“Lunch”, “Break”, “Out to lunch”?

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What do they usually write on the sign in public places to inform the visitor that the service is temporarily paused for the lunchtime? "Lunch", "Break", "Out to lunch"?



(Can you, please, specify which English-speaking country you mean?)







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    up vote
    6
    down vote

    favorite
    3












    What do they usually write on the sign in public places to inform the visitor that the service is temporarily paused for the lunchtime? "Lunch", "Break", "Out to lunch"?



    (Can you, please, specify which English-speaking country you mean?)







    share|improve this question
























      up vote
      6
      down vote

      favorite
      3









      up vote
      6
      down vote

      favorite
      3






      3





      What do they usually write on the sign in public places to inform the visitor that the service is temporarily paused for the lunchtime? "Lunch", "Break", "Out to lunch"?



      (Can you, please, specify which English-speaking country you mean?)







      share|improve this question














      What do they usually write on the sign in public places to inform the visitor that the service is temporarily paused for the lunchtime? "Lunch", "Break", "Out to lunch"?



      (Can you, please, specify which English-speaking country you mean?)









      share|improve this question













      share|improve this question




      share|improve this question








      edited Aug 14 at 15:36

























      asked Aug 13 at 5:28









      brilliant

      6712920




      6712920




















          3 Answers
          3






          active

          oldest

          votes

















          up vote
          11
          down vote



          accepted










          In informal conversation, it's common to say "I'll be out for lunch from 12 to 1" or "We break for lunch at 11".



          A sign might say "out to lunch", but I think this is rare today. It's considered too informal. Usually a sign will give the hours, like "Open 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm". The idea that the time from 1:00 to 2:00 (in this example) is a lunch break is usually not stated but simply implied by the gap.



          A sign wouldn't normally just say "lunch", as that would not be clear whether it meant that the place is closed for lunch, or that they are serving lunch, or just what they are doing about lunch.






          share|improve this answer




















          • @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
            – Jay
            Aug 13 at 5:46






          • 14




            "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
            – DRF
            Aug 13 at 9:09






          • 4




            In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
            – alephzero
            Aug 13 at 10:21










          • Google image search "sign hours open closed".
            – Nigel Touch
            Aug 13 at 14:09


















          up vote
          8
          down vote













          There isn't any official sign that I'm aware of in the US. But we wouldn't simply say Lunch or Break. We Americans are a bit fussy about putting things clearly in any sort of official communication, often to the point that those communications are so wordy that they are hard to make sense of.



          We might say Out to lunch or On lunch break, but that doesn't cover other reasons why we might be closed, and nobody really wants an explanation anyway. They just want to know when you will be back. So more typical is a sign that simply says when you are going to return.



          There is a popular sign says WILL RETURN and then has a clock underneath with movable hands. If you'd like to see one, you can have a look here. I see this sign often.






          share|improve this answer



























            up vote
            0
            down vote













            "Closed for Lunch" is what I would expect to see. Google image search for the term backs this up.








            share|improve this answer






















            • It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
              – L. Moneta
              Aug 13 at 18:24










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            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes








            3 Answers
            3






            active

            oldest

            votes









            active

            oldest

            votes






            active

            oldest

            votes








            up vote
            11
            down vote



            accepted










            In informal conversation, it's common to say "I'll be out for lunch from 12 to 1" or "We break for lunch at 11".



            A sign might say "out to lunch", but I think this is rare today. It's considered too informal. Usually a sign will give the hours, like "Open 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm". The idea that the time from 1:00 to 2:00 (in this example) is a lunch break is usually not stated but simply implied by the gap.



