The restaurants are saying that their revenues are hurting due to the new state laws that prohibit gifts for doctors from drug and device companies or limit the expenses, in other words no more expensive dinners. This fact in itself shows there’s a lot of medical business items discussed over nice dinners and lunches. 
As the law currently stands now the companies can still cater in lunch, but no expensive dinners outside the office. BD
Massachusetts restaurateurs hurting for business in an unsettled economy and frustrated by lawmakers' willingness to exempt casinos from alcohol service limits are pleading with lawmakers to give them a break this week, over the objection of patient advocates.
That break comes in the form of a House proposal to exempt restaurants from a 2008 state law that bars medical device and pharmaceutical companies from wining and dining doctors, which restaurants say has taken a bite out of their business in the two years since.
Under current law, companies may still cater food from local restaurants to doctors' offices but cannot pay for doctors' meals off-premises. Restaurant advocates say device and drug companies have shown little interest in catering, cutting deep swaths out of their function revenue.
During debate, Sen. Richard Moore, co-chair of the Health Care Financing Committee, led opposition to the proposal, saying it would "gut" efforts to control health care costs.
Mass. restaurants seek gift ban exemption | MassDevice - Medical Device Industry News