Questions · Lunch break

Lunch break questions that fit in thirty minutes

A lunch break is short, public and usually with whoever happens to be there. These questions are quick to answer between bites, fun to overhear, and safe for the person you only know from the elevator.

  • 16 questions
  • EN + TL on every card
  • Free in the app
Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Kumustahan is a bilingual conversation card app: 1,200 questions in English and Filipino across 7 decks, with a short reflection on the back of every card.

Just for fun№ 02

Name a food that tastes better when it's free.

Sabihin mo yung pagkain na mas masarap kapag libre.

Tap to flipkumustahan
A note

Free food has its own seasoning. Sometimes the best flavor is the tiny thrill of not paying for it.

May sariling sarap ang libreng pagkain. Minsan yung best flavor, yung small joy na hindi ikaw ang nagbayad.

Tap to returnkumustahan

The questions

16 lunch break conversation starters

Every question in English and Filipino/Tagalog, word for word from the Kumustahan decks. Open “Back of the card” for the reflection printed on the other side.

Between bites

5 questions

Answers that take ten seconds.

  1. Name a food that tastes better when it's free.

    Sabihin mo yung pagkain na mas masarap kapag libre.

    Back of the card

    Free food has its own seasoning. Sometimes the best flavor is the tiny thrill of not paying for it.

    May sariling sarap ang libreng pagkain. Minsan yung best flavor, yung small joy na hindi ikaw ang nagbayad.

  2. If you were too tired to think, what would you order?

    Kapag pagod ka nang mag-isip, ano yung o-orderin mo?

    Back of the card

    The no-thinking order is its own kind of comfort. It is the choice that carries you when your brain is done.

    May comfort din sa order na hindi mo na kailangang isipin. Siya yung choice kapag ubos na utak mo.

  3. While waiting for food, a ride, or someone late, how do you pass the time?

    Habang naghihintay ng pagkain, sasakyan, o late na tao, paano mo pinapalipas yung oras?

    Back of the card

    Waiting brings out our tiny survival styles. Some people scroll, some observe, and some start making stories in their head.

    Lumilitaw yung tiny survival style natin kapag naghihintay. May nag-scroll, may nag-oobserve, may gumagawa na ng kwento sa isip.

  4. Name one item you always seem to lose, like keys, earphones, a pen, a charger, or your wallet.

    Magbanggit ng isang item na parang lagi mong nawawala, like susi, earphones, pen, charger, o wallet.

    Back of the card

    Some items have a talent for vanishing at the worst time. At some point, it starts to feel like a relationship issue.

    May items na ang galing mawala sa worst time. Dumadating sa point na parang relationship issue na siya.

  5. Name the small thing you always bring, even for a quick errand.

    Sabihin yung small thing na lagi mong dala kahit quick errand lang.

    Back of the card

    The thing you always bring has earned its place. It may be small, but it clearly passed the trust test.

    Yung lagi mong dala, may reason yan. Maliit lang siya, pero clearly pasado sa trust test.

Weekend talk

5 questions

For the Friday lunch or the Monday one.

  1. If your afternoon suddenly became free, how would you spend it?

    Kung biglang naging free ang hapon mo, paano mo ito gagamitin?

    Back of the card

    Free time shows what you reach for when nobody is asking for anything. It can be rest, fun, errands, or nothing at all.

    Makikita sa free time kung saan ka kusang pupunta kapag walang kailangan sa'yo. Puwedeng pahinga, saya, errands, o wala lang.

  2. If money were no problem, how would you spend a Saturday with nothing you had to do?

    Kung walang kailangang gawin at hindi problema ang pera, paano mo gagamitin ang isang Sabado?

    Back of the card

    Picture the end of your Saturday. What would make you wish it were still morning?

    Isipin ang katapusan ng Sabado mo. Bakit mo gugustuhing umaga pa lang?

  3. For a free weekend, would you prefer a full plan or a surprise?

    Sa weekend na wala kang kailangang gawin, kumpletong plano o surprise ang pipiliin mo?

    Back of the card

    Choose a detail that must stay on your weekend plan, even if everything else is a surprise.

    Pumili ng detalye na dapat kasama sa weekend mo kahit surprise ang lahat ng iba pa.

  4. On a free day, what activity do you enjoy even if nothing gets done?

    Sa free day, anong activity ang enjoy gawin kahit wala kang natatapos?

    Back of the card

    Not every good thing needs to be useful. Some activities are good because they give the day room to breathe.

