Lunchrooms

Do you remember when corporation headquarters had lunch rooms?  If you do, you are really old like me.  Back in the 60s and 70s when I was working in corporate places in Chicago and San Francisco we had big lunchrooms with menus, food bars and people who made the sandwiches or cooked/served the food at food bars.  You could visit with fellow employees, try to meet a cute girl, network, or just eat while reading a book.  It was cheap too.  It was a time when employers cared about the employees.  We even had lunch time.  Yes, real time set aside to eat a lunch.  As a bachelor, I loved it.  I was not bringing my lunch to work in a paper bag or lunch box.  I hear that this has come back to tech places filled with young employees.  But the reasoning is different.  Now, the boss wants to get more work out of you, so they feed you on premises and not have you running out to find a place to eat.  There is a chance to network too or just see friends, or your spouse if such works in the same building.  But years ago it was not about getting more productivity out of you.  It was simply about caring.  There were not long daily hours generally, and no one ever burned out.  People had careers then. Now they have jobs.  Well, I got out before it all turned.  I could not afford my San Francisco apartment at today’s rents.  But then again, I could not afford my elementary school at tuition cost today.  Yikes!  No wonder I am in a monastery.  Gruel is cheap and free.  And we have a lunchroom.