Uhmmm... i don't think this is a good analogy. Tone relates more to the taste of the food, rather than the simple matter of fulfilling a basic need (ie, hunger). Maybe playing music fulfills that need, but better tasting food makes the experience of eating more enjoyable, like how better tone makes playing music more enjoyable.
Hardly... nothing is ever settled here. 
Well, yeah..point taken, mate. The analogy I have stated as you have mentioned may not be that good. But I guess it's sensible enough to make people understand that you can just make do with what you currently have, rather than force your way to acquire something that is unreachable or not viable as of the moment. And sometimes, the adobo kicks the steak's a$$ as far as taste is concerned.
Tone relates more to the taste of food, you say..and I agree with you. But there are people who have tasted the best steak they have probably tasted or eaten, but at the end of the day, they'd still end up saying that, adobo for example, or dinuguan is their favorite meal of all time. This goes to say that there are people who have tried, used or acquired top-of-the-line or MIA guitars/equipment, but still settle down with their trusted MIKs or MICs. Why? Maybe because they've found that level of contentment and connection in their instruments that they cannot hold or achieve gettin' in other guitars.
Finally, yes, nothing is ever settled here.
