How free food incentivises workers to return to the office

Office amenities range from five-star food services to the same pre-pandemic sputtering coffee machines. Some companies use lavish perks like buffets, cafes, and fully stocked salad bars to entice employees back. Many organizations mandate in-office days claiming "synergy" and "in person collaboration," but employees often face costly commutes and mismatched team interactions. Survey data show 93% of remote-capable workers prefer hybrid or fully remote arrangements, and 64% of exclusively remote employees would be extremely likely to search for a new job if flexibility were removed. The pandemic significantly increased remote work adoption and reshaped workplace expectations.

"Honestly," he said, "it felt less like an office and more like a five star restaruant." He described a buffet style breakfast with daily specials, a free cafe, and a fully stocked fruit and salad bar. The picture he showed me from lunch was a plate loaded with roasted chicken, seafood, and linguine. All of it was free. I asked if the food was any good. He just laughed. "Good? I would have paid for it."

According to a 2025 Gallop poll, The preference for flexibility is nearly universal: 93% of remote capable employees want either a hybrid (60%) or fully remote (30%) work arrangement. The same Gallup research revealed that 64% of exclusively remote employees would be "extremely likely" to search for a new job if that flexibility were taken away. Other studies, like one from SHRM, show a consistent majority of workers favoring a hybrid model over being fully in office.

Meanwhile, many other companies with return to office mandates came with no frills. For them, the office kitchen has the same sputtering coffee machine and sad empty refrigerator it did in 2019. Memos announcing mandatory three-in-office days speak of "synergy" and "in person collaboration," but the reality for many is a costly commute, working with co-workers that aren't even part of your team. This is where you start to see the major corporate identity crisis among workplaces.

Read at Medium