OMG!!! Some people....

[Southernmiss]

The difference is you are talking about children but the OP is discussing working adults who we'd like to believe did learn the social graces of food sharing.

Yes, but as this thread has shown, most people responding agree that two slices is usually reasonable. And I have seen many adults who are still children in their thoughts and behaviors.

We have all been on the dis boards and in life long enough to know that people don't have the same social graces that we think they should. And therefore most responding are not surprised. The surprise is that op had such an issue with 2 pieces to bring it to a message board to complain.

 

[Blackadder337]

My manager gets pizza on occasion, but he usually says "just take one for now until I make sure everyone gets some, then I'll offer up the rest".

So if you do it again, give that same speech before they dive into the box

 

[Chocolate Cake]

You take one slice of pizza in a group setting. Wait until everyone has eaten. Then perhaps have a second. That is the polite thing to do.

 

[lovin'fl]

I must be odd because I'd only take one slice and wait to be told I could have more or see that there was plenty left to have more.

My girls played on a travel ball team where one tourney would give two Xlarge pizzas to the championship game teams. There were like 14 players and 3 coaches. And the pizza slices were cut large, like the size of your head, but were 8 slices per pizza yet a couple girls grabbed two slices leaving some girls (like mine) with none. Then when cleaning up, you'd see plates with wasted slices that had one bite out of it.

Usually you see how much pizza and know how many folks are at the meal and can do the math. But in OP's case not everyone was all in break room to gauge that. So I would probably have said 'would you like one slice?'. And if she asked for two, I'd reiterate 'just one, cause that's just enough for everyone'.

 

[JaneBanks]

It took 10 posts to be food shamed. It's a quiet day on the DIS. lol

 

[anniemae]

Personally, I would take one slice because I would want to make sure everyone who wanted a slice got one. If I wanted another slice, I would go back after I finished the first slice to see if there was any extra.

 

[tvguy]

2 would be reasonable to me.

OT, but as a 25+ year of the overnight shift, overnight people never drink diet soda or Coke or Pepsi, they drink Mountain Dew with all the caffeine and sugar.

 

[RedAngie]

I would not have taken two slices of a pizza offered to me. It's rude to continue taking a second slice after being told one per person. I can't imagine grabbing two slices of someone's personal pizza when offered a slice. This isn't a party or shared office lunch. However, I'd shake off the irritation and move on quickly.

If someone at work offers you a home baked cookie do you stick your hand in and take two?

OP may need to cut the pizza into addition smaller slices, just like someone needed to cut cookies in half when some greedy people in her office gobbled up more than their fair share.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

I must be odd because I'd only take one slice and wait to be told I could have more or see that there was plenty left to have more.

I don't think it is odd at all. I think it is the right thing to do.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Pizza to me is different than other types of food.

Pizza should in general when ordering for a group of people assume 2 per person. It's the average of what people eat. Some may only get 1 which would leave a 3rd piece for someone else. To order with the explicit intent of only 1 slice per person I can see would only lead to worry about enough food.

It's a nice gesture OP but I would have gone in thinking 2 per person or opted to just order for yourself.

If the pieces were quite large as you said they were only 6 slices per large pizza you could have cut the pieces in half like someone else mentioned to 'stretch' it if you will because again for most people pizza is 2 pieces average.

All that being said if you strictly wanted only 1 per person a sign would have been appropriate if you weren't going to be in the room. I understand the confusion of the coworker (because again most would assume 2 pieces) but she should have stopped reaching for the 2nd piece after you said no the first time.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Having kids and working with kids who haven't learned social graces of food sharing, I have learned that if I can't be a generous giver without strings attached when regards to food, then I shouldn't offer food.

"Strings attached" comes with most food offerings.

We had a party for my son many years ago. We cut the cake and a neighbor immediately took 5 pieces This was before any of the children were served. She walked them down the street with a napkin draped over them and returned to the party. A little while later, she took 3 more. At this point, I asked her to please wait until all of the children got cake. She seemed miffed and explained she was freezing them for her lunches and she "wouldn't let them go to waste". Um, that was not my concern. My concern was to make sure everybody got a piece.

So yes. There were "strings attached" to my giving of the cake.

It's basic manners to make sure everyone eats before going for seconds or thirds (or eighths).

