Weekend, not weekday, lunch is on the rise in D.C.
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D.C. is known as a big brunch town, but weekend lunches are on the rise here and nationally.
Why it matters: Restaurant spending is shifting from weekday lunch hours to the weekends, per Square data, partly as a reflection of pandemic behavior changes.
By the numbers: Overall restaurant transactions for weekday lunch fell nationally from about 21% in 2019 to 18% in 2023, based on data from food and drink establishments using the financial services platform Square.
- By contrast, the weekend's share grew from about 30% in 2019 to 35% in 2023.
- In D.C., weekday lunch is down nearly four percentage points from 2019 to 2023, whereas weekend lunch is up almost six percentage points.
Between the lines: Remote work is a big factor. As is the economy and rising cost of eating out, which makes diners more discerning about where and when they spend their dining dollars. Why spend money on desk salads when you could enjoy a weekend meal?
- Plus, D.C. ranked #1 in the nation for workers skipping lunch breaks.
The intrigue: Some D.C. restaurants are bucking against Benedicts and serving unique weekend lunch menus.
- Buzzy neo-bistro Lutèce in Georgetown switched to a weekend lunch menu to better adhere to its upscale model — more oysters and caviar, fewer egg dishes.
- Stalwart L'Auberge Chez Francois has long offered a "weekend luncheon" for those taking a country jaunt to Great Falls.
Reality check: Lunch isn't a bust, even in office-heavy neighborhoods downtown. There are lots of places, especially higher-end and full-service restaurants, that brought back lunch post-peak pandemic.
- You can also find tons of good weekday lunch options in more residential neighborhoods like the Union Market District or Chevy Chase where, before Covid, things were quieter in the afternoon.