National Make Lunch Count Day Date in the current year: April 13, 2024

According to a study commissioned by TGI Fridays, an American restaurant chain that focuses primarily on casual dining and American cuisine, 73% of Americans eat lunch at their desks at least twice a week, and one-third eat at their desk every day. The study states that American cities with the highest range of FOLO (Fear of Lunching Out) are Baltimore, Orlando, Columbus, Sacramento, Salt Lake City, Phoenix, San Francisco, Hartford, New York, and Washington, D.C.

People who take lunch at their desk instead of joining their co-workers or going out for lunch on their own don’t get enough rest during lunch break, and their productivity takes a dip. Taking a lunch break isn’t just about quelling hunger and refueling; it is meant to help you forget about work for a little bit and recharge so you can be more creative and productive later.

A change of scenery paired with a delicious meal may be exactly what you need to find a solution or at last a fresh approach to the problem you’ve been working on some time, or come up with new ideas, or realize how to make your team work better together. A lunch break away from your desk may not be enough to completely recharge, but it should be enough to give you a productivity boost that will get you through the rest of your day.

In addition, eating lunch together is a great way to bond with your coworkers. Lunchtime is the perfect opportunity to get to know your co-workers as people. Of course, you are not required to become best friends with all your coworkers, but a bit of personal connection will make it easier to work together and achieve good results.

However, if your work requires near constant communication with your coworkers and/or clients, it is okay to use lunchtime to take a break from people. You can take your lunch to the nearby park and enjoy the weather, or eat it at this cute little place around the corner, or have a lunch date with your friend or partner – whatever you like as long as it helps you recharge and feel better.

TGI Fridays created National Make Lunch Count Dayin 2016 to help Americans conquer their FOLO by encouraging them to get away from their desks for lunch. Ideally, not just today, but every day since lunching out is good for your physical and mental health, creativity, and productivity.

There are many ways to shake up your lunch routine and make lunch count. Check out a new lunch spot in the area, get something from a neighborhood food truck, or offer your coworkers to order lunch together. If you bring lunch from home to save money or due to dietary restrictions or preferences, don’t eat it at your desk! You can eat it at a local park if the weather is nice or in the office lunchroom/kitchen/cafeteria – in short, anywhere you can except for your desk.