At the company I work for they don't offer free coffee. The reason they give as to why not is so the employees will actually have to go outside to get one.
Companies like Grubhub also offer corporate accounts where employers can give their employees money to spend on food.
Snacks and other small perks are trivially gamed. There is a decent argument that companies that spend money on frivolous benefits to project an image of strength have something to hide. Often the frugal, conservative companies that count the pennies lead to more stability and long-term strength.
The premise of the article is to find leading indicators of health.