Dinner while WFH?

Work at a UMM shop where our WFH got extended to mid-August. In the office, we had a $25 seamless budget, however in WFH, we have not been getting anything. How are other PE firms doing this? Know many bankers are getting dinners but not sure about UMM / MF shops.

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Every fund I’m familiar with had lunch paid for when we were in the office - usually through a given lunch budget, but the structures varied. Sometimes they had an EA order everyone Seamless or had it catered, occasionally on onsite chef, but I’ve never known a fund that didn’t provide lunch.
 

That’s completely changed since WFH - you’re on your own with no budget provided

 

The root of this all stems to the fact that you can't cook at home and are forced to eat at the office - similar to a per diem while traveling. Its not a bonus. It's not unique to finance, it exists in law, accounting, consulting, tech, etc. Google has free food at the office but you don't expense food if you're working from home, for example. You might view it as a bonus, but that's not the origins and its not how it operates across other industries. That said, I agree it's relatively cheap on their behalf and a pennywise pound foolish move in terms of morale. 

 
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How is it not a bonus? Firms could in theory not offer the meal stipend while you’re in office and just assume you order on your own dime / bring something in from home. Obviously it’s become ubiquitous across industries like finance / law and so it would be a red flag if a firm didn’t offer that, but tech companies / startups definitely pitch catered lunch / dinner as a perk

 

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