Meta is facing internal turmoil after firing about two dozen employees for misusing US$25 Grubhub meal credits, a perk for staff at offices without cafeterias or those working late.
Dubbed “Grubgate,” the incident revealed employees ordering non-food items like laundry detergent and wine glasses. This strict enforcement of the policy led to swift terminations and sparked heated debates online.
Meta employees shared mixed reactions, with some sympathizing with those fired, arguing that policy violations could happen unintentionally. Others defended Meta’s actions, pointing out that employees were aware of the rules.
The controversy comes amid Meta’s “year of efficiency,” a strategy driven by CEO Mark Zuckerberg, which aims to tighten company policies and reduce costs. The initiative has reportedly led to 21,000 terminations in the past two years.
The Grubgate firings coincide with broader layoffs and reorganizations within divisions like Instagram and Reality Labs. Some employees speculated that the terminations could reflect stricter enforcement of company standards during this period of change.
Others suggested that Meta could have taken less drastic steps, such as requiring employees to refund the company instead of firing them outright.