    Hindi lahat ng magandang gawin kailangang useful. May mga bagay na okay dahil binibigyan lang nila ng luwag yung araw.

  5. If you and your friends had just one free hour, how would you spend it together?

    Kung isang oras lang kayong lahat libre, ano ang gagawin ninyo?

    Back of the card

    Save a few minutes at the end for one thing you would not want to rush.

    Puwede kang maglaan ng ilang minuto sa dulo para sa bagay na ayaw mong madaliin.

Break-room debates

6 questions

Harmless opinions people will defend for the whole break.

  1. Two choices: unlimited snacks or perfect sleep for one week. Defend your pick.

    Dalawa lang: unlimited snacks o perfect sleep for one week. I-defend ang pick mo.

    Back of the card

    Low-stakes choices still reveal priorities. Snack joy and good sleep are both valid campaign platforms.

    Kahit low-stakes, may priorities pa rin. Snack joy at good sleep, parehong valid campaign platform.

  2. Would you rather know the exact weather or the exact traffic before leaving home?

    Bago umalis, alin ang gusto mong siguradong alam: lagay ng panahon o lagay ng traffic?

    Back of the card

    Imagine you check before a day out. What would you pack differently?

    Isipin na nag-check ka bago ang lakad. Ano ang iibahin mo sa mga dadalhin mo?

  3. Would you rather always arrive twenty minutes early or exactly on time?

    Mas gusto mo bang laging dumating nang twenty minutes early o laging sakto sa oras?

    Back of the card

    Finish if you like: "While everyone else is getting ready, I..."

    Kung gusto mo, ituloy: "Habang naghahanda pa ang iba, ako..."

  4. Complete the line: I'm chill, but please don't ___.

    Kumpletuhin: Chill naman ako, pero please wag ___.

    Back of the card

    Tiny pet peeves are usually harmless, but they still deserve their moment. Everyone has a small line somewhere.

    Harmless lang ang tiny pet peeves, pero deserve din nila ng moment. Lahat tayo may small line somewhere.

  5. Name one harmless opinion you take seriously, like food, movies, habits, or small preferences.

    Magbanggit ng isang harmless opinion na seryoso ka, like food, movies, habits, o small preferences.

    Back of the card

    Harmless opinions are a safe place to be dramatic. The stakes are low, but the conviction can still be strong.

    Safe maging dramatic sa harmless opinions. Low stakes lang, pero pwedeng strong pa rin ang conviction.

  6. What food do you and a friend disagree about?

    Sa anong pagkain magkaiba ang opinyon ninyo ng friend mo?

    Back of the card

    No need to settle this food debate. You can both keep your favorites.

    Hindi kailangang matapos ang pagtatalo sa pagkain. Puwedeng pareho pa rin ninyong piliin ang gusto ninyo.

How to use them

Before you ask

Lunch break conversation works best with light questions that take seconds to answer (the snack that tastes better when it’s free, what you do while waiting, a free afternoon plan), because the break is short and the audience is mixed.

The break room has its own rules. You might be sitting with a close colleague, someone from another floor or a classmate you’ve never spoken to. Big opinions and personal questions don’t fit, and work talk at lunch defeats the point of the break. Small, harmless debates do: early or exactly on time, weather or traffic, snacks or sleep. Everyone has a side.

You don’t need to announce a game. Just ask one card out loud as you sit down. If it lands, someone else will usually ask the next one.

Good for

  • Office break rooms
  • School and college cafeterias
  • Hospital and shift-work breaks
  • Lunch with a new coworker or classmate
  • Desk lunches next to someone you barely know

Tips

  1. Ask one card casually, not as an activity.
  2. Keep work out of the lunch break unless they bring it up.
  3. Choose debates with no stakes. Food and habits, never politics.
  4. Include whoever is sitting at the edge of the table.
  5. Save longer stories for after-work drinks or a team lunch.

Decks for this

Lunch break

Frequently asked questions

What do you talk about on a lunch break?

Light topics that need no background: food, small habits, weekend plans and harmless debates like early versus on time. They suit a mixed group and a short break.

How do I start a conversation in the break room?

Ask a quick, fun question as you sit down and answer it yourself. It is easier to join than a formal introduction.

Should we talk about work at lunch?

Usually not. People take a break to switch off, so non-work questions make lunch more restful and help coworkers get to know each other.

Bring a better question to the table.

Free on iPhone and Android. 420 cards free, no account, works offline.

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play