Consumers remain largely ambivalent about lunch, with only 45% associating “satisfaction” with their midday meal. The paradox, however, is that fewer than a third want lunch to be a more enjoyable experience. A filling lunch is by far the most agreed upon quality, though emphasis varies somewhat for those that WFH versus in an office.
For brands to successfully introduce new products or concepts, they must demonstrate minimal disruption while emphasizing clear benefits. While consumers may not desire drastic changes to lunch, they do value convenience and compatibility with their daily routines.
The most significant demographic differences exist between Baby Boomers and other generations; while some of this may be life stage, Millennials and Gen Z seem to have a fundamental difference in their approach to lunch. These consumers are more likely than their older counterparts to seek variety and eat lunch with others.
Overall, a focus on the non-food aspects of lunch can help remind consumers that, even if they don’t need or want a complex meal, they should take a break to boost their energy. Brands can ensure a lunch break is restorative, not disruptive, by offering nutritious, tasty, and low-effort lunch items that are quick, easy and convenient to plan for, prepare and ultimately eat.
This report looks at the following areas:
- Where consumers prepare (or buy) their lunches
- Important factors for lunch
- Lunch foods eaten by lunch situation
- Reasons for skipping lunch
- Associations with lunch
- Attitudes about lunch
- Lunch behaviors
Ease and balance are the key to lunchtime success. Food choices need to fit into consumer days seamlessly; otherwise, lunch breaks are more stressful than energizing.
Michele Scott, Associate Director, US Research – Food and Drink
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
- What you need to know
- Market predictions
- What consumers want & why
- Opportunities
- Opportunity to improve lunch goes deeper than the third actively interested
- Lunch can be greater than the sum of its parts
- Planning assistance will look different for various demos, but remains a consistent opportunity
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MARKET DYNAMICS
- Market context
- Market drivers
- Over 40% of consumers have seen their financial situations change for the better in the past year
- Graph 1: change in financial situation over the past 12 months, 2024
- Annual inflation slightly rose in October
- Graph 2: headline CPI and core CPI, 2021-24
- Habits are slow to change
- Graph 3: lunch sources, trended YOY, 2022 vs 2024
- Comfort comes with home-made appeal
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CONSUMER INSIGHTS
- Consumer fast facts
- Lunch locations
- At-home prep leads for lunchtime
- The first step towards foodservice is being away from home to start
- Relative consensus highlights strong opportunity in several demographics
- Graph 4: types of lunches eaten, by various demographics, 2024
- Important attributes
- Healthful, filling and fast stand out among otherwise ambivalent attitudes about lunch
- Graph 5: importance of specific lunch attributes, 2024
- Variety is the spice of lunch for younger consumers
- Graph 6: importance of specific lunch attributes – any important, by generation, 2024
- More people to feed means more preferences for lunch
- Graph 7: importance of specific lunch attributes, by parental status, 2024
- Lunch time is more important when commuting
- Graph 8: importance of specific lunch attributes, by work status, 2024
- Lunch has a lot of boxes to check
- Graph 9: repertoire of important lunch attributes, 2024
- Lunch types
- CPG brands need to boost freshness and flavor, while restaurants must balance BFY and cost
- Graph 10: lunch type by occasion, 2024
- Get inspired by the usual suspects, build on what they do best
- Graph 11: meal type, by generation, 2024 – NET any occasion
- Consensus among the majority of lunch types indicates room to play
- Graph 12: lunch choices, parental status, NET any occasion, 2024
- Graph 13: lunch choices, by employment/WFH status, NET, any occasion, 2024
- Reasons to skip lunch
- Getting consumers to eat lunch means offering up more than satiety
- Graph 14: reasons to skip lunch, 2024
- Baby Boomers might not be looking for something new, but perhaps they should be
- Graph 15: reasons for skipping lunch, by generation, 2024
- Parents need to plan; brands can help
- Graph 16: reasons for skipping lunch, by parental status, 2024
- Convenience and planning matter wherever you work
- Graph 17: reasons to skip lunch, by employment/WFH status, 2024
- Lunch associations
- Consumers are ambivalent about lunch, or perhaps just not thinking about it much
- Graph 18: associations with lunch, 2024
- Changing pace of life makes lunch satisfaction more complex
- Graph 19: associations with lunch, by generation, 2024
- Mitigating stress can increase positive associations
- Graph 20: associations with lunch, by parental status, 2024
- Lunch behaviors
- Split behaviors call for varied approaches to lunch
- Graph 21: lunch behaviors, 2024
- Balance is worth the effort
- Graph 22: lunch behaviors, by generation, 2024
- Parents are juggling; help them not drop the ball
- Graph 23: lunch behaviors, by parental status, 2024
- Message diversification matters, but luckily consumers overlap on need for flexibility and agreement that a short break might be the best break
- Consumers take many approaches to lunch
- Graph 24: lunch associations by lunch behaviors, 2024
- Attitudes about lunch
- Lukewarm lunch feelings make opportunity
- Graph 25: attitudes about lunch, 2024
- Younger consumers are asking more from lunch, and are less satisfied with their current routines
- Graph 26: attitudes about lunch, 2024
- Changing attitudes will come before shifting behaviors
- Graph 27: attitudes about lunch, by employment/WFH status, 2024
- Uncoupling lunch from hassle requires attention to ease, convenience (and speed)
- Comfort, satisfaction and energy associations offer big insight
- Graph 28: lunch attitudes by associations, 2025
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INNOVATION AND MARKETING STRATEGIES
- Launch activity and innovation
- Cheese, please
- Grown up Lunchables tap into “newstalgia”
- Taylor Fresh Foods uncomplicates the salad
- Cut down prep time with on-the-go salad mixes
- Graph 29: lunch choice by occasion, various demographics, 2024 – salad
- Marketing and advertising
- Bring the flavor to gluten-free, vegan, organic claims
- Meal deals at grab and go, in app and online
- Signage in grocery stores can call out grab and go as an easy, one-step meal prep
- Bring fun back to lunch
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APPENDIX
- Consumer research questions
- Consumer research methodology
- Generations
- Abbreviations and terms
- CHAID methodology
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