[george_morgan]

It's a really bizarre bit of writing in general. I'm oddly bothered by how much this guy hates breakfast, without actually explaining why.

> “A sales breakfast for seven hundred people?” I grimaced. “That’s downright disgusting!”

What.

[oarsinsync]

Given the relation to "business lunch" in their conversation, I suspect it's down to asking 700 staff to give up their morning with their families, setting up their day with their regular morning routine, and instead spend that time at work.

I don't think he hates breakfast, I think he hates having to give up his breakfast to be at work.

[user5994461]

That doesn't explain why they hate sales lunch so much.

[oarsinsync]

Giving up your lunch break (emphasis on break) from work to carry on working is in the same ballpark.

[golemotron]

This is something called 'banter.' It was common in speech and writing in the 19th to 20th century. Find dramas or comedies from the middle 1980s and watch them. It's good for cultural literacy, especially if you're going to encounter writing from that period.

[fjsolwmv]

Thanks for explaining why I hated _The Goal_, 2 pages of business advice ("Try kaizen and supply chain optimization") wrapped in a Twilight-esque padding of alcoholism, loveless marriage, and parenting.

[HeyLaughingBoy]

Upvoted, giggling all the way.

[mannykannot]

It is just part of the padding needed to fill out a one-paragraph idea into an article.

[JdeBP]

It's not actually an article at all, but is rather an excerpt from a book, from 1985.

[logfromblammo]

Seven hundred salespeople in the same room is already a crime against humanity waiting to happen.