Hypothetical situation - what would you do (poll)?

[soccerdad72]

I never would order something so expensive as what that one employee did. Did they know you were paying oop? Even if the co was buying I wouldn't have. I think it was very nice of you to treat everyone to lunch!!!

Yeah, she knew. The kicker is she doesn't directly report to me - she reports to a manager who is my direct report, but I didn't want to leave out the three clerks who report to my manager. I even pushed back the lunch a few days so she would be able to go - she's been out on a medical leave for a couple months and yesterday was her first day back. She's (hopefully) going to be retiring in a few months, supposedly, but won't tell anyone the exact date yet.

 

[lovesmurfs]

Yeah, she knew. The kicker is she doesn't directly report to me - she reports to a manager who is my direct report, but I didn't want to leave out the three clerks who report to my manager. I even pushed back the lunch a few days so she would be able to go - she's been out on a medical leave for a couple months and yesterday was her first day back. She's (hopefully) going to be retiring in a few months, supposedly, but won't tell anyone the exact date yet.

I suspected this wasn't the first "issue" with the employee.

 

[Nettester]

I'd order the buffet because I'm a vegan. Because my diet isn't mainstream, and this meal was offered as a nice treat from my employer, I would not want to ask a bunch of questions while placing the order and call attention to all the items I won't eat. That's awkward at best. I'd just quietly fill up my plate and happily talk about topics other than my food choices

 

[ShirikiUtundu]

I think a few of you kind of guessed where I was going with this - while everyone else who ordered off the menu got burgers or salad or some other kind of sandwich, one woman ended up ordering the surf and turf. Heck, I didn't even know they had surf and turf on the menu.

I know I would have never thought a "casual wing joint" would have surf and turf on the menu either. Was the price variance much greater? I posted that I would order whatever I wanted that day. Of course that was under the assumption that a casual wing joint wasn't going to vary much across the menu in terms of pricing.

But there is always that one person at work gatherings. I wouldn't make a thing about it. But in my head I would always think of her as Sally Surf & Turf.

 

[soccerdad72]

I know I would have never thought a "casual wing joint" would have surf and turf on the menu either. Was the price variance much greater? I posted that I would order whatever I wanted that day. Of course that was under the assumption that a casual wing joint wasn't going to vary much across the menu in terms of pricing.

But there is always that one person at work gatherings. I wouldn't make a thing about it. But in my head I would always think of her as Sally Surf & Turf.

Honestly, I don't remember the price of the entree - it might have been like $15 or $16 (the buffet was $10). I'm sure it was a high quality steak I'm certainly not going to make any comment about it (that's what the DIS is for, right? )

 

[JustCallMeMommy]

I get where you are coming from. I took my staff out to a nice restaurant of their choice this year and paid for the meal (the company doesn't give us money for things like that). I don't know if I am going to do this again. Everyone was late, and not a little late - 20-30 minutes late. Then, I was a little surprised when several people ordered dessert to go. I wouldn't have thought anything of dessert or coffee as part of the meal, but when someone else is paying, something to take home was odd to me.

 

[Meriweather]

Depends on what the buffet consists of. I don't like wings.
I would do the buffet because I could chose what I want and try some things, but if it is just wings, I would go with a salad

 

[wvjules]

A $15-16 surf and turf? No thanks. I'll take my chance with the buffet. lol

I actually selected buffet as my choice. I don't go to buffets so it'd be a nice change to get a variety of foods.

Where I work, costs of meals are not a consideration at all. We order what we want without out much thought for cost. Sometimes I can't fathom how much our bill is going to be- apps, entrees, wine, dessert/coffee, etc... We are not cheap eaters. Now, if I knew a person was paying and not the company I'm sure our ordering habits might change. But that doesn't happen. It always company paid.

 

[BLAZEY]

Our comptroller just took us out for lunch last week after completing a rather large project and being the test subjects for a new program. It was an upper scale casual place and we each ordered whatever we wanted. We knew he would be expensing the lunch back to the company, but if I knew it was out of his own pocket I would have been more likely to look at a less expensive option. we took our cue from him. He ordered a drink, so that was the indicator for me that it was permitted. I had a lovely pasta dish and a glass of wine. He had ordered a few platters of the shared appetizers to start. The owners take us (and our spouse)out for lunch on the last day before Christmas as well.

