Desk Lunch: Inside the Slop Bowl Era

Lunch used to mean something: an actual dining experience, not just a sad desk lunch of over-saturated greens. In this episode of Restaurant People, Bryan and Hannah get real about the state of lunch in NYC restaurants and beyond. They ponder how eating out became a capitalist speed run instead of a midday break; wonder what the hell Wonder is; and, discuss all things lunch from Sweetgreen’s rise in this slop bowl era to Austin’s surprisingly chill restaurant culture. Joined by Infatuation Austin’s Matt Jacobs, the trio swaps NYC dining stories, confesses their love-hate relationships with Cava and Pret, and asks: is it time to brunchify lunch? Expect talk of fast-casual chains, how private equity shapes what we eat, and yes, why your “build-your-own” lunch always turns into wet slop. If you’ve ever scrolled a dining guide for something better than another protein bowl, this one’s for you. In this episode, you’ll get: [0:04:04] The current state of office lunch culture [0:06:40] A breakdown of weekday lunch spots in NYC, based on industry [0:08:15] Our thoughts on Sweetgreen as the quintessential millennial working lunch [0:10:05] An index of Slop Bowl businesses [0:14:55] The explanation and psychological dismantling of Wonder [0:22:15] The merits of slop with Infatuation Austin Senior Editor Matt Jacobs [0:27:30] A lunch-themed game of Wednesday, Saturday, or Hell [0:32:20] Details on Austin’s office lunch landscape [0:34:39] Bryan and Hannah’s report on going undercover in a corporate cafeteria [0:38:02] An unrealistic proposal of how to move office lunch culture forward Mentioned in this episode: Sweetgreen https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... ThisBowl https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Cava https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Di Fara https://www.theinfatuation.com/new-yo... Twin Isle https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin... Texas Chili Parlor https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin... Home Slice Pizza https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin... Lambert’s Barbecue https://www.theinfatuation.com/austin... 📣 What’s in your slop bowl? Do you want to “brunchify” your lunch? 🔗 Links and Socials 🖱️ Explore guides and reviews of restaurants around the world: https://www.theinfatuation.com/ 📸 Instagram: @infatuation https://www.instagram.com/infatuation... 📱 TikTok: @restaurantpeople   / restaurantpeople