It's depressing but true -- unlike our European counterparts, Americans don't give a hoot about a long leisurely lunch. I'm lucky enough to work with folks who can easily be coerced into lounging around Beale Street on a Friday afternoon. But apparently more than half of all Americans are more likely to work through lunch than to sit down and enjoy a tasty midday meal. All this depressing news is courtesy of a survey conducted by Smoothie King, a franchise I've not personally ever seen before.
On the flipside, if we *do* bother to head to a restaurant to eat, we get testy if we are rushed on our way.
You just can't win.
I can't recall the last time I saw a leisurely San Francisco lunch taking place. Our downtown and financial district areas are full of office workers scarfing down overpriced junk food or getting cheap takeout from Lee's to eat back at their desk while sifting through emails. What a bummer. It would be so much nicer to have a 2-hour midday break for shopping, napping, or having a nice chat with friends over lunch.
I think I need to compile my downtown lunch list and start corralling people.
