Fewer Americans are going out for lunch, and it's killing restaurants

During the weekday lunch hours, it's more common to see people sitting at their desks than in a comfy booth these days. Going out for lunch is a dying tradition, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Americans sat down to grab lunch 433 million fewer times last year. That comes out to a $3.2 billion loss in business for restaurants, according to research firm the NPD Group.

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Lunchtime restaurant traffic hasn't been this bad in at least 40 years, and it's mainly because more people are eating at our desks. The Journal reports even some restaurant execs they spoke to sometimes order in because they say it's more efficient to eat at their desks.

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It's all bad news for an industry that traditionally relied on the lunch crowd to turn a profit. Cost is also an issue as new minimum wage increases made some restaurant companies raise prices. However, grocery stores have been able to lower food costs, according to Fortune.

That means more bagged lunches at the office.