Ask any office worker what the highlight of their average working day is, and it is likely the answer is “lunch.” We get you. We are you. Asking around our own office and bringing a loupe to the best hour of the working day, here’s what your Bangkok lunch order may say about you, based on its average daily cost.
Not all Bangkok lunches are made equal. Some people love it communal in a crowded street food market, while others prefer it packed in brown paper hipster bags. Some consider the seafood option a splurge, while others aren’t sure what a Satang looks like.
In a city that thrives on good food, we classified the average Bangkok working lunch into one of five key categories. Inspired by this Instagram post from Hong Kong, read on to see where you fit. As always, we’re only poking fun, so take this with a grain of lunch salt. Please let us sob into our Stanleys in peace.
[Hero and Featured Image Credit: Ambitious Studio Rick Barrett/Unsplash]
What your Bangkok office lunch order says about you, based on how much you spend
You spend THB 0 on your lunch
You’re intermittent fasting, you’re a meal-prepper, or you’re broke and its Leftovers O’clock.
In a place that makes spending money so easy, let’s take a moment to applaud those that manage not to spend a single Baht on lunch. They’ve brought coffee in a tumbler, water in a bottle, and a fully cooked meal in a lunch box container. You spend THB 0 on your office lunch because you live a life well-prepared. You shop in bulk on the weekends to get your meal prep ready, or you repurpose leftovers because you know food waste is a crime. If you’re lucky, you may even have staff to do all this for you. If you’re unlucky, your co-workers hate you because you stink up the pantry by heating up your food every day.
On the flip side, maybe you’re just intermittent fasting. Enjoy the green tea, and splurge at dinner.
You spend THB 50-150 on your lunch
You’re a street food lover, you have a regular stall you like to visit, and you love a midday Thai tea, too.
Ah, Thailand. Land of street food and affordable lunches. As an office worker, there’s a lot to love about the street food offerings around the city, be it for morning coffees and teas, afternoon treats, or full-feast lunches. Less than THB 100 can get you a solid feeding at most street food stalls, covering one hearty main and a beverage. The great thing about this category is the variety: noodles today, fried rice tomorrow, som tum after that dreary town hall?
If you’re feeling spend-y, add another THB 35-55 for cha nom yen, roti, or traditional Thai ice cream from an ice cream cart.
You spend THB 150-250 on your lunch
You’re not a regular sad-desk-luncher, you’re a cool sad-desk-luncher.
You like your street food but you also like a good deal. There’s a whole host of restaurants that cater to the likes of you. With special offerings available only on weekdays, you’re always on the hunt for a good bargain, even if the bargain doesn’t entirely suit your palate. Coffee and bagel combos are your jam, even if they aren’t always the most filling lunch option.
The food? Not very nutritious. The fact that the barista remembers your name? Priceless.
You spend THB 250-450 on your lunch
Okay, GetFresh membership. You used to meal-prep, but then you got promoted.
You understand that health is wealth, and wealth means inexplicably expensive salads. Therefore, GetFresh, SaladStop, and Pimp My Salad are your most-ordered on Grab Delivery. You have a management role now, and you like your lunch to do the work for you. Be it a Japanese bento box with sustainably-fished salmon, or a salad bowl with bone broth on the side, your lunch is packed with superfoods, collagen, and digestive enzymes to keep your metabolism running. You don’t down a ginger shot in the mornings for nothing.
Chances are you’re an expat, but not necessarily.
You spend THB 550+ on your lunch
CEO alert! You must be loving the new set lunch menu at Nobu.
While your budget for lunch is much higher, this doesn’t mean you eat more. You just like to eat well. Your tomatoes are heirloom. Your risotto comes with a foie gras topping option. Your food even comes served with a bread basket (which you’ll ignore). Whether it’s to entertain clients or to entertain yourself on a lonely day at the top, the upper price limit for this category is in the sky. Only the company card knows.
You probably eat your lunch with actual silver cutlery. We don’t know about that.
