The Sneaky Added Cost of Returning to The Office

Peak work-from-home numbers are almost six years old, but many of us are still rejecting the commute and clinging to home offices, convinced that we can totally be productive in sweatpants. But another part of the reluctance to return to office? High cost.

We’re not talking about the monetary cost of a daily commute or even the emotional cost of sharing an office with halitosis Hank. We mean the cold, hard cash that in-person workers drop on food. 

How much does lunch at the office cost?

A study by Blogic Systems found that an average office lunch is about $23.60 in major urban areas—well above typical minimum hourly wage regardless of where in the U.S. you live. This number is for a “daily diner,” defined as someone purchasing lunch daily at the office. At that rate, you would end up spending about $5,664 yearly if you opt for popular choices like grain bowls and salads. It really makes you ask yourself: “Do I need really the extra guac?” “Do I have to have the fancy coffee?”

What about hybrid workers?

You might think, “Oh but I’m only in office three days a week, surely I’d only be spending three-fifths of that on my lunches!” Wouldn’t that be nice? But life is pain. The daily cost actually tends to be higher for hybrid workers who, due to being on-site less often, tend to treat in-office days a little more socially, and typically purchase extra coffees, pricier meals, and, of course, little treats. 

Okay, but fast food is cheap, right?

Even fast food prices make a dent, coming to an average of $11.56 per meal. This brings the annual financial cost to $2,774.40. That’s a lot—even when you do factor in the Happy Meal toys. 

So, what are we supposed to do?

The cheapest option is packing lunch from home, averaging $5.50 per meal. We have a few ideas for good office lunches that don’t require hours of food prep, including some super fast frozen lunches you can stock in the office freezer (make sure to slap a Post-It with your name on them).

Maybe those high school bullies were onto something with all that “give me your lunch money,” stuff…