How Hybrid Working Is Rewriting the UK’s Out-of-Home Eating Habits
Hybrid working has reshaped the rhythms of the working day. As employees split their time between home and the office, a new pattern of out-of-home (OOH) eating has emerged – one that blends value-consciousness with small indulgences, convenience with curiosity, and routine with a growing appetite for global flavour.
To better understand this shift, we conducted a national consumer study supported by Rochester PR, with all insights and analysis delivered by HRA. Our aim was to capture a real-time picture of how workers choose, buy and consume food during the workday, and what this means for food brands, retailers, and workplace caterers navigating this new landscape.
What we found is a consumer who still values OOH food, but on very different terms than before.
A consumer who eats out often but with new habits
Despite higher living costs and changing work routines, OOH food buying remains a core part of the workday. In our study, 81% of workers buy food away from home at least once a week, and more than half (57%) do so several times per week.
But their approach has shifted. Today’s consumer is guided less by planning and more by in-the-moment choices: 44% decide what to buy on impulse, reflecting fluctuating office days, looser timetables, and inconsistent lunch breaks. The working day has become more fluid and food habits have followed suit.
This behavioural shift also raises the stakes for brands. As Joanna Dodd, Managing Director of Rochester PR Group, notes:
“Brands need to consider how they stay relevant and top of mind as these results clearly show a lot of consumers are making impulse decisions when purchasing food. They also need striking branding, good quality product and an instantly recognisable offering.”
Her point underlines a truth running through this research: in an impulsive market, clarity and distinctiveness win.
Lunch remains the centrepiece of the OOH market, with 87% buying for this occasion, making it the anchor point in an otherwise unpredictable workday. Snacks also now play a more prominent role, with 57% purchasing them during the day – a sign of long, hybrid working windows and a desire for quick, portable energy.
The commute is quietly returning and bringing new food moments with it
Although hybrid remains dominant, commutes are creeping back into weekly routines. This shift is generating new food purchase windows on both sides of the workday.
In our research, 34% buy food on the commute in, while 41% pick something up on the way home. The majority (75%) buy food during the workday itself.
This “three-touchpoint” pattern marks a departure from the singular lunchtime purchase that defined pre-pandemic behaviour. There are now distinct micro-moments: breakfast on-the-go, lunchtime near the office, and end-of-day top-ups. Each carries different needs, formats and emotional cues – representing a broader opportunity for brands to meet workers where they are.
Q: On a typical workday, when are you likely to buy food? (Select all that apply)The cost-of-living squeeze is reshaping OOH value perceptions
One of the strongest behavioural drivers today is financial pressure. Workers are becoming more intentional about what they spend during the workday.
In our study, 41% say they now spend less on food during workdays than they did 2–3 years ago. Only 28% spend more. Those cutting back cite saving money (64%) and bringing food from home more often (54%) as their main reasons.
Yet at the same time, a meaningful minority are spending more, typically because they are back in the office more often (59%) or choosing higher-quality or more premium items (32%). Some even eat out socially with colleagues more frequently (38%).
This has created a two-speed market:
- One side is trading down and seeking value.
- The other is trading up, using OOH food as a small everyday reward.
Both ends are growing – but the middle risks being squeezed.
A fragmented marketplace: supermarkets, canteens, cafés and everything in between
Where workers buy food is now far more varied than before. Supermarkets have become the leading destination, with 61% choosing them for workday food, thanks in part to strong meal deal propositions. Cafés and delis follow closely (52%), while workplace canteens still attract half of consumers (51%). Fast food outlets pull in 31%, and vending machines, though smaller, still play a role for 11%.
There is no single dominant channel. Instead, consumers hop between options based on mood, convenience, price, or the quality they want that day. The rise of supermarket-led lunching, supported by the fact that 21% buy a meal deal daily and 29% several times a week, reflects how powerful value clarity has become.
The message is clear: the OOH landscape is no longer a single “route to lunch”, but a multifaceted ecosystem where loyalty is fluid.
Q: On a typical workday, where do you typically buy food from? (Select all that apply)Functional health is the new workplace priority
Healthy eating hasn’t disappeared, it has evolved. Workers increasingly seek food that fits into a busy schedule without compromising their wellbeing.
Across our respondents, 66% look for high-protein options when buying food for the workday. Nearly half (46%) seek low-sugar choices, and around a third look for calorie-controlled options (31%) or high-fibre foods (24%).
Meanwhile, 59% say they prioritise speed and convenience more at work than at home, and 34% admit they are more likely to grab a treat while in the workplace, illustrating a blend of discipline and indulgence that characterises modern workday eating.
This is a practical, functional approach to health – not aspirational. Food must work hard, move fast, and deliver visible benefits.
Consumers are becoming more conscious and selective
Workday eating habits have changed significantly for most people. Only 10% reported no change over the past 2–3 years. The rest described a mix of more mindful behaviours: eating more healthily (40%), preparing food at home more often (38%), wasting less (36%), being more cost-conscious (32%), and eating more protein (30%).
These shifts all point toward a consumer who wants OOH food to complement – not replace – the meals and routines they manage at home. The more OOH food aligns with their sense of personal control, the more likely it is to win.
Q: Have your eating habits during the workday changed in the last 2–3 years? (Select all that apply)International flavours are becoming a workday staple
One of the clearest stories in the data is the rise of global flavours in everyday workplace eating. A striking 86% of consumers say they now see a wider variety of international cuisines available, and 44% are eating more global flavours than they did 2–3 years ago.
Interest spans both established and emerging cuisines:
- British remains the strongest anchor (74% interest),
- but Italian (54%), Chinese (40%), Mediterranean (37%), Mexican (35%), Thai (33%) and American (33%) all have strong appeal.
More notably, African (22%), Japanese (25%), Korean (20%) and South American (15%) cuisines show growing opportunity spaces.
Crucially, consumers are not waiting for evenings or weekends to explore global foods, they want them at lunch, in accessible, portable, well-priced formats.
The opportunity for food brands and operators
Taken together, the findings paint a picture of a consumer who is:
- convenience-led but nutritionally discerning
- budget-aware but still willing to indulge
- increasingly open to global flavours
- using OOH food to supplement home-prepped habits
- making fast, spontaneous decisions that respond to hybrid routines
For the industry, this creates distinct opportunity areas:
1. Convenience needs reframing
Quick, portable, microwavable, resealable formats matter more than ever.
2. Protein is the new norm
Consumers expect it across meals and snacks.
3. Global flavours carry real growth potential
Particularly cuisines that remain underrepresented in mainstream lunch ranges.
4. Lunch is still the battleground – but not the only one
Commute-driven breakfast and evening top-ups are gaining momentum.
5. Value and premium both win
But the squeezed middle must adapt quickly.
Q: On a typical workday, what is your budget for buying food?
Final thoughts
Workday eating has always echoed working culture and today, it reflects the complex balancing act workers perform between cost, health, convenience and experimentation. As hybrid routines settle in, the OOH food landscape is becoming more dynamic, fragmented, and full of opportunity.