 

[Elle23]

We had a party for my son many years ago. We cut the cake and a neighbor immediately took 5 pieces This was before any of the children were served. She walked them down the street with a napkin draped over them and returned to the party. A little while later, she took 3 more. At this point, I asked her to please wait until all of the children got cake. She seemed miffed and explained she was freezing them for her lunches and she "wouldn't let them go to waste". Um, that was not my concern. My concern was to make sure everybody got a piece.

What?! That is just crazy!

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Personally, I would take one slice because I would want to make sure everyone who wanted a slice got one. If I wanted another slice, I would go back after I finished the first slice to see if there was any extra.

Exactly. Even if you normally eat two slices of pizza, it isn't difficult to do the math. "Well, there are only two pies here. And there are X amount of people. If I take two slices, that means someone won't even be able to eat one. I really want two, but that would be rude."

 

[NYCgrrl]

"Strings attached" comes with most food offerings.

We had a party for my son many years ago. We cut the cake and a neighbor immediately took 5 pieces This was before any of the children were served. She walked them down the street with a napkin draped over them and returned to the party. A little while later, she took 3 more. At this point, I asked her to please wait until all of the children got cake. She seemed miffed and explained she was freezing them for her lunches and she "wouldn't let them go to waste". Um, that was not my concern. My concern was to make sure everybody got a piece.

So yes. There were "strings attached" to my giving of the cake.

It's basic manners to make sure everyone eats before going for seconds or thirds (or eighths).

Well ga-dang!
The ways people justify their behavior just boggles my mind. smh just smh.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

What?! That is just crazy!

I have grown to learn there are more and more crazy people in this world. And sometimes they are the people that you would not expect it from.

I once went to a bridal shower (I did not host. I was a guest) where someone brought Tupperware to load up food to take home.

I have gone out to eat with people that upon learning that I would pick up the tab, changed their order to something more expensive.

I also once had a co-worker sit and pick their teeth at a dinner meeting. For a very long time. As if they were sitting on their living room couch at home. Digging and digging at their teeth. It was so gross.

 

[soccerdad72]

Free food in the workplace makes people do some goofy stuff.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Free food in the workplace makes people do some goofy stuff.

Free food ANYWHERE.
Nothing makes me rage more than people at Costco who abandon their cart mid aisle for a bite of cheese. And I am the opposite. No thank you. A bunch of people hovering around food? I'll pass.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Free food ANYWHERE.
Nothing makes me rage more than people at Costco who abandon their cart mid aisle for a bite of cheese. And I am the opposite. No thank you. A bunch of people hovering around food? I'll pass.

That's a regular occurance at Costco- food or no food.

 

[Hikergirl]

Free food in the workplace makes people do some goofy stuff.

Sure but what was goofy here? 2 slices is the average amount of pizza people eat, the woman was grabbing 2 slices but did ask if she could take 2, the OP said no, and she asked again. She was told no again and put down the 2nd slice so when all was said and done, she only took 1. The amount she was "allotted".

 

[PollyannaMom]

I work overnights at a hospital. I am currently at work. My hospital only sells Pepsi, so if I was not able to stop and pick up Diet Coke on my way into work, I usually order Dominos so I can get a couple of 20 oz bottles for the night. (I cannot leave the premises, I am the only respiratory therapist, if a code happens, I have to be there).

Tonight, I decided I would order two large Brooklyn pizzas to share with the nurses I work with. They are cut into 6 slices. Just about enough for everyone to have 1 slice. The monitor tech was the 1st person I saw, so I invited her to take a slice before I walked the pizza back to the nurses. She was excited, and started to take two slices. As she is pulling the 2 slices out of the box, she asked if she could have two slices. I told her just one, because I needed to make sure everyone got at least one slice before it was all gone. She is still pulling the two slices towards her as she says " I can't have two slices?" NO....now, that slice is set aside because she had her hands on it, so she will more than likely end up with 2 slices, if no one wants it after it has been touched.

Why would someone do that? The nerve.

I do think she was rude. Even if two pieces is the "normal" serving, good manners (unless there is clearly a large amount) is to take one first to make sure everyone gets one, and then go back for the second if there's enough. And this:

But this was just something I did because I wanted pizza (ok, I wanted diet coke) and I wanted to share. Think of it like someone sharing their lunch. Everyone should have their own lunch, this was an extra treat for everyone.

matters. It wasn't a planned event, where you were feeding everyone a meal (in which case, I would buy more) but an "extra bite" in addition to whatever lunches people brought.

Planning ahead -
Is there somewhere at work you can safely leave some emergency Cokes so you don't have to order out?
Is there a pizza cutter in the breakroom, so pieces could be cut smaller next time?