18) Dinner at Work

Comped dinners at the office are a good idea in theory. The first few times, the naive thought is, "Free dinner! With coworkers/friends! Convenient and fun!" But once supping at work becomes a routine, it quickly loses its appeal.

Now the ritual breaking of bread involves a group of coworkers sitting in silence around a conference room table. Eating at work has stripped away all pretense of enjoyment, reducing food to mere sustenance. While there may be some small banter, most let their eyes glaze over, minds enjoying a brief reprieve. Amidst the robotic chewing, there is a quiet sense of solidarity, much like soldiers noshing in the trenches.

This makes it especially depressing when one dines solo at chez office. Eating only in the company of your computer screen, you find that your own hunger and productivity get in the way of one another. Either way - you lose.

It seems then, that one of the vital elements of an enjoyable dinner is one that is eaten away from the office. Despite the delicious free food and great company, the missing change of scenery is highly underestimated.