[plonh]

Having lunch with your coworkers gives you 250 chances per year to have an important work-related conversation. A conference offers precious little time, so it is important to be efficient in getting people together who have things to say to each other.

[Tomte]

Funny, where I'm working you'll get nasty looks when "talking shop" at lunch.

Important work conversations happen at work. Not on the break.

[teddyh]

In that case, why spend your break with your work colleagues?

[Tomte]

You may not believe it, but people can actually talk about other things than work. We all have private lives.