Lunch Identity Theft Is Plaguing Our Offices
I've noticed a curious lunchtime behavior at the office. Whoever breaks for lunch first often dictates what the rest of the hive will bring back. For example, if the first real smell of the day in the office is a slice of New York City pizza, you're likely to not crave Subway no matter how powerful the bread's odor is.
Two culprits near the Food Republic headquarters are Chipotle and Minar, that Indian spot down the street we can't get enough of. Should the first lunch-breaker open a take-out container from either of those places, it's very likely that one or more of my colleagues will follow suit. Chipotle just smells really good in general, and Indian food is so ridiculously overpowering that it's almost brainwashing. It's not like you were debating in your head between a boring turkey sandwich and some insane vindaloo.
Appearance can also dictate a lunch choice. A nicely arranged plastic thing of take-out sushi (not from a deli) will incite jealousy and regret in the person sadly picking at a limp, overdressed salad. Whether you answer truthfully when someone asks, "hey, where did you get that?" or choose to withhold that information (jerk), keep in mind that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and should you start that day's office trend, don't make a big deal out of it because tomorrow when the first scent molecules from someone's epic sesame chicken hit your nostrils, your falafel revolution will be entirely forgotten.
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