Whose Lunch Time Is It, Anyway?

Have you ever asked a colleague or manager for a quick meeting or chat, only to hear, “How about lunch time?” No actual time, no real plan—just that vague phrase: “lunch time.” I usually snap back, “Whose lunch time? Mine is different from yours.” As you have guessed, that rarely goes down well.

It is one of those office habits that makes no sense. Lunch time is not some universally agreed hour across the building. Some people eat at 11:30 am, others at 1:00 pm. Some do not eat at all. And yet, somehow, “lunch time” is tossed around like it is a real appointment.

If someone genuinely wants to meet or talk, just say so—and give an actual time. Otherwise, it feels more like a brush-off than a plan. Worse still, when the meeting actually happens, it ends up eating into your break while the other person seems perfectly relaxed.

In a work culture that talks endlessly about “work-life balance,” maybe we could start by respecting each other’s lunch hours. A simple “Let us meet at 12:15” or “How about after 1?” would go a long way. Or, if the answer is no, just say it. At least that is clear.

So next time someone offers “lunch time” as a meeting slot, you might want to ask—“Yours or mine?”