The White House Mess charges Cabinet secretaries full market prices for meals.

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The White House Mess is operated by the Navy and heavily subsidized by taxpayers. Cabinet secretaries like Brooke Rollins eat at taxpayer-funded dining facilities with below-market prices. While the Mess charges for meals, the prices are substantially below what commercial restaurants charge because operating costs (staff salaries, equipment, facilities) are covered by the federal budget. The Navy provides personnel to run the Mess as part of the White House Military Office. This means Rollins benefits from subsidized meals while telling Americans facing 20% coffee price increases and 16.4% beef price increases that they can eat for $3. The subsidy represents an in-kind benefit that augments Cabinet secretaries' $246,400 salaries. Congressional dining facilities operate similarly—the House subsidizes member dining with taxpayer funds while requiring no receipts for the $79 daily meal allowance.

The White House Mess charges Cabinet secretaries full market prices for meals.

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