San Francisco looks to ban free lunch at tech companies

On one hand I see where this is coming from: people like restaurants and having a variety of them, usually a good chunk of their business is from office workers at lunch, and by occupying those offices, tech companies are making the economic situation for those around them worse again, and harming the vibrancy of the areas in which they build offices.

On the other hand, the in-house catering is often better, healthier, more convenient and more efficient than what you would get at a restaurant.

But I don't really think this is an honest attempt at solving a real problem though, I think this is an attempt to have a vote on a wedge issue that London Breed has to either veto or sign, making her a weaker candidate in the next election.

The thing that's truly bananas about this -- when I worked in SF and lunch was paid for, we always catered in from local businesses! This sort of benefit doesn't isolate you from the community, it invests in the community. More than once I went to a restaurant that had catered a meal at my job -- places I wouldn't have known existed had I not gotten a free lunch.

> that don't go out to lunch and don't go out in support of restaurants every day

These idiots need a reality check. No business is entitled to customers. Customers choose to go there out of their own free will if the business provides service they need. If it doesn’t, then it’s time to change products or move onto another business model or market.

Of all of the absolutely ridiculous laws that I've seen show up in San Francisco over the years, this is one of the stupidest things I've seen.

Next up - you cannot use building restrooms, you have to go out on the sidewalk like everyone else.

This is inconvenient for tech workers and will probably just cause more people to bring their own lunch.

If these restaurants want tech customers, why don't they offer catering to cafeterias? It's pointless to pass laws to protect your bad business model

Collective punishment because non-tech people are envious? That’s the least cool thing I’ve heard in a while. Mandating purchases from local restaurants would be totalitarianism. I might lean democratic Marxist, but this proposal goes way too far. Perhaps it’s just a CBS clickbait and/or proposal to stir a debate? If restaurants offered better food and sold to meal plan services or directly to companies, what’s the issue?

Is the concept of personal freedom dead in SF?

Disagree with many things San Francisco does but this has some good things about it. FYI Marc Benioff at SalesForce has always done this for the same reason that the city is citing.

Of course, the traffic would probably get much worse.

only 51 existing cafeterias? wow.

stupid proposal, and will never pass.

This would be an excellent move.