It has everything to do with safety, the NEC is written by a committee of industry professionals that create rules to make things safer after electricity kills people. It has nothing to do with elitism.
The rule is simple, for any workspace (countertop) in a kitchen wider than 12”, there must be no point further than 24” away from a receptacle. This means receptacles are spaced 4’ apart on a kitchen countertop, and any receptacle within 6’ of a the edge of a sink must be GFCI protected.
A blue plastic device box is about $1, a residential grade receptacle costs $1, a wall plate costs about $0.50, and 10’ of 14/2 romex costs about $5, plus $20-30 for 20 minutes of labor. You’re looking at an extra $30-40 cost per additional receptacle, call it $50 with contractor’s overhead and profit.
The rule is simple, for any workspace (countertop) in a kitchen wider than 12”, there must be no point further than 24” away from a receptacle. This means receptacles are spaced 4’ apart on a kitchen countertop, and any receptacle within 6’ of a the edge of a sink must be GFCI protected.
A blue plastic device box is about $1, a residential grade receptacle costs $1, a wall plate costs about $0.50, and 10’ of 14/2 romex costs about $5, plus $20-30 for 20 minutes of labor. You’re looking at an extra $30-40 cost per additional receptacle, call it $50 with contractor’s overhead and profit.