It's guys, not ladies, who splurge on lunch

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A man eats his lunch at a Burger King in London.

The next time you stop in for a morning latte or head out for a restaurant lunch, take a look around – and don’t be surprised if you see a lot of young men standing in line.

A new survey of workers finds that men spend significantly more on coffee and lunch than women.

The survey, from staffing firm Accounting Principals, also found that younger workers spend more than older workers on lunch and coffee during the workday.

Overall, those lunches out and coffee breaks are costing workers a bundle.  American workers who buy coffee and lunch spend an average of $1,000 a year on coffee and $2,000 a year on lunch, based on the survey of 1,000 workers.

About two-thirds of workers buy lunch and half buy coffee during the week.

Men were slightly more likely than women to go out to eat, but they spent a lot more. The men who buy their lunches spend an average of $46.30 on lunch each week, compared with $26.50 for women who go out to eat.

Men who buy coffee spend an average of $25.70 vs. $15 for women.

The caffeine fix is a bigger hit on the wallets of 18- to 34-year-old workers. Younger workers who buy coffee spend an average of $24.74 a week on coffee, compared with $14.15 for workers 45 and older who buy coffee during the work week. Younger workers also spend far more on lunch than older workers: about $45 a week vs. $32.

Not surprisingly, a third of those surveyed said one of their goals for 2012 was to bring their own lunch more often.

Accounting Principals, a unit of Adecco, commissioned the survey in December.

Tip of the hat to Consumerist, which first reported on the study.

Related:

Frugal food: Brown bag options that won't break the bank

Starbucks raising prices in Northeast, Sunbelt

 

People.com
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nap...oops

    Reply#23 - Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:04 AM EST

    ......aaaahh....another man hater article. Could it be that just maybe the men are spending more because they are buying their female companions' lunch?

      Reply#24 - Tue Jan 24, 2012 12:17 AM EST

      Where's the surprise here? Just ask any waitress. Woman don't buy restaurant food and they don't tip. A guy in his 20's or 30's is the ideal customer. Old ladies are the worst.

        Reply#25 - Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:08 AM EST

        Wow!!!

        What an absolutly stupid article. Isn't it a bit funny its published by a women, who thought its a news? WHY?

        Never seen any news where its say women spend more on clothes...pretty much everything on this planet. But if men can try to fill their stomach, we have to told about it.

        ARGH.....

          Reply#26 - Tue Jan 24, 2012 9:14 AM EST

          Yeah. Splurge. Right. I don't get lunch. And if I could take lunch, 2 Jack tacos and a small Coke would be a splurge! People actually spend $10 or more for lunch!? Must be nice to be rich.

          • 1 vote
          Reply#27 - Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:31 PM EST

          It is a time thing more than a money thing with me . It takes more than a half hour to buy lunch anywhere and enjoy a meal.

            Reply#28 - Sun Jan 29, 2012 8:07 PM EST

            This is news? Of course women will spend less on lunch overall than men! Not to sound sexist, but women are more likely to eat less, watching their figures, than guys.

              Reply#29 - Wed Feb 1, 2012 3:04 PM EST
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