When London’s latest Underground strikes were announced, many businesses braced themselves for empty offices, disrupted meetings and a major dip in productivity.
But according to new workplace data, Londoners had other ideas.
Research from workplace meals provider Feedr reveals over 83% of office workers still made it into the workplace and ordered lunch as normal during the recent strike week. That's a surprisingly strong attendance rate and a significant improvement on the September 2025 Tube strikes, when office attendance fell to 77%.
The findings suggest that London's workforce is becoming increasingly resilient, adapting quickly to transport disruption rather than simply staying at home.
Feedr's unique data provides a reliable snapshot of office attendance because employees only use its Cloud Canteen meal ordering service when they are physically present in the workplace. In other words, lunch orders offer a real-time picture of who's actually sitting at their desk.
While strike days still caused a noticeable dip, the overall picture was far more positive than many employers expected.
One of the biggest reasons appears to be changing commuting habits.
The figures highlight a growing trend towards multi-modal commuting, where workers combine cycling, walking, buses and other transport options to avoid relying solely on the Underground.
Katie Fenton, Managing Director of Feedr, believes London has become far better at adapting to disruption. She told That's Business: "We expected Tube strikes to hit much harder than they did," she said. "What the data actually shows is a city that's learned to flex around disruption. The workforce is becoming more adaptable."
CycleSaver founder Dino Bertolis agrees, pointing to shared city bikes as a practical solution for modern commuters. "Shared city bikes are giving Londoners a genuine, flexible alternative to the London Underground," he explained. to us.
"The more employees have access to schemes like CycleSaver, the less dependent they become on any single mode of transport."
The findings also reveal an important lesson for employers. Companies that invest in workplace perks such as quality catering, subsidised lunches and cycling initiatives appear to be more successful at encouraging employees into the office, even when travel becomes challenging.
As hybrid working continues to evolve, businesses may be discovering that flexibility, convenience and a positive workplace experience are becoming powerful tools for maintaining attendance during unexpected disruptions.
For London's workforce, it seems the days of transport strikes bringing the city to a standstill may be fading into the distance.
