Business lunches are popular again – but not essential in the city center

By: Trademagazin Date: 2025. 10. 21. 10:53

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According to the latest research from the International Workplace Group (IWG), the business lunch is back on the agenda, with business leaders increasingly choosing this occasion to nurture professional relationships and explore new business opportunities*. However, the location has changed – meetings are increasingly taking place outside city centers, closer to home.

According to the survey of more than 500 senior executives, two-thirds (68%) of those surveyed are attending business lunches more often than two years ago, with this proportion reaching 80% among the 25-34 age group. Data shows that millennials and Gen Z leaders are particularly appreciative of the importance of in-person meetings in the hybrid workplace.

According to IWG research, business lunches are no longer the preserve of downtown business districts. Four-fifths (80%) of leaders now prefer to host such meetings in the suburbs or in areas close to home, helped by the spread of flexible, local office solutions – which reduce the need to commute.

According to OpenTable, Wednesdays are 10% more popular than a year ago, with the largest increase of any day of the week**. This is also in line with IWG’s office usage statistics, which show that professional workspaces are most used on Wednesdays.

The research shows that business leaders attend an average of four and a half business lunches per month, and nearly seven in ten (69%) believe they are crucial to closing deals, while 82% say they make a significant contribution to business results.

In a world increasingly defined by technology, 87% of leaders consider in-person meetings essential. The nature of lunches has also changed, with 81% saying that meetings are now smaller and more focused, compared to the larger meetings they had before the pandemic.

Mark Dixon, founder and CEO of International Workplace Group, said: “Our research shows that the business lunch is alive and well and continues to play a key role in building and strengthening professional relationships. Like the office itself, this practice has not disappeared – it has just transformed. Business meetings and networking are increasingly taking place in the suburbs, in the heart of local communities, close to where people live.”

* The research was conducted by Mortar in May 2025, with 500 business leaders. Mortar is a member of the Market Research Society (MRS) and operates in accordance with the MRS principles.

**OpenTable 2025 Trend Watch Report: https://www.opentable.co.uk/c/top-restaurants/dining-trends/