How Much Does the “Return to Office” Era Really Cost American Workers?

Key Findings:

• Buying lunch daily costs workers $5,664 a year, with typical meals being between $18–$23.

• For hybrid workers, the cost of coffee and lunch is about $55 per office day, making the first 2 hours effectively unpaid.

• Tuesdays through Thursdays have become the most expensive days of the week, as team lunches and social pressure push workers to skip packing food from home.

A new study by BLogic Systems set out to answer exactly that. The average office lunch now costs $23.60 in major urban cities, and for many workers, it’s become one of the most expensive parts of being back in the office.

Other interesting findings include:

• The "Hybrid Work Tax" is Real: The average employee now spends $55 per day on commuting and dining just to show up to the office, making the first two hours of the workday essentially unpaid.

• People Spend $100+ Weekly on Lunch: The average daily worker now spends $108.68 per week only on midday meals.

• The "Anchor Day" Effect: Hybrid schedules have turned Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays into social events, increasing pressure to grab lunch with colleagues ($18+ avg) rather than packing lunch.

The study uses BLogic System’s Lunch Cost Model, which compares the actual cost of an office-day meal, a home-packed meal, weekly spending patterns, and annual totals. Based on this model, researchers identified four common lunch habits and calculated how each one impacts a worker’s yearly budget.

Here is a look at the costs associated with the most common workforce dining profiles:

Profile	Annual Cost	Impact
The "Daily Diner" (Fast Casual)	$5.6k	Severe
The "Hybrid Balance" (3 Days)	$3.8K	High
The "Fast Food Regular"	$2.7K	Moderate
The "Strategic Packer"	$1.3K	Low

The “Daily Diner” spends $5,664.00 yearly on lunch alone

Daily diners face the highest lunch costs in the workforce. Popular “healthy” options such as grain bowls, salads, and protein plates now cost $18–$23 per meal, which in many cases is more than the average U.S. hourly wage. Add a cup of coffee, and a regular office day can cost more than $15 before the afternoon even starts.

Hybrid workers face the second-highest “Cost of Showing Up”

Even with two days at home, hybrid employees still face $3,398.40 in annual costs for just showing up. On office days, spending on lunch, coffee, and commuting totals about $55 per day. Because hybrid workers are on-site less often, office days usually become social lunch days, which increases spending on Tuesdays through Thursdays.

Fast-food buyers are no longer saving as much as they used to

Fast food used to be the cheaper alternative, but steady price increases have changed that. With the average meal now costing $11.56, this group spends nearly $2,800 a year, which is not far behind premium options.

The “Packer” remains the most cost-effective profile

A home-packed meal averages $5.50, keeping weekly spending low and annual costs minimal. Compared to a Daily Diner, packing lunch saves workers over $4,300 a year, making it the only option that consistently beats inflation.

Consumer Insights: The “Little Treat” Culture

The study shows that these numbers are not caused by the rising prices alone. According to a recent survey, 51% of Millennial and Gen Z workers rely on small rewards, $6 coffees, and mid-day “sweet treats” to remain motivated during the workday.

Expert Takeaway

A spokesperson for BLogic Systems explained:

“For a lot of workers, being back in the office feels like taking a pay cut. Lunch, commuting, and even the small “sweet treats” people buy to get through the day have turned into real financial pressure points. These everyday costs now shape how motivated employees feel at work.

“In fact, 58% of employees say that free lunch would make them more willing to come in, yet only five percent actually get it. That mismatch is a huge opportunity for employers to increase attendance by easing the daily expenses employees are struggling with in this economy.”