What does it mean to eat public meals?

In government agencies or the military, they have been formally established through civil service examinations or other means, become national staff, and enjoy the wages and benefits provided by the state.

In the past planned economy era, people who ate public meals usually referred to people who worked in state-owned enterprises or collective enterprises. With the development of market economy, the scope of eating public meals has also expanded to government agencies, institutions, the military and other aspects. In spoken language, "eating public meals" sometimes refers to those who rely on government subsidies or relief, such as some unemployed people or low-income households. Although these people are not official state employees, they can also enjoy certain benefits and guarantees provided by the state.