[emmapersky]

The free lunch might only cost the company $5 a day, but if I were to buy my own lunch I would be spending much more than $5 a day. And I would be with post tax money.

Before I worked at Google, I would frequently spend $10 - 15 a day in lunch costs. Add in dinner and snacks, and it could easily rack up to $40+. In pre tax terms that more like $55. Across an entire year that's close to $15k in benefit.

I work in NYC, so costs are inflated, and I realize this might not be true for people working in some less central location.

I'd rather take the free lunch than $1250.