Just don’t do it. Eating alone, though easier and more enjoyable sometimes (especially if you like yourself as much as I do) we should all do our best to become acquainted with the people at work.

If you’re very entry-level (and young, like myself) it seems very mature of you to invite a group of people to lunch. Taking the quick initiative to say “hey, did you bring a lunch?” is all it takes. I’ve tried my best to go to lunch with everyone in the office because it’s the only real time you can sit down and just talk. If your job is like mine you end up staying focused and serious all day–always business. This time lets you relax and hear a little about the people you spend so much time with. And we all know, work is so much more fun if you enjoy the people you work with.

Even if you’re just talking about work or laughing at shared past experiences you still build rapport. In a group of people at lunch, even if they’re talking about something I’ve never experienced it makes for something I can talk about later (hah, this is like that one time at _______ you were talking about). Plus, it’s better to be interested than interesting (people will like you more).

It just makes sense, I don’t know how else to put it: never eat alone at work.