OMG!!! Some people....

[anniemae]

I think the confusion was that the op was offering a little "snack" to the staff. Only enough was purchased for everyone to have one slice, a little taste. When some saw the pizza they thought, "Dinner!" and wanted more than one slice, which is appropriate for dinner. Now, in fairness to the greedy pizza girl, most people don't see pizza as a snack. It's more of a meal. A snack would be more like a box of muffins, which most would take just one.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

As kids we were always taught to order the smallest thing on the menu when others are paying. I've taught my kids pretty much the same thing.

We were taught this and also taught our children this. I remember being younger and eating at a Hess Department Store. A friend's mom took us for lunch and I ordered the cheapest (it was a grilled chicken) entree. Her mom smiled from ear to ear. She said "Ok. I get it. Your parents taught you well. But today we are ordering BIG!" And she encouraged me to get a steak. Which I did. And I remember thinking my mom would die if she saw me sitting here eating a steak, paid for by someone else, in a department store restaurant. I remember thanking this friend's mom the entire ride home. I also remember her smiling at me and telling me "You're parents are raising a great young lady". I don't know why it stuck with me, but it did. I saw this lady a few years ago and thanked her again for the steak She loved that I remembered that day.

 

[Floridaman999]

"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).

Need to ask the obvious question. Was it chocolate cake?

 

[Pea-n-Me]

I work in a hospital, too, and often bring in food or treats of some sort to share. It makes a stressful 12hr shift just a little bit more pleasant and fun, so it's good for morale when the going is rough. (Which is often.) Many staff do the same, so it's understood that you take a small amount, as there are often numerous people who will take some. Some won't have any; and some who weren't expected may come by and have some, too. You never know. Often people will take just half, or a little piece of something, such as with donuts or pastries. Additionally, we may get food and treats from patients and families, students, groups, other groups, etc. Or food left over from events/meetings. Everyone knows it's to share, and people shouldn't be hogs about it, but sometimes they are. (And as a pp mentioned, most will have already planned food for themselves, anyway. Most people come to work with a cooler for at least some of their food - 12 to 16 hrs is a long time, and often you're too busy to get away.)

It really sucks when families leave food for day and night shifts and nothing is left for nights because people sucked it all down. Or there are only crumbs left. So people meant to get it never got it. (Always label Days and Nights if you do this!) So there will always be people who don't understand the norms or don't care. But generally people take just a little and leave more so everyone has an option to have some. As an example, I often bring a banana bread. It's relatively small. I generally leave it on the table and let people take their own slice and it's fine - whoever wants some, gets some. With the pizza in the OP, I would've assumed it wasn't for everyone if there weren't four or more boxes, and just taken one slice, if offered. (Though not a big fan of Dominos pizza so might've passed. But I would've thanked you for the offer, OP. It was nice of you to do.)

 

[Chocolate Cake]

Need to ask the obvious question. Was it chocolate cake?

Haha! Half chocolate/ half vanilla. That is what I always order. But, of course, I only eat the chocolate half

 

[disykat]

I agree that pouncing on it like it was her dinner was rude. A snack was being offered and she tried to take a meal.

However, I find it so hard to get over the casual mention of 40 oz of soda every night that it's hard for me to even read the post. I'm not a soda drinker so that's what stuck out to me.

 

[mefordis]

I'll never forget years ago when my brother took a friend to our cottage for the weekend. We used to take turns taking a friend so we wouldn't die of boredom. On the way home we always stopped at a fast food place for dinner (our one and only of the week). We stopped at McDonald's and my brother's friend orders two Big Macs, a large fries, large milkshake and some sort of dessert. The four of us siblings sat there mortified and terrified that my parents would take a strip off of him (like they'd have done to us). I remember my father coming back to the car with one Big Mac, a small fries and a milkshake for him but no dessert. The kid whined the rest of the way home. He was lucky, we never got a milkshake or dessert.

As kids we were always taught to order the smallest thing on the menu when others are paying. I've taught my kids pretty much the same thing.

Ditto here. This is what I teach my kids as well. I realize people like big portions and it is the norm to eat two slices of pizza, but is it really worth it when you may be thought of as a rude pig? My rule is if offered anything, I take one and only one item.

 

[Chocolate Cake]

So there will always be people who don't understand the norms or don't care.

So true.

It is so difficult for me to wrap my head around the mindset of the people who are coming right out and saying "OP should have paid for more pizza so that people could eat more than one piece."

It's amazing that there is no embarrassment with that sentiment.

 

[kamik86]

I don't understand why people can't watch things like this.

I walked into a room yesterday to ask a question of someone that was in an all day meeting when the meeting was on a break. Someone else in the room offered me a snack they brought for the people in the meeting. I took a small piece (it did look good) but only a bit because 1) I wasn't sure if everyoen that wanted some had some and 2) I wasn't even really in the meeting.

My favorite story as a kid is that once my mom's boss had a friend drop by at work that had brought something for him (a drink when DD first came out with a new one) and he didn't want it for some reason. I happened to have stopped by to talk to my mom so his friend offered it to me. I declined (I didn't know this guy at all) and my mom's boss was just like "Oh she is just being polite offer again" and I look at my mom who says its ok so this time I take it.

There are lots of weird rules around food...

