Several years ago I worked for a candidate that started his campaign in his financial business office. He had about 20 employees and each day lunch was brought in, so the professionals could be near their phones and did not have to leave a building, walk several blocks and find a meal—losing two hours in the process. As a benefit, the folks had lunch provided. The tech industry does the same thing, mostly for the same reason.
The San Fran government, making it harder—and more expensive to work—wants to outlaw in-house cafeterias. Since when it is the role of government to decide the benefits provided to workers—and to outlaw the service of pizza or a full meal to employees. San Fran is the most outrageous of nanny State governments.
“The measure, proposed by Supervisor Ahsha Safai and co-sponsored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, would adjust zoning laws to ban workplace cafeterias moving forward, but would not be retroactive.
Peskin said the measure, was inspired by tech companies like Twitter and Airbnb, which are widely known to have access to dining in their own buildings, depriving nearby restaurants of the dollars usually spent by nearby workers. The measure has the support of Gwyneth Borden, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and other local merchants.”
Where in the Constitution or the City Charter is a restaurant guaranteed customers by government action—except in prisons. One reason San Fran food places are losing customers is the cost of a meal—the high cost caused by the government artificially raising the minimum wage and benefits.
Supervisors move to ban workplace cafeterias
By Joe Fitzgerald Rodriguez, SF Examiner, 7/24/18
New city tech workers dreaming of dining in workplace cafeterias may soon face a harsh reality — going outside.
Two city legislators on Tuesday are expected to announce legislation banning on-site workplace cafeterias in an effort to promote and support local restaurants.
The measure, proposed by Supervisor Ahsha Safai and co-sponsored by Supervisor Aaron Peskin, would adjust zoning laws to ban workplace cafeterias moving forward, but would not be retroactive.
Peskin said the measure, was inspired by tech companies like Twitter and Airbnb, which are widely known to have access to dining in their own buildings, depriving nearby restaurants of the dollars usually spent by nearby workers. The measure has the support of Gwyneth Borden, executive director of the Golden Gate Restaurant Association and other local merchants.
Under the legislation which is expected to be introduced Tuesday, “you can’t have an industrial kitchen in your office building,” Peskin said.
Peskin said the legislation sought to avoid the “Amazon effect that impacts retail and restaurants across the county,” he said. “This is forward thinking legislation.”
San Francisco is not the first city to implement such a measure. Mountain View, home to Google’s headquarters, has prohibited the company from fully subsidizing employee meals at new office locations, in an effort to encourage employees to engage with the community and local businesses, the San Francisco Chronicle has reported.
Peskin said the measure was purposefully made not retroactive “so it’s not goring anybody’s ox.”
But, Peskin said, it’s a hope to mitigate the “app culture” of workers who are whisked away in private commuter shuttles to work, who dine in their places of employment, and see all their goods delivered to them by apps — depriving them the pleasure of mingling with the rest of The City.
“People will have to go out and each lunch with the rest of us,” he said.
Supervisors Safai and Peskin and supporters will gather at The Perennial at 59 9th Street to discuss the legislation Tuesday at 12:45 p.m.
Supervisor Safai did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
About Stephen Frank
Speak Your Mind