In my opinion, I understand why this may seem pretty awkward and I don’t think it’s a problem at all to pay for the physician’s wife but I do see the reasoning behind it. The physician could bring more colleagues and family members (e.g. brothers and sisters involved in the field) and try to exploit the company’s generosity. I think that this is just a way for the company to make sure that they don’t overspend or “waste” money. Paying for only the doctor’s meal makes sense because he is the one who is involved in the work, not the wife or relatives. I think that it is reasonable for the company to refuse to pay for the physician’s wife. If companies allowed this, then the case could be made as to why it can’t extend to other people such as relatives and other doctors that the physician may be friends with. It may not be a bid deal to pay for the physician’s wife but in that same argument, it wouldn’t be a big deal for the doctor to pay if it’s such a small price. Companies should pay for large expenses (e.g. hotel reservations, flights) if the physician is required to travel, but if they don’t want to pay for meal for people that are not employees, then that’s very understandable.