Google’s cafes

Google hired its first chef, Charlie Ayers, in November 1999 and offers free meals to all employees in its headquarters. The practice fed the Internet company’s hiring machine and ultimately turned Google into a gourmet hot spot.

Google’s first cafe, Charlie’s, opened in February 2004. The campus now has 17 cafes, all sporting their own specialties. Examples include:

Cafe150, which serves up dishes made from seasonal, all-natural ingredients from within a 150-mile radius

Cafe 5ive, which serves up dishes made from five ingredients or less

The Lunch Box, which, among other things, serves homemade ice cream, sorbet and yogurt

Los Angeles Times