Funny part of RTO govt workers barely work long hours so they spend little near the office and they have almost no ability to expense food. They dont get how RTO will increase restaurant sales.

When I worked Pre-Covid in a job I leave for work at 655 am Like clock work. No time to eat breakfast at home. I always get coffee, bagelt etc by work at 815 am on way in the door. I always ate lunch out five days a week. A lot of times we work though lunch and I order food for staff and expense it. Then we take people out for dinner drinks, expense it, or meet friends happy hour and of course out of pocket. They holiday parties etc.

I would buy around 600 meals a year by work. And since I was at work 10-11 hours a day my eye doctor, medical doctor, pharmacy, where I bought birthday cards, shoping for birthdays etc all by work.

If I had a 9-5 job no OT I could go quick in and out and bring lunch. When I went remote it al stopped. I am back to work three days a week in a sleep DC 9-5 job. I eat breakfast at home, bring lunch one a week buy lunch twice a week. But that is not replacing my spending of past.

People who bring lunch and not spending good luck with that when you work 8am to 8 pm every day in a place with no pantry or kitchen,

The thermostat says it’s 69

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I was never anti-RTO when it was hybrid and essentially returned us to what we were doing 20+ years ago. It was a good blend and traffic was spread out. I also have a very short commute (if driving), very long if I were to take the metro (which I don’t). I’m also going to take VERA so not going to be affected much longer. That being said, traffic is absolutely bonkers out there, even at 6:00am in the morning on the outer loop, at least. It is terrible for the environment and terrible for the road conditions. The stress level must be tremendous for people facing this five days a week. What this means for all of you who are so happy about this is worst traffic, poorer road conditions, less people volunteering in the schools and communities, etc., etc. And, for government at least, less timely services, more inefficiency, more agency budgets going to building services. Everyone is paying a price for this nonsense one way or another.

Who is happy about this? I’m certainly not. But I’ve been commuting five days a week for years. That being said, people complaining about two hour commutes to Rockville or sitting for 1 hour in a DC tunnel should take the metro. It’s hard for me to imagine the metro really adds much time to such a long commute.

I think going downtown it might be the same or similar, but if you are going suburb to suburb (like I am) you are looking at driving or taking a bus to the metro, taking the metro, and then taking a bus to the facility and the bus only runs every 30 minutes. It’s a substantially longer commute, even if you time it out well with the busses.

So move. I work in VA and live MD traffic is bad. I could just move near office. That’s not a business reason to WFH.

I don’t as 63 and could get laid off any moment so why bother. Others have cheap house further out or spouses who work other direction,

We all have reasons.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/44-restaurant-owners-washington-dc-fear-may-have-close-2025

44% of restaurant owners in Washington, DC fear they may have to close in 2025

https://wjla.com/news/local/survey-shows-dc-restaurants-struggling-to-stay-open-with-wage-hikes-federal-layoffs-historic-pressure-metropolitan-washington-casual-dining-full-service-food-costs-tipped-wage-increases-servers-tips-taxes-tax-tariff-employment

A new survey from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) reveals that more than two-thirds of casual dining restaurants will likely close this year.

The survey cited escalating food costs, federal layoffs, and tipped wage increases as some of the reasons for the expected closures.

The RTO is happening now so it will help some of these restaurants out then.

While there is RTO there is also lay off. And most of them are aware on what is happening and what the future looks like, and they bag their lunch.

Even if I make it through the RIF, I’m not going to be spending $20 on lunch on a regular basis. Just not happening. Instead of grocery shopping at my neighborhood TJ for WFH lunch items, I shop at the TJ closer to my office for lunch supplies I bring to work. Literally zero difference in my spending or the retail beneficiary.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My commuter bus prepandemic was around 70 min, more on a bad day. During the pandemic, it was less than an hour. Now, I’m switching to the Marc and metro now bc my commute home is now routinely 90-120 min. The surface streets in DC are gridlocked. Between the Marc and the metro, I’m home in 60 min.

Hmm, Marc is not a bad thought. I could get on at Rockville Station and get off at Union. How crowded is it?

I’m on the Camden line so a different line than you but it’s about half full? I always get a seat to myself, parking lot is full by 8am. The only thing I’d check is if that line shares tracks with other trains as that can cause delays. The Marc is also quiet and safe. I alternate between the Marc or metro’ing from Greenbelt and the Marc is easier.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/44-restaurant-owners-washington-dc-fear-may-have-close-2025

44% of restaurant owners in Washington, DC fear they may have to close in 2025

https://wjla.com/news/local/survey-shows-dc-restaurants-struggling-to-stay-open-with-wage-hikes-federal-layoffs-historic-pressure-metropolitan-washington-casual-dining-full-service-food-costs-tipped-wage-increases-servers-tips-taxes-tax-tariff-employment

A new survey from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) reveals that more than two-thirds of casual dining restaurants will likely close this year.

The survey cited escalating food costs, federal layoffs, and tipped wage increases as some of the reasons for the expected closures.

The RTO is happening now so it will help some of these restaurants out then.

