A somewhat different perspective exists in India. Most large corporations (and a large number of startups too) dissuade people from eating at their desks. Becau

A somewhat different perspective exists in India. Most large corporations (and a large number of startups too) dissuade people from eating at their desks. Because most Indians love and eat cooked food, which, well, tends to give off the odours of cooked food. An entire floor eating cooked food at their desks will inevitably lead to a lingering odour that settles over everything & everyone. So many of us have two options - eat out at a nearby eatery, or eat your prepared lunch at the internal cafeteria. Personally, and in my circle of friends, we've gone from preferring eating out to preferring eating cooked meals that are either bought at the cafeteria or brought from home. Maybe it's our preference for cooked food, which after a few years of eating out, will always be healthier if you get if from home. And because many of us have the "luxury" of being able to hire cooks who come in the mornings/evenings. There are of course many Indians who prefer eating out, but as they get older (read: 4-5 years of working), they start realizing that home-cooked food is a better proposition. Which is why you'll often find a broad cross-section of employees - from an entry level person to CXOs, bringing cooked food in insulated containers as lunch.