In the US, people tend to take shorter lunch breaks than workers in some other countries. In a 2016 survey of its employees by corporate services firm Edenred, for example, 51% of US respondents took between 15 and 30 minutes for lunch, and only 3% took more than 45 minutes, far less than in France, where 43% of respondents take 45 minutes or more.
Faith Raagas / Makati City, Philippines
Jollijeeps – semi-permanent food carts – started popping up around Makati City about five years ago, as part of a city initiative to organise and regulate street vendors, says Faith Ragaas, a manager at an investment management firm. Her favourite, Lirios, is a three-minute walk from her office.
“Instead of the normal greasy food that’s sold in plastic on the street, there are a few good Jollijeeps that have become known for providing a healthy, home-made type lunch that gives workers another option than having to go to a restaurant or cafeteria,” she says.
Having three full meals a day is so crucial in the Philippines that the lunch hour is protected by the labour code, says Ragaas, with one hour given to each employee for every eight hours of work.
Dining and Cooking