While there is RTO there is also lay off. And most of them are aware on what is happening and what the future looks like, and they bag their lunch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

Not everything is bad….
- My house is clean since no one is there during the day.

-I am walking more and eating better since I am not snacking at home 24/7 (I bring my own lunch)

-I am working less. 8hrs vs 10hrs at home. They are getting what they are paying for.

My quote got reported and deleted so I’ll try one more time piggybacking on this

Another thing that’s really good about having true rush hours with everybody back in the office working normal office hours is that the time in between rush-hour is gloriously free of traffic. Because instead of being at target or the dentist office or the vet or the gym or the grocery store, people are in their offices from 9 to 3.

This is a welcome return to status quo for those of us who do things like work overnight in the ER and enjoy going grocery shopping midday mid week

Me, me, me… Are you also happy how things are going at HHS?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

https://www.foxbusiness.com/economy/44-restaurant-owners-washington-dc-fear-may-have-close-2025

44% of restaurant owners in Washington, DC fear they may have to close in 2025

https://wjla.com/news/local/survey-shows-dc-restaurants-struggling-to-stay-open-with-wage-hikes-federal-layoffs-historic-pressure-metropolitan-washington-casual-dining-full-service-food-costs-tipped-wage-increases-servers-tips-taxes-tax-tariff-employment

A new survey from the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington (RAMW) reveals that more than two-thirds of casual dining restaurants will likely close this year.

The survey cited escalating food costs, federal layoffs, and tipped wage increases as some of the reasons for the expected closures.

Meanwhile my former employer cannot find workers and I have to go in to help out. Where is the disconnect? They have ads up everywhere. It's a great place to work with $30-$40+ an hour depending how fast one can run. They are nowhere near offices, but are very busy. The restaurant work is not good enough for many with degrees. The resumes restaurant does get, show people changing jobs like underwear.
The work ethic of workers from 20-30 years ago versus now, can't be compared. Only the kitchen workers and anyone over 45 still keeps going til the last customer leaves. There has been some kind of shift. Restaurant work is somewhere in the middle when it comes to ability, but DC seems to have the highly qualified and not qualified workers.
Everyone talks how slow business is and I have heard it for decades now. Nobody mentions how bad business owners are at budgeting, expenses, economy, or seeing how the incoming laws may affect their business.
Sorry for my English. Me foreign-born and I cannot write to save my life. Just know that restaurant are hiring. Three of my ex employers have asked me to come in and help within last 3 months.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

Feds are not the ones supporting expensive downtown restaurants. Maybe sandwich shops, but even then, the closest shop to my office now is a two block walk and lunch is 30 minutes. There isn’t enough time to walk there and back, order, eat, and get back through security. Plus, it’s like $15 for a sandwich I can make at home for a couple dollars. I’ve been in the office full time for 3 weeks and I have yet to spend a dime downtown. I’m also a DC resident, so spend almost all my money in DC and am spending less overall because I had to quit my gym, can no longer do dinner out on weeknights because I get home so much later, gave up the personal trainer since I can’t do that before my TOD anymore with the commute, quit my pool league since I don’t want to stay up that late anymore, etc. So all told I’m probably spending close to $800 less a month now.

Me too, exactly.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:You knew where you job was when you bought your house. Poor choice on your part.

Many people bought post pandemic when commutes were very different. My job was in my house at that point.

Well you’re not so bright then thinking you’d work from home forever. Enjoy the traffic

Anonymous wrote:You knew where you job was when you bought your house. Poor choice on your part.

Many people bought post pandemic when commutes were very different. My job was in my house at that point.

Anonymous wrote:The restaurants, coffee shops, and flower vendors are starting to flourish again. There are some great things happening, too. I guess you have to take the good with the bad.

Feds are not the ones supporting expensive downtown restaurants. Maybe sandwich shops, but even then, the closest shop to my office now is a two block walk and lunch is 30 minutes. There isn’t enough time to walk there and back, order, eat, and get back through security. Plus, it’s like $15 for a sandwich I can make at home for a couple dollars. I’ve been in the office full time for 3 weeks and I have yet to spend a dime downtown. I’m also a DC resident, so spend almost all my money in DC and am spending less overall because I had to quit my gym, can no longer do dinner out on weeknights because I get home so much later, gave up the personal trainer since I can’t do that before my TOD anymore with the commute, quit my pool league since I don’t want to stay up that late anymore, etc. So all told I’m probably spending close to $800 less a month now.

You knew where you job was when you bought your house. Poor choice on your part.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:+1000. Take metro if you don’t like the traffic.

Crime has been terrible on metro and they are only now taking steps to curb it.

https://www.axios.com/local/washington-dc/2025/03/28/metro-ban-sex-crimes-assault-repeat-offenders

On top of the fact that metros and stations stink of weed all the time now.

Literally daily I see people, mostly teens, jump the gates. Why isn’t this being enforced? It just makes the environment seems like chaos.

I have only seen 1 person jump the new gates since I have been back (3 weeks)
Used to be almost constant.

I’ve only seen the new gates jumped a couple times and I’ve been back in office for far longer than three weeks. Pre-new gates it was definitely constant.