Is there any such thing as a free lunch?

R

Rider77

Member
I hear people say, it's free from the government. Other than those opening day specials when a new business opens or striking gold in your back yard I don't think many things are even close to free.
 
Our town has a non-profit free-store, money comes from local churches and the police department's money from tickets. It runs a small piece work business in a spare room, where they file flak off parts for a local factory. The employees are mainly homeless or close to it. They work 2 hours, get a big, hot, free lunch cooked by the director, work 2 more hours and go home! I love it.
 
I sometimes shudder when people say that the NHS in the UK is free. It's not free, but it is free at point of use. However, I have read in the past that it is paid for by everyone who pays National Insurance, and that's everyone who has a job.

I believe that the NI payment thing is now out of date, and that nowadays the NHS is paid for from general taxation, as it benefits everyone, whether they work or not. So although it's not actually 'free', to all intents and purposes it is free for those who need to use it.
 
Corporations receive billions of dollars in free stuff from the government every year. Here is a partial list...
  • Energy:This sector receives billions annually through tax incentives and grants.
    • Fossil Fuels: Historically, oil, gas, and coal have received over $549 billion in direct tax subsidies. Some estimates suggest "implicit" subsidies (avoided costs for environmental damage) reach $62 billion per year.
  • Agriculture: Farmers received $9.3 billion in direct subsidy payments for commodity crops in 2024. The most heavily supported crops were corn ($3.2 billion) and soybeans ($1.9 billion).
  • Semiconductors & Tech: Recently bolstered by the CHIPS and Science Act, this sector is receiving over $53 billion in new corporate welfare and tax breaks to secure domestic supply chains.
Boeing is the largest recipient of government subsidies in the United States, accumulating approximately $15.6 billion in state and local assistance as of early 2026. While Boeing also receives billions in federal contracts, which are technically payments for services, its actual "subsidy" profile consists of massive tax breaks, R&D credits, and low-interest federal loans.

Amazon is the second largest recipient of government subsidies in the U.S. As of early 2026, Amazon and its subsidiaries (like AWS) have secured at least $14.4 billion in state and local subsidies across the U.S.. These benefits are largely granted by state and local governments competing to host Amazon’s physical expansion.

For the full fiscal year 2025, Amazon reported a record net income of $77.7 billion, a 31% increase compared to the $59.2 billion earned in 2024.
 
One day when my husband and I were heading to Costco, we decided to check out a new Chinese buffet restaurant in the area. When we took look at the selections and the price, we decided not to eat there. We'd gone to several other Chinese buffets that had good food and were less expensive. Since it was the middle of the day, many samples were being served. Our lunch included a shrimp dish among other things which I can't remember now because it was over 10 years ago. I just know we had a free lunch courtesy of Costco and we ate well.

Also, a Muslim brother in my town has served hot dinner meals, including desserts to whoever lines up. He and his staff used to set up in the large space inhabited by a gas station. Now they're indoors in a new building. I've donated to his organization, which also has counseling and other free services, for several years. I'm about to send another donation because today starts Ramadan and since I can't fast, I'm obligated to feed 30 hungry people during the month of Ramadan.

Another example: My Honorary Daughter's superpower is getting free food. She'll go into a fast food place or Dunkin Donuts, especially if it's in the evening and the workers give her extra food. I've been with her when that has happened. Also, we went for lunch at a diner where I ordered the crab cake meal for the first time. The menu said it came with three crab cakes (and they were huge). They gave me four.

I know these kinds of things are probably not what you meant, but your post caused them to come to mind. One can find freebies if one knows where to look. And what about BOGOs.
 
Before alot of stuff was done online I remembers stores and supermarkets would offer things like a free bottle of soda if you applied for a credit card right there on the spot.

The bottle isn't free. It cost the applicant privacy and control of their personal information which will be sold many times over. I heard the average applicant's information can go anywhere from 50 to 300 dollars a pop.

Same for the free gift an organization or charity offer you for joining. To continue a membership frequently one must pay a dues.

'Free' is bait
 
More free money, thanks to the government...

The $47 million loan scheme refers to federal allegations that Andrew Wiederhorn, former CEO of FAT Brands Inc., used the company as a "personal slush fund" to finance a lavish lifestyle between 2010 and 2021.

Mechanics of the Scheme
According to the May 2024 indictment, Wiederhorn and his associates bypassed standard corporate protocols to divert funds:
  • "Sham" Shareholder Loans: Wiederhorn allegedly directed FAT Brands and its affiliate, Fog Cutter Capital Group (FOG), to distribute approximately $47 million to him.
  • Lack of Commercial Terms: These distributions were categorized as "shareholder loans" but lacked interest, collateral, or repayment schedules.
  • Unilateral Forgiveness: Prosecutors alleged that Wiederhorn personally decided when to "forgive" these loans, effectively turning corporate revenue into tax-free personal income.
  • Financial Impact: The Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) alleged the scheme stripped FAT Brands of roughly 40% of its revenue between 2018 and 2021, sometimes leaving the company with insufficient cash to pay its own bills.
Legal Outcome
While originally facing 22 criminal counts—including wire fraud and tax evasion—the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) dropped all charges in July 2025. This dismissal occurred following a change in DOJ leadership and a shift in department priorities toward other types of crime. Wiederhorn separately settled civil claims with the SEC for $10 million in December 2025.
 
