Who Exactly Pays For US Navy Sailors' Food While At Sea?

The U.S. military has actually played a significant role in the development of American eating habits. For example, did you know that World War I helped popularize candy bars? And the U.S. Army is responsible for instant coffee's rise. In fact, more than a dozen old-school foods originated from wartime. Of course, all brave service members deserve a good meal, and sailors in the Navy are no different. But have you ever wondered who exactly pays for their food while at sea? If you thought "the government" was a foregone conclusion, you would be wrong. The Navy actually charges sailors a daily fee.

It's true; on-duty sailors receive a $13.65 charge per day while at sea or in the barracks (per the Department of Defense (DoD) Food Service Rates for 2026). These service members actually receive a Basic Allowance for Subsistence (or BAS) of just under $480 per month, and the daily charge is automatically drawn from that amount when the BAS is deposited into their accounts each month.

If that seems just a little bit unfair to you, then consider this: Neither members of the Army nor the Air Force have to pay for their meals when on duty. Added to that, the Secretary of Defense could actually reduce the meal prices to absolutely nothing, but so far, that has not happened.

As it happens, the food on Navy ships and submarines doesn't look too bad. The cafeterias, or "galleys," offer a wide variety of foods, which they are legally required to serve up to four times a day: three daily meals, plus midnight rations, or "mid-rats," for sailors who work overnight. The meals are prepared by Culinary Specialists, or CSs, who receive weeks of training before being deployed on ships and submarines.

There is typically a salad bar with plenty of greens and fruit, along with a wide variety of daily meals, which the Navy plans well in advance as part of a strict 21-day schedule. This could include anything from cottage cheese and fruit for breakfast to spaghetti and meatballs for dinner.

Some meals are more coveted than others; for example, sailors on one Reddit thread list chicken cordon bleu, nicknamed "hamsters," as well as chili mac, as some of the best eats they've had while on duty. One user fondly remembered a special oxtail soup the CSes prepared, calling it the "most legit" version they'd ever had. If they have to pay for their meals, at least the food is decent and, in some cases, actually craveable.