            A sign wouldn't normally just say "lunch", as that would not be clear whether it meant that the place is closed for lunch, or that they are serving lunch, or just what they are doing about lunch.






            share|improve this answer




















            • @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
              – Jay
              Aug 13 at 5:46






            • 14




              "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
              – DRF
              Aug 13 at 9:09






            • 4




              In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
              – alephzero
              Aug 13 at 10:21










            • Google image search "sign hours open closed".
              – Nigel Touch
              Aug 13 at 14:09















            up vote
            11
            down vote



            accepted










            In informal conversation, it's common to say "I'll be out for lunch from 12 to 1" or "We break for lunch at 11".



            A sign might say "out to lunch", but I think this is rare today. It's considered too informal. Usually a sign will give the hours, like "Open 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm". The idea that the time from 1:00 to 2:00 (in this example) is a lunch break is usually not stated but simply implied by the gap.



            A sign wouldn't normally just say "lunch", as that would not be clear whether it meant that the place is closed for lunch, or that they are serving lunch, or just what they are doing about lunch.






            share|improve this answer




















            • @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
              – Jay
              Aug 13 at 5:46






            • 14




              "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
              – DRF
              Aug 13 at 9:09






            • 4




              In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
              – alephzero
              Aug 13 at 10:21










            • Google image search "sign hours open closed".
              – Nigel Touch
              Aug 13 at 14:09













            up vote
            11
            down vote



            accepted







            up vote
            11
            down vote



            accepted






            In informal conversation, it's common to say "I'll be out for lunch from 12 to 1" or "We break for lunch at 11".



            A sign might say "out to lunch", but I think this is rare today. It's considered too informal. Usually a sign will give the hours, like "Open 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm". The idea that the time from 1:00 to 2:00 (in this example) is a lunch break is usually not stated but simply implied by the gap.



            A sign wouldn't normally just say "lunch", as that would not be clear whether it meant that the place is closed for lunch, or that they are serving lunch, or just what they are doing about lunch.






            share|improve this answer












            In informal conversation, it's common to say "I'll be out for lunch from 12 to 1" or "We break for lunch at 11".



            A sign might say "out to lunch", but I think this is rare today. It's considered too informal. Usually a sign will give the hours, like "Open 9:00am-1:00pm, 2:00pm-6:00pm". The idea that the time from 1:00 to 2:00 (in this example) is a lunch break is usually not stated but simply implied by the gap.



            A sign wouldn't normally just say "lunch", as that would not be clear whether it meant that the place is closed for lunch, or that they are serving lunch, or just what they are doing about lunch.







            share|improve this answer












            share|improve this answer



            share|improve this answer










            answered Aug 13 at 5:42









            Jay

            44.9k13988




            44.9k13988











            • @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
              – Jay
              Aug 13 at 5:46






            • 14




              "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
              – DRF
              Aug 13 at 9:09






            • 4




              In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
              – alephzero
              Aug 13 at 10:21










            • Google image search "sign hours open closed".
              – Nigel Touch
              Aug 13 at 14:09

















            • @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
              – Jay
              Aug 13 at 5:46






            • 14




              "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
              – DRF
              Aug 13 at 9:09






            • 4




              In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
              – alephzero
              Aug 13 at 10:21










            • Google image search "sign hours open closed".
              – Nigel Touch
              Aug 13 at 14:09
















            @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
            – Jay
            Aug 13 at 5:46




            @brilliant Sorry, I'm from the US. It occurs to me that things like "how formal" can vary between regions, and I really don't recall if this is different in different parts of the country.
            – Jay
            Aug 13 at 5:46




            14




            14




            "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
            – DRF
            Aug 13 at 9:09




            "Out to lunch" is also used to mean not fully mentally competent so maybe not the best choice.
            – DRF
            Aug 13 at 9:09




            4




            4




            In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
            – alephzero
            Aug 13 at 10:21




            In the UK you might see a sign saying "Closed for lunch" in an informal context - but not "out to lunch", because as @DRF said, that has a different meaning!
            – alephzero
            Aug 13 at 10:21












            Google image search "sign hours open closed".
            – Nigel Touch
            Aug 13 at 14:09





            Google image search "sign hours open closed".
            – Nigel Touch
            Aug 13 at 14:09













            up vote
            8
            down vote













            There isn't any official sign that I'm aware of in the US. But we wouldn't simply say Lunch or Break. We Americans are a bit fussy about putting things clearly in any sort of official communication, often to the point that those communications are so wordy that they are hard to make sense of.



