as soon as my work for the day is done. So yeah I'd rather be home an hour earlier. I don't even eat a lot for lunch, maybe a sandwich or two. ... Reply 88
    via u/ginpanse
  • 10
    Font - Comprehensive_Put818. 1d 1 Award My 30 min lunch sometimes turns into hour lunches. Still don't clock out for em. Reply 39
    via u/Comprehensive_Put818
  • 11
    Font - spiked_macaroon. 1d I'm not skipping lunch most days, but I'll eat at my desk and look at / listen to the news, play the ukulele I keep at my desk, fuck off on Reddit and in general, and handle a request if one comes in. Reply 57
    via u/spiked_macaroon
  • 12
    Handwriting - dewpacs. 1d Work culture beyond fucked up when people are worried about taking time for biological needs Reply 158
    via u/dewpacs
  • 13
    Font - itchydogblues. 1d I don't think it's that. I think it's that if you are going to be away from home at your job you want to be paid. I don't want to clock out for an hour in the middle of it. If my work day is 9-51 want to be paid for 8 hours not 7. 466
    via u/itchydogblues
  • 14
    Font - ordinaryuninformed. 1d I just don't get one because my state says I don't need one. ... Reply 35 35
    via u/ordinaryuninformed
  • 15
    Font - PresentationLoose422. 17h That's so bullshit, I have a friend in Kentucky that works 8 sometimes 10 hours and doesn't get a lunch. Something is wrong there 49
    via u/PresentationLoose422
  • 16
    Rectangle - redladyvaith. 1d If I skip lunch I can leave 30 minutes early, which makes it easier to get home with how transit lines up. ... Reply 65 65
    via u/redladyvaith
  • 17
    Font - Ooftwaffe . 21h I'm my labor union, you're guaranteed 30 minutes of uninterrupted break time for a lunch. If you're interrupted with anything, your break restarts entirely when you're back to break. Most people don't need this break and the good managers will give everyone an extra hour's pay for working through lunch. At my current, non-union job, we are expected to work 8.5 hours a day with a 30 minute, unpaid lunch. Even if you don't take a lunch, you're expected to work 8.5 hours a da
    via u/Ooftwaffe
  • 18
    Font - Exciting Evidence8815. 1d WFH employee here, rarely take a lunch when I'm at home, get to end my day earlier that way and I find I don't need the break often. If I am in the office though I always take a lunch, I need the break from people. ... Reply 53
    via u/ExcitingEvidence8815

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