The New Order of Food at Work
The workplace is changing, and so are people’s expectations of food at work. In India, where 59% of employees report symptoms of burnout, the highest rate globally, the everyday food experience has a role to play in more than simply satisfying hunger.
Employees are increasingly looking to food to support different moments in their working day: to fuel focus, sustain energy, make healthier choices, take a pause, find comfort or connect with colleagues. In fact, 92% of Indian employees say that taking breaks boosts their productivity, highlighting the importance of creating moments that help people reset and recharge.
This is changing the question employers need to ask. It is no longer simply “What should we serve?” but “What do our people need from food today?”
Because a quick snack can be about energy. A nourishing meal can be about wellbeing. A familiar dish can bring comfort. And a shared meal can become a moment of connection.
People don’t just choose what to eat. They choose how they want to feel.
And that is where the new order of food at work begins.
1. The Way We Eat at Work Is Changing
The traditional workplace meal was built around a predictable rhythm: a defined lunch break, a substantial meal and then back to work. But that rhythm is changing. Breaks are becoming fewer and shorter, even as food is appearing in more moments across the working day.
In India, 44% of employees take two or fewer breaks per week, while one in five spend less than 15 minutes on their main workday break. Yet, despite having less time to pause, employees typically consume two or more snacks during a regular workday in the office. The shift is particularly pronounced among younger employees: 42% of Gen Z snack three or more times a day, compared with 38% of Millennials and 30% of Gen X.
The result is a workplace food experience that is becoming more frequent, flexible and personal. A quick breakfast, a snack between meetings, an afternoon pick-me-up or a coffee break can all become meaningful food moments.
And what people want from these moments varies. A 2025 study of around 6,000 Indian consumers found that 72% actively seek snacks with functional benefits, such as improved energy, enhanced mood or higher protein. Yet 94% want nutritious snacks without compromising on taste.
This tells us something important: employees aren’t looking for one “perfect” food choice. They may want energy one moment, comfort the next, something nutritious on one day and something indulgent on another.
The workplace plate is no longer about serving one standard meal. It is about creating food experiences that can meet people where they are, whatever the moment, mood or need.
From fuel to feeling
Food has always done more than satisfy hunger. A familiar dish can remind us of home. A favourite snack can feel like a reward after a long meeting. A cup of chai can signal a pause in the day. And sharing a meal can turn colleagues into a community.
And the connection between food and mood is particularly interesting in India. A 2025 India Habit Index survey found that 64.74% of respondents identified comfort food as the food mood they experience most often, followed by 23.25% who chose spicy and flavourful food and 4.91% who chose sweet indulgence.
At work, these emotional associations matter even more. Our Global Eating at Work 2025 research found that 66% of employees globally choose familiar foods because they find them comforting. For employees spending long hours away from home, familiar flavours and food rituals can provide a sense of normality, belonging and connection within an otherwise demanding day.
And our cravings can shift with how we feel. Research suggests that stress can increase cravings for sensory experiences such as spiciness, richness and crunch, while sweet and spicy foods can evoke different emotional responses. That can make a spicy snack after a difficult meeting, a sweet treat at the end of a long day or a familiar home-style meal when you’re missing home feel like more than a food choice.
And comfort is only one part of the picture. Food can also be about indulgence, celebration and reward. A sweet treat after a difficult morning, a Friday lunch with colleagues or a regional favourite during a festival can all serve a purpose that has little to do with hunger.
This is particularly relevant in India, where food is closely intertwined with culture, memory and ritual. A Consumer survey found that 74% of Indian consumers say their food choices are strongly rooted in cultural heritage and longstanding traditions.
So, when an employee chooses a particular meal, the decision may be about much more than its nutritional profile. It might be about feeling at home when they are far from home, rewarding themselves, maintaining a familiar ritual, discovering something new, celebrating a moment or simply taking pleasure in what they eat.
That is why the future of workplace food cannot be reduced to a “healthy versus indulgent” choice. People need both and they need different things at different moments.
The role of food at work is evolving from something that simply fuels the employee to something that can change the way the employee feels.
The rise of intentional eating at work
If food can influence how we feel in the moment, it is also becoming part of how people think about how they want to feel over time.
Indian consumers are becoming more conscious of the relationship between food and wellbeing. A Consumer survey found that 84% of Indian consumers are concerned about food safety, while 82% are concerned about the nutritional value of their food. Health benefits are also becoming a meaningful driver of choice, with 29% ranking health benefits among their top three reasons for switching food brands.
This is part of a broader move towards intentional eating, looking beyond whether something tastes good or fills you up and considering what it contributes to your wellbeing. Protein is a good example: 34% of Indian consumers cite high protein content among their top three considerations when shopping for food.
But intentional eating doesn’t mean every workplace meal needs to become a “health meal”. It means giving people the information, variety and quality to make informed choices that align with what matters to them, whether that is more protein, more fibre, balanced nutrition, familiar ingredients or simply feeling good about what they have eaten.
And importantly, this doesn’t have to come at the expense of pleasure. As Indian food choices become more intentional, taste remains central. The opportunity is not to make food at work more restrictive, but to make better choices feel just as appealing.
The workplace, therefore, can become more than a place where employees grab a meal. It can become an everyday environment where healthier habits are made easier, without taking away the enjoyment, culture and choice that make food meaningful in the first place.
The most powerful workplace food experiences will be the ones that understand the moment, a little energy, a taste of home, a familiar ritual, a well-earned indulgence or simply a reason to sit together.
Because the right food can change more than your plate. It can change your day.
