Just like flight attendants, or anyone who has to travel for a living, food expenses are usually covered in one of two ways. You either submit receipts and get paid for what you spent, or you get x amount of pocket money. The pocket money is called per diem. Per diem is like all the spare change that your parents never gave you. And just like your penniless childhood years, you try to save every dime. Getting $60 a day adds up to like a mini-bonus at the end of the year. Think about it. $60 x 5 x 52 = $15,600!!! Holy shit. Another way of thinking about it is, that’s how much they’re paying you to not eat, or not eat expensive food. So next time  you wonder why some dude in a suit is eating at McDonald’s at 8pm? You’ll know exactly why.