Read a different way "Last night there were at least 400 people eating dinner at 8:00PM" means that there were at least 400 people who either don't have families or for whatever reason felt it was better to stay at the office than to be at home w/ their families. The novelty of eating in a company cafeteria wears off, the long-term grind of working for a company where there is pressure to put the company ahead of your personal life does not.

Welcome to Silicon Valley.

The 400+ people at the Googleplex at 8:00 PM is mostly a reflection of the relative youth of the employee base (median age: 28). When you're young and single, hanging out with friends for dinner certainly beats going home and eating alone.

Google feels a lot like a college campus. Lots of people around at all hours of the day and night. People have different work schedules, but you never feel alone.

Does anyone work strict eight hour days, five days a week?

I've been working pretty consistent 8 hour days lately, noon to 8. Granted, in my last project, I was often working 11-12 hour days + weekends. I think that's only typical if you're on a high profile project with a company-wide push to get it out the door, though. There are 20,000 Googlers; most of them are not on such projects.

I'm not averse to risk but I am skeptical that everyone working late at Google is doing so because they're having so much fun as "rock star" engineers that they can't wait to get back to work.

But I agree, they shouldn't be criticized for being dedicated to their job. But I do think posts, like Don's, seem to implicitly criticize those people who aren't at the cafeteria at 8pm.

Google is all about achievement...not which hours you choose to work. The fact is that most employees do not stay for dinner. Google people have different work schedules. Some come in early, some stay late, some work 9 to 5 at the office, and get back online at night after the kids go to bed. Some people work from home. There is no pressure to conform to some schedule.

Google is like a college campus. There are people everywhere, all working different schedules. There is always someone around so you never feel alone.

Don

My kids are 2 and 5. And yes, I was at work last night at 9 PM. How horrible is that?

However I got time with my kids in the morning, arrived around noon, and like having the freedom to commute at a time where I can avoid rush hour traffic.

You, good sir, should be an entrepreneur.