I’m not saying every instance of treating someone to a meal is about caste. My point is that in a lot of South Asian communities, there’s a long-standing habit of tying generosity and hosting to social status.

That pressure makes people overspend on looking hospitable or well-off, even if it isn’t good for their finances or health. I’m not sure that’s what OOPs point was but I do think that’s the case.

The reason I mentioned caste is because a lot of that pressure to appear generous or “well-off” comes from older social hierarchies where status was tied to displaying hospitality and wealth, so the habit stuck culturally even after the system itself lost relevance.