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We reported Monday on the Great Cafeteria Switchover of 2006 underway at The New York Times — it seems the Times Co., in its infinite nickel-pinching wisdom, outsourced food-service duties to Restaurant Associates, which promptly canned many longtime employees. The Upper West Siders who staff the paper know they should detest this, and yet they're conflicted. A Timesperson submits this early report:

We all wanted to hate it because they forced out people who had been workingthere for years, etc etc. But... it's so much nicer now. (Oops... chalk one up for The Man?) ANYWAY. There are giveaways everyday: Today is Tropicana juice and tomorrow is cookies. But watch out because the end of this week is FREE RED BULL FRIDAY in the times cafeteria... I am a little scared.

We're a little scared, too. Or, at the very least, expecting a fucking awesome Saturday paper, bro.

Got more news on the Great Cafeteria Switchover? Keep it coming...

Earlier: 'NYT' Outsources Cafeteria; Bob Herbert Indignant