More than half of full-time American workers are skipping lunch at least once a week as rising food costs and growing workplace demands make it harder to take a break. According to ezCater’s 2026 Lunch Report, 54% of workers surveyed said they missed at least one work meal weekly, up from 48% in 2023, when the survey was first conducted.

The report, based on a survey of 1,000 U.S. workers with a margin of error of plus or minus 3 percentage points, found that 81% of respondents had changed their workplace eating habits because of inflation. Workers are cutting costs by buying food less often, choosing cheaper meals, using discounts, setting strict budgets, preparing food at home or finding available food at work.

Despite inflation moderating from the highs of 2022, food prices continue to pressure household budgets. The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service projects that prices for food purchased away from home will rise 3.5% in 2026, while grocery prices are expected to increase 2.4%.

Workers are spending less on lunch as a result. The average employee spent $100.23 per week on work lunches in 2026, including groceries and purchased meals, an 8% decline from 2025. Robert Kaskel, ezCater’s vice president of people, said the figures show how inflation is changing workers’ eating habits.

Financial pressures are compounded by workplace expectations. About 31% of workers said demanding work environments make it harder to step away from their desks for lunch. Company culture, packed schedules, meetings, and pressure from managers also contribute to employees eating at their desks or skipping meals altogether.

Younger workers appear particularly affected. Generation Z and millennial employees are more than twice as likely as older colleagues to feel pressure from their managers to skip lunch. Samantha Buchman, a clinical psychologist at NYU Langone, said a difficult job market may leave younger employees feeling they must constantly demonstrate their value to employers.

Despite those pressures, workers continue to place importance on having time to eat. The ezCater report found that 35% would choose a protected daily lunch break over additional paid time off. More than half of employees also said they prefer eating with others, although only 36% reported eating away from their desks every day during the workweek.

Skipping meals may also affect workplace performance. According to the survey, 84% of workers said hunger negatively affects their productivity. Buchman explained that the brain needs calories and nutrients to function effectively, making regular meals important for concentration and performance.

The findings also suggest that providing meals could help employers encourage workers to return to the office. Nearly seven in 10 Gen Z and millennial employees said they would come to the workplace at least three days a week for a free catered lunch. Among Generation X and baby boomers, 45% said they would do the same.

Kaskel said catered lunches could serve as a valuable employee benefit, potentially giving workers an added reason to commute to the office as companies continue to navigate post-pandemic workplace expectations.