True , but should they be feeding them at all out of public money , they're paid a salary.
Ahh, interesting question. (Their salary is also paid out of public money, BTW)
I don't know. I've often bought my teams lunch or takeaway if we're working late. Of course, that's private money. Given the sums involved (compared to the £20m to pay for a week of free school meals) its a lot for any of us to buy a takeaway, but probably not something that I'm going to get overly vexed about.
Of course, if you want to get upset because it a specific, underserving group that are getting a free lunch (or two, I think it might have been), again we need to know who got it.
A quick look on their menu shows their most expensive main comes in at £12 add a can at £2.50 we can call it £15 a head. Not too bad for a takeaway in central London, although rather more than an M+S sarnie or even a Pret platter. So I guess that's about 3300 meals. (Although they are apparently closing permanently now, due to lockdown)
Unless you think there's some conspiracy to order thousands of pounds worth of food, and throw it at the homeless, or something.
Further clarification (helpfully missing from the first article)
'that the orders fed a mix of civil servants, NHS staff, military personnel, and private sector workers who were working up to 18 hours a day, sometimes seven days a week during the first wave of the coronavirus crisis:'
'a spokesperson later added that the spending was “necessary to ensure staff working shifts were able to access hot food when other catering options were unavailable during lockdown, until alternative arrangements could be made.”'
However, if you fancy:
'One of Bong Bong’s investors is married to a Conservative councillor...' Which may at least have some bearing on the selection. Or indeed may have resulted in a discount (**** I'd want one if I was spending that kind of cash!)
So, in answer to your question: On balance, I don't think it's unreasonable to use public money to feed public servants in extremis. YMMV, or course,
C