            We might say Out to lunch or On lunch break, but that doesn't cover other reasons why we might be closed, and nobody really wants an explanation anyway. They just want to know when you will be back. So more typical is a sign that simply says when you are going to return.



            There is a popular sign says WILL RETURN and then has a clock underneath with movable hands. If you'd like to see one, you can have a look here. I see this sign often.






            share|improve this answer
























              up vote
              8
              down vote













              There isn't any official sign that I'm aware of in the US. But we wouldn't simply say Lunch or Break. We Americans are a bit fussy about putting things clearly in any sort of official communication, often to the point that those communications are so wordy that they are hard to make sense of.



              We might say Out to lunch or On lunch break, but that doesn't cover other reasons why we might be closed, and nobody really wants an explanation anyway. They just want to know when you will be back. So more typical is a sign that simply says when you are going to return.



              There is a popular sign says WILL RETURN and then has a clock underneath with movable hands. If you'd like to see one, you can have a look here. I see this sign often.






              share|improve this answer






















                up vote
                8
                down vote










                up vote
                8
                down vote









                There isn't any official sign that I'm aware of in the US. But we wouldn't simply say Lunch or Break. We Americans are a bit fussy about putting things clearly in any sort of official communication, often to the point that those communications are so wordy that they are hard to make sense of.



                We might say Out to lunch or On lunch break, but that doesn't cover other reasons why we might be closed, and nobody really wants an explanation anyway. They just want to know when you will be back. So more typical is a sign that simply says when you are going to return.



                There is a popular sign says WILL RETURN and then has a clock underneath with movable hands. If you'd like to see one, you can have a look here. I see this sign often.






                share|improve this answer












                There isn't any official sign that I'm aware of in the US. But we wouldn't simply say Lunch or Break. We Americans are a bit fussy about putting things clearly in any sort of official communication, often to the point that those communications are so wordy that they are hard to make sense of.



                We might say Out to lunch or On lunch break, but that doesn't cover other reasons why we might be closed, and nobody really wants an explanation anyway. They just want to know when you will be back. So more typical is a sign that simply says when you are going to return.



                There is a popular sign says WILL RETURN and then has a clock underneath with movable hands. If you'd like to see one, you can have a look here. I see this sign often.







                share|improve this answer












                share|improve this answer



                share|improve this answer










                answered Aug 13 at 5:46









                BobRodes

                11.7k1430




                11.7k1430




















                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote













                    "Closed for Lunch" is what I would expect to see. Google image search for the term backs this up.








                    share|improve this answer






















                    • It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                      – L. Moneta
                      Aug 13 at 18:24














                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote













                    "Closed for Lunch" is what I would expect to see. Google image search for the term backs this up.








                    share|improve this answer






















                    • It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                      – L. Moneta
                      Aug 13 at 18:24












                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote










                    up vote
                    0
                    down vote









                    "Closed for Lunch" is what I would expect to see. Google image search for the term backs this up.








                    share|improve this answer














                    "Closed for Lunch" is what I would expect to see. Google image search for the term backs this up.









                    share|improve this answer














                    share|improve this answer



                    share|improve this answer








                    edited Aug 14 at 19:50

























                    answered Aug 13 at 17:57









                    Mark Lakata

                    1706




                    1706











                    • It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                      – L. Moneta
                      Aug 13 at 18:24
















                    • It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                      – L. Moneta
                      Aug 13 at 18:24















                    It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                    – L. Moneta
                    Aug 13 at 18:24




                    It'd be helpful to include those pictures in your answer.
                    – L. Moneta
                    Aug 13 at 18:24












                     

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