Why that viral ‘54% of workers are skipping lunch’ survey doesn’t hold up

This survey is basic PR hype disguised as real research. It was put together by ezCater, a company selling corporate catering software, just to get HR managers to buy their food plans. They cooked up the headline by counting anyone who skips lunch just one day a week as “regularly skipping,” and they treat eating a quick sandwich at your desk like you’re starving. On top of that, they only polled 1,000 people using self-reported guesses, and they blame high food prices even though 31 percent of workers said they missed lunch simply because of heavy workloads and back-to-back meetings.

Over half of workers regularly skip lunch on the job due to high food costs, increasing job pressure

According to ezCater’s Lunch Report, 54% of US-based, full-time employees missed out on work lunch at least once a week in 2026. Researchers surveyed 1,000 US-based workers, and the results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.

Robert Kaskel, vice president of people at ezCater, tells CNBC Make It that the percentage of workers skipping out on meals has increased consecutively for the past four years. In 2023, the first year ezCater conducted the survey, 48% of workers reported skipping one meal at work per week.

Workers are spending less on lunch. Rather than a sign of relief from high food prices, researchers say that over half of jobholders are responding to inflation by skipping meals.

According to ezCater’s Lunch Report, 54% of US-based, full-time employees missed out on work lunch at least once a week in 2026. Researchers surveyed 1,000 US-based workers, and the results have a margin of error of plus or minus 3%.

Robert Kaskel, vice president of people at ezCater, tells CNBC Make It that the percentage of workers skipping out on meals has increased consecutively for the past four years. In 2023, the first year ezCater conducted the survey, 48% of workers reported skipping one meal at work per week.

The majority of respondents, 81%, said that inflation caused them to change their eating habits at work and that they are responding to high food prices in a variety of ways. To cut costs, some buy out less frequently, resort to cheaper options, use discounts or loyalty programs, keep a strict budget, meal prep or forage for food at work.

Experts forecast that the consumer price index for food-away-from-home will rise by 3.5% in 2026, on par with the 20-year historical average, according to the Economic Research Service of the US Department of Agriculture. The food-at-home consumer price index is expected to grow by 2.4% in 2026, slower the 20-year historical average. While inflation is set to remain well below 2022 highs, consumers are still feeling the pressure of inflation on their wallets.

Despite inflation, employees spent less on food in 2026 than in 2025. Workers spent an average of $100.23 per week on work lunch in 2026, which includes groceries and ordered food. This figure is down 8% from 2025, according to the ezCater report. Kaskel says this is “evidence” that inflation is impacting lunch habits.

Alongside high food costs, employees also face more demanding work environments, which 31% of workers say makes it harder to step away from their desk for a proper lunch break. Others report company culture, time constraints, meetings and expectations from their managers as reasons for eating at their desk or forgoing lunch all together.