Is the Business Lunch Dead?

My life is hectic. What business owner’s isn't? As the CEO of SBTV.com, I have a million things going on at once. Recently, a friend I haven't seen in a while sent an email ending it with "Hey, let's get together for lunch." Lunch? Lunch? Who has time for lunch? Lunch is something I eat quickly at my desk . I never finish it and rarely even taste it. I'm afraid to admit that too often lunch consists of a handful of Girl Scout Cookies or microwave popcorn.

Am I crazy or is this the way life is today? Has life become so fast paced that the business lunch is nearly extinct? Of course, there are occassions for a celebratory business lunch with a business associate or an important sales type lunch where you're trying to close a deal. But, I'm talking about the casual, let's get together for lunch type lunch.

When I started my professional career, the managers and executives commonly took long-lunch hours. Many came back a lot happier than when they left too. (Three-martini lunches.) However, Oscar Mayer recently commissioned a scientific survey by Impulse Research Corporation on the average lunch and found 70 percent of survey respondents rarely take an hour long lunch break. In fact, more often, the average U-S worker is more likely to carve out some personal time during lunch, rather than go out for the traditional sit-down meal.

Personally, if I eat a heavy lunch, I'm ready for a nap in the afternoon. Long lunch hours also interrupt the flow of my work. I'd rather leave the office at a fairly decent time than take an hour or more (you have to consider drive time too) out of my day at lunch.

I've noticed a lot of people are opting for breakfast or mid-morning/afternoon coffee meetings instead of lunch. Even a cocktail after work hours is preferential to lunch. So what do you think? Are we past the era of the casual business lunch?

What do you think? Is the business lunch dying or is it dead? Share your thoughts and stories with us. If I'm wrong -- tell me I'm wrong. As I said, it could just be me.