Coming in at second place was the Hawke's Bay Regional Council, with a healthy appetite of $44,900, Central Hawke's Bay on $34,362 and Wairoa at $29,623.
It's quite the spread.
The public troughing opens Hastings councillors up to satirical critique and caricature.
Hence, Mayor Sandra Hazlenuttella, deputy mayor Tania Kerrbab, Bayden Barberque, Rod (Eats) Heaps, Wendy's Schollum, George Lyonshare, Kevindaloo Watkins and their fellow representatives should pause to digest the figures.
Yet jokes aside, most of us are hoping the disparity between councils was as big a surprise to Hastings' elected (historically a rational-spending council) as it was to ratepayers.
When asked the question, councillors on Monday attempted to mitigate the bill by itemising it.
Sure it has the biggest asset base, but it still beggars belief that it needs to spend more than tenfold the money on food than Napier's entire council.
Furthermore (and even more disturbingly) of the $116,000 eaten, about $50,000 was spent on catering for the council's own elected members - roughly $1000 a week. This is the figure that stings the most.
I'm tempted to applaud thrifty Napier. But maybe first we should investigate whether it's less hospitable, undernourished or possibly reconciles catering costs differently to Hastings.
Regardless, the invited inference is that Hastings failed to keep a watchful eye on its food. And surely that's a duty it's obliged to upkeep.
The more disturbing explanation is that councillors are imbued with a presidential sense of civic entitlement.
No one's denying a public servant's right to chow. But surely, moderation, in all things.
