While DC food wasn't always the best, I can remember meals at circuit assemblies that were nothing short of glorious. More than thirty years ago, when I lived in Birmingham, Alabama, the Witnesses purchased an old high school in Bessemer. They got it at a bargain price and did a marvelous job of renovating it. It had a huge auditorium, plenty of classrooms and offices that could be converted to other uses, and adequate parking. It was called "The Alabama Assembly Hall of Jehovah's Witnesses" and was used by circuits as far away as Tennessee and Georgia.
The high school also had a large kitchen and cafeteria that was used to prepare meals for the friends and as a place to eat. Our circuit had a woman who was one of the best cooks in all of Alabama and the Witnesses wisely put her in charge of the kitchen. For "theocratic" reasons they appointed a man as "kitchen overseer" but everyone knew that Liz was the real boss. The brother simply stood around and smiled as Liz directed all the cooking operations. Closed-circuit television was also in the kitchen so workers could see and hear the assembly program.
Liz cooked up marvelous meals for our circuit assemblies, including breakfast. Not only was the food delicious, but the meals were also well-balanced, as Liz had a dietician working in the kitchen with her. We never complained about what we had to eat back in those days, and the Witnesses were always grateful to Liz for all her hard work. She and her husband moved away from Birmingham thirty years ago (as did I), so I don't know what happened to the feeding arrangement when the Society decided to stop serving food at all its assemblies. I imagine few in our circuit were happy about that.
Quendi