Why is the standard workday referred to as '9 to 5'?

[Beet]

This is something that has always bothered me. 9am to 5pm is only 8 hours if you don't account for a lunch break. So why is the standard workday referred to colloquially as '9 to 5' when most people take lunch? Once factoring in lunch, it's no longer 8 hours.

[Alben Barkley]

What a way to make a living!

[dead0man]

I've wondered the same thing.  Some jobs are 8 hours long, especially shift work (ya know, cause 24 divides nicely into 3), but yeah, most "regular" jobs (like the secretary in the song/movie Nine to Five) are for 8.5 or 9 hours with a lunch break.

[President Johnson]

Asked this myself as well. Probably because it just sounds better than eight-to-five job.

I remember before starting my first job that I was totally shocked when my uncle told me break is not included in eight hours.

[Anzeigenhauptmeister]

Because Queen Dolly officially determined it.

[7,052,770]

Maybe a regional thing, but the term I've always heard is "working 8 to 5" or an "8 to 5 job"

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Breaks aren't included in the 8 hours? My breaks at work are in the middle of the work day and paid for.

[vitoNova]

Because it flows off the tongue easily. 

[Meclazine for Israel]

Dolly Parton

Working 9 'til 5

https://youtu.be/UbxUSsFXYo4

53M viewers cannot be wrong.

[Amenhotep Bakari-Sellers]

Due to fact we dictate it by Bank, Post Office and School Day but in fact everyone else except govt employees work nights and weekends even Docs and Lawyers work nights and weekends and the airport and police, Fire fighting and Security personnel that's ehy

[Lechasseur]

I've wondered the same thing.  Some jobs are 8 hours long, especially shift work (ya know, cause 24 divides nicely into 3), but yeah, most "regular" jobs (like the secretary in the song/movie Nine to Five) are for 8.5 or 9 hours with a lunch break.

That's me

I basically either due 9 to 6 or 10 to 7

[Del Tachi]

Workin' eight to eight
Eatin' lunch while I am typin'
Let me demonstrate
That you'll never hear me gripin'
Might take my iPad
Along with me in the shower
I'll skip my son's birthday
Working extra hours!

[Ferguson97]

"9 to 12:30, a 30 min lunch break, and then 1 to 5" just doesn't have the same ring to it.

[Badger]

The term of working 9 to 5 didn't come from a song. Song came from the practice which was fairly typical. Sure there were always exceptions and off shifts, but we've gotten away from that unfortunately.