Asian Immigrant In The U.S. Asks Why Americans 'Eat By Themselves In Their Cars' During Lunch Breaks Instead Of Socializing
It's testament to our work culture that lunch breaks are much needed "alone time" for so many of us.
Davor Geber | Shutterstock The U.S. differs from other countries in myriad ways, of course, but one of the most pronounced among them is our food customs. Our work culture is drastically different too, and it turns out the combination of the two adds up to a puzzling bit of American life for recent immigrants.
At least, that's how one immigrant on Reddit has been left feeling after observing how their co-workers use their lunch breaks. The explanations they got from other Americans were very telling.
The Asian immigrant asked why American workers eat lunch 'by themselves in their cars' instead of socializing.
"As an Asian immigrant," the Redditor wrote in their post, "I find it very odd to see my American (mostly white) co-workers eating by themselves in their cars in the parking lot during lunch times."
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They became even more confused after they tried to reach out to their coworker and invite them to lunch. "I asked them to join my lunch group at the picnic tables," they wrote, "but they declined with a straight face."
It left them wondering if "most Americans" have some kind of aversion to "[socializing] during their lunch break." It seems it comes off as a bit anti-social to them, which is perhaps understandable. Hiding in your car does seem a bit standoffish, when you think about it, right?
Many commenters said that their lunch break is a time for much-needed solitude — a major cultural difference from most Asian countries.
"We tend to think of our lunch breaks as personal time to ourselves," one Redditor responded. "Some people will want to eat lunch with coworkers, but others would rather listen to music, talk to family members, or read a book for example. Or just take a nap!"
Several others added that, particularly for introverted people, lunchtime is often more like a refuge than a time to socialize. "I am introverted so being around other people during break time is NOT a break for me," another user wrote. "Give me peace to myself for at least 30 minutes."
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I count myself among the people in this camp — when I worked in offices, my lunch breaks were pretty exclusively spent sitting in parks or going for walks, decompressing. In bad weather, I'd find a spot in the bottom of an adjacent office building or a bookstore and hide in a corner with a book.
This was the only way I could comfortably get through the rest of the workday without feeling exasperated and exhausted by all the phone calls and meetings. And while I was always a guy who loved a good chit-chat (read: gossip session) over the cubicle partition, having a break from all that yapping was essential.
Longer, more sociable lunches also don't fit in with American work culture the way they do in other countries.
But there's more to all this, I'd wager — it's not just about being introverted. It's about American work culture's often relentless demands on our time and attention, the long hours we tend to work, and the pay that all too often isn't in any way commensurate with all that, which only adds to the stress.
As one Redditor put it, "For some people eating in your car is the only way to get a break uninterrupted by work." It's often the ONLY moment you get to yourself all day long.
Many other countries' lunch cultures reflect this key difference. And per this Redditor's observation, Asia is particularly distinct in this regard.
Though many Asian countries are nearly as notorious for crazy work demands as the U.S. is, most Asian countries' approach to life is still far more communal than the U.S.'s in the first place. So perhaps unsurprisingly, it is considered a bit strange to eat lunch alone.
In Japan, for example, all workers go to lunch at the same time — from noon to 1:00 p.m. And while socializing often isn't part of the process, "there is a kind of solidarity and camaraderie in everyone leaving their desks at the same time and eating at the same time," according to Japan Intercultural Consulting.
In China, it's customary to go to lunch together as well and it might be viewed as off-putting if you decline. In South Korea, it's considered strange to eat lunch by yourself, though younger generations are rapidly changing this.
And then there are European countries like France, where lunch is often a leisurely two hours, customarily in a restaurant with wine and all — and partially paid for with vouchers called titres-restaurants, or "ticket resto" colloquially, that are part of a job's compensation package.
If this all sounds insane to you, that's no surprise — can you even imagine an American work culture this friendly and accommodating about literally anything, let alone a lunch break?
Most of us are lucky to get 30 minutes to wolf down our food before we're expected to be back at the grind. When lunch goes by that fast, who wouldn't rather spend it in the quiet of their car, soaking in a moment's peace?
John Sundholm is a news and entertainment writer who covers pop culture, social justice and human interest topics.