The Cellar / my work has a cafeteria..

**Posted by Flint** 10/25/2023 8:21 pm

Just realized, I've worked at hospitals for 20 years, I've become accustomed to being able to walk down to the cafeteria and get lunch, but that's obviously not normal-- for most people, unless you're in healthcare or education.. right?

**Posted by griff** 10/26/2023 6:05 am

I see kids in their homes, so I eat on the road. I swing back and forth between careful and crap. Right now I'm mtn biking 3x a week so I've got that going for me, which is good.
Wilson Hospital in Johnson City got a reputation for a good cafeteria. We used to walk over from the Head Start to eat there on training days. Pete's cafeteria (aerospace business) is awful but exists.

**Posted by glatt** 10/26/2023 7:26 am

I'm in a law firm with about 800 in this office. We have maybe 200-300 people showing up on site each day.

We have a dining room, but it's basically a cafeteria. In the before times is was busy and open 5 days a week. Lots of options. Now it is closed on Mondays and Fridays, and the vendor that ran it has been terminated. Instead we have restaurants that come in on specific days and offer their food. It's kind of like a catering service coming in with chafing dishes. We have the food subsidized, so lunch is $7 instead of the $20 or so it would be.

**Posted by glatt** 10/26/2023 7:28 am

Oh, and there are coolers and shelves full of food, with lots of cameras pointing on them. You can go select food and pay for it at a self service kiosk and wave to the cameras.

**Posted by Clodfobble** 10/26/2023 10:21 am

I stay home, but I answered on behalf of Mr. Clod--who ALSO works from home, now, but his company (tech) does provide a full cafeteria free-of-charge, which he utilizes when he occasionally goes in for a presentation or whatever. There was a while when big name tech companies had to out-compete each other on perks, and back then they had yoga classes, free coffee/smoothie bar, etc., but they've scaled back significantly since the pandemic.

**Posted by Diaphone Jim** 10/26/2023 12:08 pm

"a full cafeteria free-of-charge"

**Posted by Flint** 10/26/2023 1:40 pm

Interesting. Two cafeterias, one legal one tech.

**Posted by TheNeverWas** 10/26/2023 9:18 pm

When I worked the melt furnace for a die casting factory they had a 24 hr cafeteria. Third shift got stuff cooked to order, if ya ordered at the previous break time. First and second shifts got what they cooked.

**Posted by glatt** 10/27/2023 7:23 am

Working in a die cast factory huh? Interesting. I knew you did tree work. I guess the factory was before then?

I always think of hot wheels and match box cars when I hear "die cast." They must've had that printed on the packaging back then. What sort of stuff did you guys make?

Last edited by glatt (10/27/2023 9:55 am)

**Posted by fargon** 10/27/2023 9:28 am

The only time i had food service at work was in the Coast Guard.

**Posted by Limey** 10/31/2023 5:11 am

I've worked from home for years, but now I go out on interpreting assignments a couple of days a week or so. I try always to take a packed lunch and it's almost always the same thing: a (cruncheh!) peanut butter and cheese sandwich, a few tiny tomatoes, a box of dried fruit and nuts and a bottle of water. Sounds dull but I like it, I don't have to think/make decisions and it's quick to put together. Now that winter is here I've bought a chubby flask and may sometimes take some homemade soup. I did the buy-a-sandwich thing for many years when I worked in an office in London, and I really don't relish (see what I did there?!) returning to it.

**Posted by glatt** 10/31/2023 6:52 am

Guys, today a restaurant that does lobster rolls will be here!

**Posted by griff** 11/01/2023 5:52 am

I could resent that but since I'm allergic congrats man!

**Posted by tw** 11/01/2023 7:51 am

I could also resend that. But my spell checker won't let me.

**Posted by monster** 11/01/2023 7:57 pm

yes and no (Education) All the dorms have dining halls we could go to, and the closest one is kitty-corner to our building but....

Then there's the "24/7" market in the foyer which has "fresh" and frozen stuff and a microwave, Starbucks coffee machine, snack stand and self-checkout. Lots of people do that . weirdos. others order delivery or walk to Jimmy Johns, but most people pack. For some that's just a can of soup or stouffers/highbrow equivalent shit frozen meal reanimated in the "kitchenette"

I cook food for a large family, occasionally, and freeze in individual portions then microwave in aforementioned kitchenette that's a few yard from my cube. Today was beef strogonoffish with peas

**Posted by monster** 11/01/2023 7:59 pm

Tomorrow was supposed to be roast chicken based from tonight's cooking effort, but that has failed to happen so far. So may be sandwiches

**Posted by glatt** 11/01/2023 9:25 pm

Sammiches. I made one of those this morning and brought it in. Saved myself $7.