The phrase comes from saloons in the United States providing free food, but requiring purchasing of drinks. You can't get"something for nothing". (And if you do

The phrase comes from saloons in the United States providing free food, but requiring purchasing of drinks. You can't get"something for nothing". (And if you do there is a hidden cost or an externality.) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as_a_free_lunch https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/There_ain%27t_no_such_thing_as...