======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ==== ======= ======= ====== ====== ====== ===== ==== ====== ====== ===== ====
There will come a time during your career that you will be faced with the spectre of a solo lunch. You’re a lone wolf, and it’s time to feed. Come to terms with it if you haven’t already. Gone are the days of you hitting up D-Man and Jenkins to meet you at Alvin Ords at 1:30 on a Tuesday. By now you’ve probably eaten in your car more times than you’d like to admit. Or maybe you’ve embraced it. Wherever you stand, don’t let anyone tell you that #teamcarlunch is just a fad, because it’s here and it’s not going away.
@dcarterruff @NotJackKemp scenic view of Sears while I work these nuggets. pic.twitter.com/c4Ef9Nq1gz
— Brooks Hatlen (@Beatg33kz) October 3, 2016
So we’ve established that it’s a thing. Is it depressing? I say no. In fact, I contend that it’s one of the most empowering ways to spend your lunch break. Naturally, some disagree, and I’m cool with that. An unnamed coworker here at headquarters has been really battling me on this. What I’m trying to do here is start a dialogue, and if you’ve read this far, I have succeeded. But we need to answer this question:
What’s more depressing: Car lunch or eating alone inside the restaurant?
You know where I stand, but I’ll be objective here.
Car Lunch
Pros:
Freedom
Solitude
Power Move
Podcasts
AM Radio
Aux Cord
Bluetooth
Limited human interaction
Cons:
Messy
Awkward eye contact with pedestrians
Burns fossil fuels
Solo Restaurant
Pros:
Put out the vibe
Chipotle bar with a chill parking lot view
Crush emails
Let ’em know you’re a grind boy
Cons:
Isolation
Paranoia
Anxiety
Judgment
Human interaction
Running into coworkers
Seeing that dude from college
I think I nailed it, guys. While I’ve never been one to run away from going solo at a local establishment, I’mma ride all day for car lunch nation. Am I wrong? Let me know. But no matter where you stand, get out there and munch. .
Respond
Dave
Lawyer. Writer. Dude doing business. I'm the meatloaf guy from tv.
@dcarterruff
@dcruff
dcarterruff
david@grandex.co
Car lunch lends itself to a 10-20 minute power nap too.
That’s a great point.
Nobody walks by someone sitting alone in their used Camry eating out of a paper bag and thinks, “power move.” If you gotta go solo, go to a good restaurant. Not Chipotle. A decent restaurant. One with tablecloths. If you drive, valet the car. Make it your regular and eat at at the bar so the bartender greets you warmly. Now people see that you’re a known figure, but aren’t really sure you you are. They will assume they should, and that’s what matters. Order the same drink every time so when you sit down, the bartender knows to make it without you asking. A real drink. Because you can.
Check your phone once, otherwise leave it in your pocket. You aren’t worried about being gone for an hour because you’re not an intern or an associate. It’s Deborah’s job to take care of that shit while you’re at lunch. There’s probably a TV behind the bar. It’s showing either news or sports. Maybe both, who cares. Casually make periodic, “can you believe this shit?” head shakes or “hell yeah” nods to the bartender. Assert your opinion without ever having to talk to anyone. Bartender either thinks you’re a genius or a douche, but who cares – he’s a bartender, and he’s going to give off that he likes you because that’s his job. Onlookers just assume he knows you and thinks you’re awesome. When you leave, tip well, but don’t overdo it. You’re generous, not desperate. Casually thank the bartender by name and say “see ya next time.”
When you stroll back into the office lobby, give a smile and a back slap to the kid wiping the honey mustard he dripped down the front of his shirt while sitting by himself in a parking lot. Hit the the close button on the elevator before he gets on and shrug. Power move complete.
Eating at your desk 90% of the time PGP
Big fan of the solo lunch in the restaurant
I don’t know why but I can’t stop laughing at “work these nuggets”
PJ
If you can find yourself a shade tree in a park parking lot you can’t beat the car lunch.
Team car lunch. When I call my husband or mom to bitch about what a cunt Beth in accounting is being today, I don’t want to have to worry if any coworkers are listening in from the booth behind me.
The power move would be to call and bitch while that cunt Beth is right next to you. Show her who’s boss.
Don’t even get me started on Beth
Lunch in the office with the door closed is my go to
Must be nice with that office and all
I feel like it’s weather dependent. You got yourself and nice day? You drop both those windows and crank that sports talk. If it’s hot or cold as balls, quietly church laugh and some tweets and house that burrito indoors.