OneEyedDiva said:
I'm about to send another donation because today starts Ramadan and since I can't fast, I'm obligated to feed 30 hungry people during the month of Ramadan.
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Interesting, Diva! Today starts Lent and I had heard on NPR that Ramadan was matching Lent this year. It must be kind of hard to find 30 people to feed and if someone can't fasting because they're ill they may not be able to prepare food either. Christians are supposed to give ALMs during Lent but it's not specific.
 
RambleTamble said:
Corporations receive billions of dollars in free stuff from the government every year. Here is a partial list...
  • Energy:This sector receives billions annually through tax incentives and grants.
    • Fossil Fuels: Historically, oil, gas, and coal have received over $549 billion in direct tax subsidies. Some estimates suggest "implicit" subsidies (avoided costs for environmental damage) reach $62 billion per year.
  • Agriculture: Farmers received $9.3 billion in direct subsidy payments for commodity crops in 2024. The most heavily supported crops were corn ($3.2 billion) and soybeans ($1.9 billion).
  • Semiconductors & Tech: Recently bolstered by the CHIPS and Science Act, this sector is receiving over $53 billion in new corporate welfare and tax breaks to secure domestic supply chains.
Boeing is the largest recipient of government subsidies in the United States, accumulating approximately $15.6 billion in state and local assistance as of early 2026. While Boeing also receives billions in federal contracts, which are technically payments for services, its actual "subsidy" profile consists of massive tax breaks, R&D credits, and low-interest federal loans.

Amazon is the second largest recipient of government subsidies in the U.S. As of early 2026, Amazon and its subsidiaries (like AWS) have secured at least $14.4 billion in state and local subsidies across the U.S.. These benefits are largely granted by state and local governments competing to host Amazon’s physical expansion.

For the full fiscal year 2025, Amazon reported a record net income of $77.7 billion, a 31% increase compared to the $59.2 billion earned in 2024.
Click to expand...
Not one of those things is free. The monies either come directly from the tax dollars of others or are the result of forbearance of taxes that an entity would otherwise pay. So none of that is free, however one has to wonder if those things are also benefiting the legislators either local, state, or national that directly or indirectly facilitate payments. Ultimately the taxpayers are footing the bill.
 
Della said:
Interesting, Diva! Today starts Lent and I had heard on NPR that Ramadan was matching Lent this year. It must be kind of hard to find 30 people to feed and if someone can't fasting because they're ill they may not be able to prepare food either. Christians are supposed to give ALMs during Lent but it's not specific.
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Yes I didn't know today was Ash Wednesday until my BFF told me. And Ramadan started today. It's not hard for me to find 30 people because when I donate to the organization I mentioned above, I let the Director-CEO know that its for the purpose of feeding 30 people. In fact, I call each year and ask him how much does it cost per person and send him whatever it is time 30. They easily feed 30 people every Sunday. They have access to one of our bigger mosque's kitchen so they can prepare all those meals. He and his team then serve the people themselves.
 
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Yes. When I worked in catering we could get lunch for free. I thought it was awesome. I always took the bowl of fruit I would never buy at the canteen when I have to pay for it. We didn't get paid a lot but heyyyy free strawberries.
 
Nathan said:
Not in my path, I don't look for free stuff or discounts...
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I don’t look for freebies, discounts or bogo’s. I would rather leave any free food, money or goods for someone that cannot afford to buy them. God has provided very well for me. If I was on the outs, I may change my mind.

This morning, I had to make a stop at the grocery story and buy a few things because I had been away for a long weekend. In front of me at the checkout was an elderly woman that reminded me of my grandmother with her headscarf pulled down under her chin. I saw she had paid for her few things, but then was counting her pennys and nickels to see if she had enough to buy the 2 cans of cat food she had sitting on the belt. I handed her a $5 bill and told her the cat food was on me this morning. She hesitated at first, but I insisted she take it.

After she got the change back, she handed it to me. I told her to put it in her pocket. It’s not about a sense of feeling good for helping a needy person, it’s about voluntarily lending a hand.
 
One job I had just before the dot.com crash gave us free lunches on Friday (like subway sandwiches usually).

And this year at the Thanksgiving buffet here where I live only one other guy showed up at the singles table I was at, and he paid for my dinner! It was as if I'd had a date!
 
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