Part of the problem is that, to replace $200 of company-paid snacks, an employer would need to pay me quite a bit more to purchase the same thing out of a vendi

Part of the problem is that, to replace $200 of company-paid snacks, an employer would need to pay me quite a bit more to purchase the same thing out of a vending machine. I'd estimate the vending machine operating markup to be, conservatively, 25%. That makes my cash out of pocket $250. To get that amount of take-home, with 34.3% federal and state income taxes and 15.3% social security, my salary would have to go up $500. Yes, I'd rather have the $500 increase, but an employer would be foolish for doing it this way.