Where do you eat your lunch at work if no staff room and raining?

[pancakescone]

I started a new job over the summer. In previous jobs we've had a staff room with tables and sofas so room for staff to sit and eat their lunch/have their break if they want to. My current job has a small kitchen with only about four seats for an office floor of at least 25-30 people. When the weather was better I sat on a bench in a nearby grassy area to eat my lunch.

If you don't want to sit at your desk at lunchtime, where do you go to eat your lunch if it's raining/snowing/freezing outside?

Car in a previous job, at my desk at this one.

It can be quite tricky. There aren't many options.
If its just that you need a break from your desk, can you walk to something like a library or church near by? I wouldn't eat inside either but you could eat a sandwich on route and then read there or something.
If there's a large train or bus station nearby those will usually have seating where you could stop and eat a sandwich.

I'd probably take one of the few seats in the kitchen if I wanted to be social, I'd go to my car if not or else I'd turn things off and eat at my desk.

I’m a teacher and most of us eat at our desks whether there’s room in the staff room or not. It can still be a break and you can still chat to people. I don’t eat at work at the same time.

Car or desk

Car not an option for me unfortunately as get public transport to work

I did occasionally eat lunch in my car in a previous job whenever I just wanted time away from other people (it was a very public-facing job)

Get dressed up and go for a nice walk. Take a wrap and a drink with you.
Not healthy to spend all day indoors sitting down.

Probably in your situation I’d just eat at my desk.
when I’m in the office I tend to go out for lunch, we don’t have a staff room that’s separate.
central London, I don’t drive in!

At my last job there was nowhere to sit except at my desk, so I ate there. I could have gone to a cafe if I'd been buying lunch, but I brought it from home - buying it every day was far too expensive even seven years ago.

I'd go for a walk for the fresh air and change of scenery, then eat my lunch in the small kitchen area or at my desk when I returned. What does everyone else do?

By law companies have to provide space to relax and rest - eg have lunch.

4 seats isn't adequate.

They only have to provide somewhere if it’s not safe to eat at your workstation. If OP and their colleagues work at office desks, assuming they aren’t using chemicals, then it is safe to eat at their desks.

I always eat my lunch in my car as it’s the only way I can get any peace. But as you don’t have one I guess it’s your desk. Not ideal but..

On the rare occasions when I have a lunch break😫
-in my car
-out walking
-library.
Not at all anti-social; sometimes I need a moment to breath.

In my classroom while marking books

In my car. I don't want to be talking to people or getting interrupted on my unpaid lunch break.

In the warm weather I sit at one of two picnic tables we have. I currently go and sit in my car

I could sit at my desk but people are constantly coming in and out and I want to remove myself from my job. I just want some peace and quiet

I could go to one of the staff rooms we have which is about a five minute walk away in another building but I can't be bothered with that

Exactly this

Nope it has to be away from your workstation.

If I eat at my desk I get constant questions, even if I put headphones on. I'd either eat in the small kitchen area or buy lunch out and eat there.

At my desk

This isn't true.

From ACAS:

The employee or worker has the right to take their rest break:

• uninterrupted
• away from where they work, for example away from their desk
• at a time that's not the very start or end of their working day

https://www.acas.org.uk/rest-breaks

As far as I know, though, there's nothing in the legislation that says employers have to provide somewhere for employees to eat their lunch.

All it says is that they should be allowed to spend it away from their desk or workstation. Not that the employer has to provide somewhere for them to do so.

It depends on the work/environment.

You're entitled to have your break in a way that's relaxing - if that's not possible at your desk, then your employer really should be providing you with an alternative.