Visa recently released a survey on Americans' midday meal habits. Among their findings: Americans go out to eat for lunch an average of about twice a week and spend $10 per meal. That works out to be an average of $18 per week or $936 per year on lunching out.
Men are more likely than women to eat out for lunch and outspent women by an average of 44 percent on a weekly basis. So that $18 average figures out at $21 per week for men and just under $15 for women. The upper 1 percenters actually reported spending over $50 per meal, or about five grand a year on lunch, while the bottom 30 percent of respondents said they never buy lunch out at all.
There were some regional disparities as well:
· Southerners lead the regions of the country in spending per week. The average Southerner eats out twice per week, spending $10 each time for an average of $20 per week. · Westerners mirrored the national average spending $10 per lunch 1.8 times a week for an average of $18 per week on lunch.· Midwesterners went out for lunch 1.7 times a week and spent only $8.90 per meal. They averaged $15.13 per week
· Northeasterners ate their lunches out the least often but splurged the most when they did. In the Northeast respondents only ate out 1.5 times a week but spent 14% more per meal than the national average at $11.40 for a weekly total of $17.10.
What do you think, Bitesters? Do these numbers sound about right to you? What's your average midday spend? Do the $50-plus bizpig power-lunchers exist in this town? Where's your treat spot for lunch?
Inquiring minds want to know.
