Is this fair?

Situation at work today:

Lets say your department chips in lets say $25 each for catered food (to celebrate Thanksgiving, I guess)

One girl decides to Opt out & offers to bake something instead. She brings in a plate of about 5-6 cookies for a department of like 18 people.

Person who orders food realizes that $425 in food was a lot of food for 18 people & decides to invite other people to eat (from other departments).

They walk in, plate & fork in hand saying "Nothing better than FREE FOOD!"

Explain to me how fair that is for the people who paid $25 each?

I'm in no way being a cheapskate. I just dont think thats fair.

Does anyone else agree with me?

Re: Is this fair?

TOTALLY UNFAIR I am not cheap at all but i would be

Re: Is this fair?

I totally agree with you... no, it's not fair. Especially now when people are really trying not to go overboard with money and it's the holidays. It would totally bother me.

One thing I'd do though is suck it up and think of it as a lunch you just spent a little more than you wanted to on.

BTW... where you at? I'll stop over for a free lunch? Kidding!

Re: Is this fair?

Fair is relative.

This always happened at my old office.

We’d chip in but there’d be so much food. We’d get first ‘dibs’ if you will, then the left overs went to others there. Figured it was easier than throwing it out or taking it home.

That said, I find it crude to announce “Free Food” .. instead it should be appreciative. “Thank you for letting us have some” type thing.

Unfortunately there’s always going to be those few who don’t contribute but always seem to reap the benefits of others contribution. It’s the risk you take.

Tomorrow we are having something here, no one knows what yet. I am offering to make brownies (it’s a small office) and also to pick up the pizza (put it on the office charge card). We asked for a headcount but there will always be those lackeys who show up for free food.

*sigh*

How about when you pay in and someone in your group invites another person over for ‘just’ this or ‘just’ that? Ugh!


We used to have one guy who ALWAYS seemed to be available when it was food present but mysteriously missing when collections were taken.

Re: Is this fair?

Not fair at all!!!! I'd be pi$$ed!

It was really nice of the one coworker to offer YOUR money to pay for other people's lunch.

Re: Is this fair?

Posted by EricaAlt

BTW... where you at? I'll stop over for a free lunch? Kidding!

Re: Is this fair?

not fair at all!

i would be upset

Re: Is this fair?

Posted by Xelindrya


We used to have one guy who ALWAYS seemed to be available when it was food present but mysteriously missing when collections were taken.

Re: Is this fair?

I'd be ****** too.

IMO, $25 is a lot for lunch. They'd be better off saying, "Let's all order lunch together from _____ restaurant." People could order what they want and pay for their own meal. Then there wouldn't be extra food and only those people who ordered their own lunch would get to eat.

Re: Is this fair?

next year I would opt-out also and bring a few cookies in!

Message edited 11/24/2009 12:56:49 PM.

Re: Is this fair?

Re: Is this fair?

Posted by Lisa

next year I would opt-out also and bring a few cookies in!

Re: Is this fair?

no its totally not fair, but its better then letting it go in the trash. i guess whoever ordered the food will know better for next year.

Re: Is this fair?

Gosh...sounds like the Healthcare Debate.

Free Food tastes great but for those who paid its not fair (unless they really enjoy giving). =)

Re: Is this fair?

If it only happens during Thanksgiving, it wouldn't bother me.

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I'm cheap, so I would be pi$$sed. I would have also questioned what the heck we were ordering for $25 each/$425 total. That's alot of money!

Message edited 11/24/2009 2:05:50 PM.

Re: Is this fair?

Re: Is this fair?

yeah that amount I would have questioned to begin with.

But now that it's done don't let that person order food again with your money.

I would tell everyone who got the food for free that next year it's their turn.

Maybe they'll do something for Christmas.

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I'd be livid.

For $25 I could buy lunch for a week & brown bag it....

Re: Is this fair?

Posted by headoverheels

Posted by lakadema

Posted by twiceasnice

Gosh...sounds like the Healthcare Debate.

Free Food tastes great but for those who paid its not fair (unless they really enjoy giving). =)

I was totally thinking the same thing as I was reading this post!

How can you even begin to compare healthcare to party food?

Re: Is this fair?

Posted by GucciFucci1

Posted by Xelindrya


We used to have one guy who ALWAYS seemed to be available when it was food present but mysteriously missing when collections were taken.

We have one here. We call him Cockroach.

Re: Is this fair?

I think it would have been fair had the people who had chipped in the $25 were offered to bring home some leftovers. Then whatever was leftover after that could be given away to other depts.

Re: Is this fair?

My first reaction would be to tell the person in charge who organized this lunch and everybody else that next time someone offers the leftover for free in the office you would want to have a say into it.

In reality, next year I would opt out. Bring a can of soup that you can put back in your drawer and wait for the free leftover.

If asked, I would say I did not shell out $25 for a lunch and feed the one, who did not want to contribute, for free. That those who contributes should have been asked about leftovers.

We had a girl that I called CookieMonster.

We had a big lunch offered. Turkeys, etc.. The whole thing. The VP had generously offered to pay for the Turkeys. We all contributes to make/buy side dishes. After our meal, there were tons of leftovers. We were told to help ourselves. Cookie Monster took an office chair next to her. Dumped half the sheafers' dishes into the dish with the Turkey (yes, the whole turkey). Took the huge shaffer dish and wheeled it back to her office. She had enough to make HER ENTIRE turkey dinner for Thanksgiving. I was coming with a little plate for dinner for DH and I. I was so was everybody else. Someone asked me what if I wanted green beens. I was No I wanted some meat too but I guess that was gone. Her boss appologized, her face bright red. I told her that nobody could be sorry for someone's complete lack of etiquette. The girl was still in the room. Clueless of what she had just done. She did it again at another meal we had. Another manager that time told her to put it back and give herself a reasonable serving. That OTHERS wanted some too. She was "oh really! I did not know". Saddly she was THAT clueless.