Buzz
Free food can sometimes feel like a dilemma. If you take too much, you risk feeling guilty all day (or even being judged for your greed), but if you take too little, you'll constantly wonder about that extra Kit Kat you didn’t grab.
At last, science has taken on this dilemma. A study published in the BMJ observed the behavior of hungry medical professionals in a snack-filled room, where a sign clearly instructed them not to take “excessive quantities” of hot drinks or cookies.
“Excessive” is, of course, a vague term and open to interpretation by those hungry, thirsty, and overworked. However, the average number given by participants as the threshold for excess was 3.32 drinks per visit. So, three cups of coffee and you’re good, but if you grab that fourth one, one in three people will likely judge you with a disapproving look.
The way people react to freebies might be influenced by willpower. When people are responsible for getting their own coffee, they typically consume an average of 3.04 cups. This suggests that the ideal amount of free coffee someone would take in one sitting is just over what they would normally drink in a full day when paying for it. As one respondent put it, 'I have absolutely no self-control when things are free.'
It's important to note that the coffees in this experiment were funded by the taxpayer-supported UK National Health Service, which is known for offering small, less flavorful drinks. These are not the lavish, well-crafted 20-ounce mochas people might expect.
As for cookies, participants agreed that taking more than 2.25 'snack-size' packets was excessive. This is still a full snack-size serving less than the acceptable number of free coffees.
These figures were based on each visit to the snack room, suggesting that future studies might want to explore the frequency of visits—because consuming three coffees every 45 minutes could create a whole new dynamic. Ultimately, the perception of excess varies. If a few secret bites of cookies help a weary nurse stay sane, or a bonus coffee aids an emergency room doctor during a taxing 20-hour shift, no one is likely to fault them for it.
