> My employees over the years have by and large considered traveling for work
> to be a privilege

Privilege? Really? How many nights/year do they spend away from home? Are these
seasoned/experienced professionals? Or; college hires that are pulses in chairs?

I'm doing 100+ nights/year away from home' for the past 15 years. I don't consider it a
"privilege." It's simply part of my job. It was fun/glamorous for the first 5-6 weeks of
year #1. Beyond that, it's merely a personal cost. My family indulges me, since my job
satisfaction has been high.

One of the "treats" of the job used to be seeking out the hole-in-the-wall restaurants
that do something "special." Sadly; the mom & pop ops, are seemingly, now out of
bounds.

Then there is the matter of road trips. It's quicker to drive FNT-to-DAY than fly. So I
drive. If I need a meal, I've gotta plot-out and seek-out the contract restaurants.
Frankly; I'd like to have the OPTION of eating a Wendy's spicy chicken sandwich & cup
of ice, while driving. But that's not Kosher; or kosher.

At this point, there's the whole matter of what-is and isn't permissible is a goofy
productivity inhibitor. Whoever dreamed-up this [cough] plan, cannot possibly have
traveled significantly. I remember a colleague inquiring about, buying a coach-meal
on a plane? Crickets. What about a meal in the terminal? Crickets.

Me? For now, I am not gonna claim the per-diem. Too many unaddressed nuances
that might result in one of the Whiz Bangs at the Head Shed deciding that I am
falsifying an expense report. The risk ain't worth my job or my pension. Besides, if
I collapse from malnutrition-while-travelling, the hospital (health insurance) will feed
me. <g>