But with the ever increasing strains on French income – it’s easier, and cheaper, to eat at the desk.
Charles Mendy is the typical French businessman.
Most days he will take 20 minutes for his lunch, and normally he will eat it in the office – though it’s not all about the money.
“We do have a kitchen in the office,” says Charles. “And sometimes I’ll eat my lunch there – but more often than not I eat it in front of the computer.
“I used to take an hour for lunch. Now… the workload is too big.”
So is it an unspoken pressure that comes from the employer?
“No, I could take an hour if I wanted but I would have to stay longer to finish in the evenings,” he says.
“The working day has changed. My company is American. We work and interact with colleagues in New York who are starting their day when we are at lunch – I think habits have changed to reflect the global nature of our business.”
Dining and Cooking