 

[jrmasm]

I get where you are coming from. I took my staff out to a nice restaurant of their choice this year and paid for the meal (the company doesn't give us money for things like that). I don't know if I am going to do this again. Everyone was late, and not a little late - 20-30 minutes late. Then, I was a little surprised when several people ordered dessert to go. I wouldn't have thought anything of dessert or coffee as part of the meal, but when someone else is paying, something to take home was odd to me.

Dang, that's ballsy!!

 

[TipsyTraveler]

I wouldn't give much thought to someone ordering a meal that's only $5 or $6 more. When you said surf-n-turf I pictured one person eating a $60 meal while everyone else ordered $12 sandwiches. Now knowing the prices, I would say her order was still in line with everyone else's. That $5 difference could easily be made up by ordering one less drink, skipping dessert, not sharing an app.

In any case, it's very nice of you to take everyone out for lunch on your dime. I'm sure they appreciated it!

 

[disneychrista]

Depends on what is on the buffet vs the menu. I am the first to admit that I am a picky eater. So if the buffet was full of things I am not going to eat, I will order off the menu and get something I will eat.

 

[Skellingtonj]

Wings

 

[MrsJackSparrow4Life]

$5-$6 difference wouldn’t even make me blink an eye. Now if the surf and turf was $30+ I would think she was tacky.

 

[Jimmy Mouse]

Buffets have desert. Easy choice

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Ok, so a little more info. Obviously, it was my staff and, because we're public employees, it was my treat (not expensed through or anything like that).

Admittedly, I thought the buffet was going to be better than it turned out. I had eaten there for lunch a year or two ago and it had a lot more selections than it did yesterday, so I was not surprised when a number of people didn't want the buffet. There ended up being 3 or 4 people getting the buffet, so like others said, it was a little strange having some people eating while others were waiting for food, but it is what it is.

I think a few of you kind of guessed where I was going with this - while everyone else who ordered off the menu got burgers or salad or some other kind of sandwich, one woman ended up ordering the surf and turf. Heck, I didn't even know they had surf and turf on the menu. At the end of the day, it doesn't make that big of a difference, but it was just one of those things I thought was a little on the tacky side (I know how the DIS loves that term )

Last time I went out to eat with my boss, only he, his wife, and his daughter (all of whom work for us) got a salad PLUS an entree. He ordered steak, then whined about how it wasn't as good as his favorite local steak place - a whine I've heard EVERY time he's ordered steak anywhere besides his favorite place LOL

Edit: my crew prefers takeout when I treat. Sit-down meals cut into their overtime.

 

[sasywtch]

First of all, I'd say it was nice of you as a former public employee myself for you to take them to lunch. Previously, we all had to buy our own lunch and until Tilla got there last year, we got to go home early after the lunch. We would have fundraisers to help lower our costs throughout the year so when Christmas time came, we normally had picked a sit down half/way nice place and only paid 10 each that included regular drink, lunch, dessert, tip. I do have to say, if I knew then what I knew now and my boss was paying, well......who knows what I would have ordered : )

 

[tvguy]

I'd order the buffet because I'm a vegan. Because my diet isn't mainstream, and this meal was offered as a nice treat from my employer, I would not want to ask a bunch of questions while placing the order and call attention to all the items I won't eat. That's awkward at best. I'd just quietly fill up my plate and happily talk about topics other than my food choices

My daughter is pescatarian. Her employer had a VERY nice lunch catered in for the company Christmas party. Roasted Chicken, tri tip, green beans with bacon.....which meant the only thing she could eat were the mashed potatoes.
So a buffet would be a great option for those with dietary restrictions either by choice, by health or by religion.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Honestly, I don't remember the price of the entree - it might have been like $15 or $16 (the buffet was $10). I'm sure it was a high quality steak I'm certainly not going to make any comment about it (that's what the DIS is for, right? )

Personally, I think you got off pretty easy finding a $10 buffet. I didn't know they still existed. How much were the other entrees?

 

[soccerdad72]

Personally, I think you got off pretty easy finding a $10 buffet. I didn't know they still existed. How much were the other entrees?

I think most of the sandwiches were around $10 as well. For 10 of us, my total bill was around $150 after tip, so pretty reasonable. The buffet used to be a better deal, as it offered more selections the last time I was at it (a year or two ago). I don't think I'd go back there again, personally - at least not for the buffet.

BTW, for the record - nobody ordered wings, probably for the reasons that most mentioned (e.g. eating messy food while out with co-workers, etc.).