2026
8
Canada Lunch Eating Habits, Motivations and Attitudes Consumer Report 2026
2026-03-23T14:01:32+00:00
REP4FB59C24_FD17_488B_B59C_24FD17E88BBC
3695
192143
[{"name":"Food","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/food"},{"name":"Consumer Habits","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/consumer-insights\/consumer-habits"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Reports","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"Canada","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/canada-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
Lunch is essential to most Canadians' daily routines, with 80% agreeing it is important to take time for lunch not only to eat but to have a mental break. However,…
Canada
Food
Consumer Habits
simple

Canada Lunch Eating Habits, Motivations and Attitudes Consumer Report 2026

"Lunch remains important to Canadians, yet changing routines are redefining how the midday meal fits into everyday schedules and eating habits."

Pooja Lal, Research Analyst

Pooja Lal, Research Analyst

Lunch is essential to most Canadians’ daily routines, with 80% agreeing it is important to take time for lunch not only to eat but to have a mental break. However, the occasion is shaped by competing priorities, with many consumers balancing productivity, cost pressures and changing work patterns when deciding how and when to eat.

Economic pressure is pushing consumers to reassess lunch spending. Rising food prices have intensified value sensitivity, encouraging shoppers to seek promotions, trade down to lower-priced options and prepare more meals at home. As a result, lunch decisions are filtered through affordability, portion value and preparation effort, reshaping both retail and FS participation.

Canada’s rapidly diversifying population contributes to expanding expectations around lunch flavours and formats. Immigration continues to drive population growth and influence meal preferences, creating opportunities for brands to introduce globally inspired dishes and culturally relevant offerings that resonate with evolving tastes.

Looking forward, success at lunch will depend on balancing value, convenience and variety. Brands that deliver affordable solutions while introducing convenience-driven formats will be best positioned to capture the evolving midday occasion across retail and FS channels.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Types of lunches eaten
  • Important factors when choosing a lunch item
  • Types of lunches eaten by scenario
  • Barriers to eating lunch
  • Lunch associations
  • Attitudes towards lunch
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Market predictions
    • Opportunities
    • Lunch has a broad definition
    • Graph 1: attitudes towards lunch, 2026
    • Private-label brands can tastefully tap into lunch opportunities
    • A diverse population requires diverse menu offerings
  2. THE MARKET

    • Economic pressure is reshaping consumer behaviour
    • Graph 2: have done in the last two months, 2025
    • Food inflation continues to outpace headline CPI
    • Consumers are fixated on price
    • Graph 3: discourages consumers from visiting or ordering from fast-food restaurants more often, 2025
    • Graph 4: would encourage consumers to visit or order from fast food restaurants more often, 2025
    • Immigration continues to drive population growth in Canada
    • Graph 5: share of recent immigrants by country of birth, 2026 vs 2021
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • Where lunch happens and what matters most
    • Lunch flexibility skews younger, habit skews older
    • Graph 6: source of lunch, by generation, 2026
    • New Canadians build lunch for fuel, not familiarity
    • Graph 7: source of lunch, by new Canadians, 2026
    • Graph 8: important attributes when selecting lunch items, by new Canadians, 2026
    • Lunch expectations diverge across communities
    • Men and women have opposing approaches to lunch
    • Foodservice can connect with women on lighter lunch options
    • Lunch favours dependable and predictable choices
    • Graph 9: source of lunch, by lunch associations, 2026
    • Barriers towards lunch
    • Canadians aren’t skipping lunch because they want to
    • Graph 10: reasons for skipping lunch, 2026
    • When consumers are strapped for time, AFH options win
    • Graph 11: reason for skipping lunch, by source of lunch, 2026
    • Graph 12: lunch attitudes, by source of lunch, 2026
    • Build stronger lunch habits with Gen Z
    • Graph 13: select reasons for skipping lunch, by generation, 2026
    • New experiences and craveability can help even at the expense of time
    • Graph 14: lunch associations, by generation, 2026
    • The midday meal carries more weight for new Canadians
    • Graph 15: reasons for skipping lunch, by new Canadians, 2026
    • Restaurant lunch must work harder for remote workers
    • Graph 16: attitudes towards lunch, by work from home status, 2026
    • What’s for lunch
    • Home and AFH lunches drive distinct patterns
    • Graph 17: lunch foods eaten, 2026
    • Home lunches prioritize nourishment, restaurants deliver indulgence
    • Graph 18: attitudes towards lunch, net agree, 2026
    • Consumers seek value-led options over everything when budgets are tight
    • Younger consumers expand, older consumers anchor
    • Gen Z goes global at and away from home
    • Graph 19: lunch foods eaten – internationally inspired dish, 2026
    • Graph 20: lunch foods eaten – soup, 2026
    • Younger consumers display more flexibility at lunch
    • Graph 21: attitudes towards lunch, by generation, 2026
    • Lunch carries greater intent among new Canadians
    • Lunch carries greater intent among new Canadians…
    • Graph 22: attitudes towards lunch, by new Canadians, 2026
    • …and parents too
    • Graph 23: attitudes towards lunch, by parental status, 2026
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Foodservice launch activity and innovation
    • Boston Pizza promises speed at lunch
    • Olive Garden Canada strategically covers off meal occasions
    • McDonald’s Canada commits to one year of value pricing
    • Midday happy hour can capture late lunch goers
    • A&W goes big on plant-based and flavour
    • Product launch activity and innovation
    • Dempster’s launches half-size loaves
    • Global flavour innovation can offer snackable exploration at lunch
    • Viva Slices brings the pizza experience home with ease
  5. APPENDIX

    • Report scope
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology – Canada
    • Abbreviations

Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel

The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:

  • Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
  • Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
  • Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
  • Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.

What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?

Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.

The Four Pillars of Our Research

We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:

  • Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
  • Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
  • Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.

Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.

£ 3,695 (Excl.Tax)
  • Download today with instant access
  • Multiple formats provided
  • Interactive databook included
  • Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more

Trusted by global industry leaders

Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Jackman logo

At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.

Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Tenth Wave logo

Mintel helps us when we want to know something quickly – it provides fast answers to our questions. If we need to get a view of what’s going on in a particular market it’s very useful.

When carrying out background research, I find Mintel an excellent starting point.

The fact that it covers so many markets is a big plus for me– instead of having to buy specialist products in each area we are interested in, especially when we only require a brief view on a particular market, we can go to Mintel for help as a one-stop shop. I find Mintel a useful and valuable resource.

Ben Zeidler, Director - Research and Analytics, Tenth Wave
Bauer Media Group logo

We have such a great working relationship with Mintel on lots of different levels. As an insight partner, they have helped us to develop our business planning in specific categories as well as supporting our creative process but they’ve also been super helpful with facilitating our events in their inspirational offices near St Paul’s.

They’re an innovative company, with a client-focused team that always delivers.

Abby Carvosso, Group Managing Director, Bauer Media Group

Next Starts Here

Whatever your business needs, we have the solution. From market intelligence reports to customised growth strategies.

Learn more