About 25 children left the lunchroom with empty stomachs, said Whitson's Culinary Group in a statement.

CNN: No noon meal for kids in debt at middle school

There may not be as much private lunchroom conviviality, but there will likely be greater fun, leverage, and gravitas.

FORBES: The Coming Age Of The Teaching Megastar

When children bring the cards into the lunchroom, they often spend time looking at the cards instead of eating lunch.

CNN: ASIANOW - TIME Asia | Cover: Pok�� Mania - Page 1

They entered the lunchroom, sat at the tables, had their meals served, talked, smoked, in fact had quite a swell time.

CNN: Private Ryan was a hero, but there were bums, too

For parents who want their children to grow up relatively unexposed to doubt, Darwin or indecent lunchroom chatter, home-schooling offers hope.

ECONOMIST: The growth of home-schooling

Kids hear about it in the lunchroom, read the words on newspapers and see images of camped out protestors on the evening news.

FORBES: The Endless 'Teachable Moments' Of Occupy Wall Street

Post a weekly brainteaser in the company lunchroom or common area.

FORBES: 10 Brainteasers to Stretch Your Brain

Finally the lunchroom manager at a Texas railroad depot said the black GIs could go on around back to the kitchen for a sandwich and coffee.

CNN: Private Ryan was a hero, but there were bums, too

In one project, Waber and his team observed workers in a lunchroom with tables of varying sizes -- some with four seats and others with 10 to 12 seats.

CNN: Workplace happiness: What's the secret?

Elaine Varelas, managing partner at Keystone Partners, a Boston-based career-management firm, consulted for a company where a young employee strongly voiced her pro-choice views in the lunchroom while talking about the 2008 presidential campaign.

WSJ: At Work, Keep Your Political Views to Yourself