Is it true that as an investment banker, I get free dinner every night?

Yes, at most banks if you work past 8:00 or 9:00 at night (though you don’t necessarily have to wait until that time to eat), you can have dinner delivered to you on the bank’s tab (generally up to about $35).  Since Analysts generally have no lives, and expect to be working far past 8:00, they will often congregate together in a conference room to eat and relax for a little while.  Associates, more often eat at their desks as they may still have the hopes of getting home before their loved ones or friends are asleep.  VP’s and above are usually gone by then but it’s always funny when a late working and hungry Managing Director has to ask an Analyst to order them food because they don’t know how to use Seamless Web (the standard food ordering website subscribed to by most banks in New York).

Of course, the consequence of having $35 each night to order dinner is that many Analysts gain a lot of weight.  After all, if the company’s paying, let’s max out and add that Tiramisu to my order.  More enterprising Analysts, stealthily use some of their daily $35 to pay for groceries for their apartments.