Word is spreading that Google, who is well known for their incredible line up of perks, is cutting back their budget on their culinary program. Among several things being cut from the program the largest hit will be the elimination of free dinners.

It has been estimated that Google spends anywhere from $20-$30 a day per employee. about $5000-$7,500K per Google employee which results in about $50-$72 Million a year just on providing free food for their employees. The headquarters in Mountain view alone holds 8,000+ employees.

Google’s founders have always communicated their commitment to providing great perks for their employees. The only sign of breakage from this commitment was the rumor that Sergey Brin complained about employees’ sense of entitlement to “bottled water and M&Ms”. Google has lost a lot of their chef’s to other companies such as facebook and has been supposedly understaffed.

What will this mean for Google’s culture and the sustainability of future perks?

Paul Lee
Director of Online Marketing
LeadQual – SEM

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