 

[kamik86]

Ditto here. This is what I teach my kids as well. I realize people like big portions and it is the norm to eat two slices of pizza, but is it really worth it when you may be thought of as a rude pig? My rule is if offered anything, I take one and only one serving.

For the reason that so many worry about what they order if someone else is paying I tend to not tell people I plan to pay. Have done that with my parents and friends at different times. That way they get what they want.

 

[sam_gordon]

Are people saying that if I’m walking down the hall in my office and a random coworker is walking the other way carrying a pizza and says to me “Hey, would you like a slice of pizza?” it socially acceptable for me to take two?

Well the "rude" coworker asked if she could have two.

I occasionally bring in donuts for my staff. I generally plan on 1 1/2 donuts/person. Sometimes other departments wander through our area and I don't want to be the one that says "no, you can't have any". I would not order 12 slices of pizza if I'm trying to feed 10 people. I'd probably get 16 slices (so three pizzas).

Was it nice of the OP to get pizza? Absolutely. I don't think it's right to put limits on gifts though. If you were buying sodas for 10 people, would you get a single 12 pack?

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

Well the "rude" coworker asked if she could have two.

I occasionally bring in donuts for my staff. I generally plan on 1 1/2 donuts/person. Sometimes other departments wander through our area and I don't want to be the one that says "no, you can't have any". I would not order 12 slices of pizza if I'm trying to feed 10 people. I'd probably get 16 slices (so three pizzas).

Was it nice of the OP to get pizza? Absolutely. I don't think it's right to put limits on gifts though. If you were buying sodas for 10 people, would you get a single 12 pack?

That's fine if it's in your budget however not everyone has the same budget to buy more doughnuts and more pizzas.

Yes, I would buy a 12 pack of soda for 10 people. Absolutely. No one I know of would drink more than one.

 

[mefordis]

OP - you should have ordered salads as well, for those looking to eat healthy. That was very short sighted not to do so. Also, cinnastix for those who might want a little dessert. Did you share your Diet Coke? People get thirsty after eating carbs, you know.

 

[mjkacmom]

I’ve never put two slices of pizza on my plate, even at home, even if I intend to two (and a single serving of pizza is one slice).ill usually eat two as a meal, but if I happened to be at a kids party and the parents were offered pizza as well, I’d only take one, same with any other food item.

 

[disykat]

If you were buying sodas for 10 people, would you get a single 12 pack?

Yes. Wouldn't there be 2 left over? In the original post it wasn't "all you can eat" so we're not talking "all you can drink."

There's a huge difference between buying the supplies for an entire day, party, or whatever than buying enough to share "a serving" with everyone. If I were buying sodas for 10 people, Yes, I'd buy a 12 pack.

If I was buying the soda for a party (where people were going to be mingling for several hours or more)with twelve people I'd buy two or three 12 packs - mainly so I'd have a variety to offer and those who wanted more could have it. The people I know just aren't big soda drinkers. (Is this a regional thing?) I always have tons left over and it takes my husband and kids a long time to go through it afterwards.

 

[kamik86]

I’ve never put two slices of pizza on my plate, even at home, even if I intend to two (and a single serving of pizza is one slice).ill usually eat two as a meal, but if I happened to be at a kids party and the parents were offered pizza as well, I’d only take one, same with any other food item.

The only place I will put two on the plate is when a work meeting has pizza for work.

The rules seem a bit different then. We know how many peop;le are invited and honestly almost always there is ALOT of pizza left over. However it is seen as rude to interrupt a presentation to get more food so most will take two slices and a bit of salad the first time and then if anyone gets seconds its at the end of the meeting before we put the rest in a random shared location for anyone else.

 

[wvjules]

I also don't get the "SOME PEOPLE" comment. The OP said the woman didn't take two slices. But then again I'm a savage so take that with a grain of salt, or two grains of salt if you're that type. One grain if you consider it a snack and two grains if it is your meal.

But seriously, if you are buying/bringing food for your co-workers, wouldn't you order enough for an average serving per person? I know I would. Or maybe even a little more than that. It's better to have too much than not enough, IMO. And according to the OP, there was possibly not enough to begin with.

FTR, I'm not an uncouth, no manners entitled cavewoman.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

OP - you should have ordered salads as well, for those looking to eat healthy. That was very short sighted not to do so. Also, cinnastix for those who might want a little dessert. Did you share your Diet Coke? People get thirsty after eating carbs, you know.

What about people with allergies? Also, some people have big appetites and 2 slices aren't going to cut it. You MUST account for the people who want 3 slices. Cinnastix? Eeew. I prefer fresh fruit offered, thank you very much. Gluten free, nut free, dairy free, mushroom free (texture issues) and well, don't forget about us vegans.

As someone previously stated: No good deed goes unpunished.

 

[AnnaFloridaLover]

I also don't get the "SOME PEOPLE" comment. The OP said the woman didn't take two slices. But then again I'm a savage so take that with a grain of salt, or two grains of salt if you're that type. One grain if you consider it a snack and two grains if it is your meal.

I believe you were one who went back and edited your first post which basically said you would take 2 slices of pizza and if told to take one would laugh and still take two.

 

[ENJDisneyFan]

People are constantly bringing food (cookies, cake, pizza, whatever) into the office where I work. Typically it gets set out and it's first come, first serve. Most people are polite enough to take a small portion so there is enough to go around. But if I'm the person bringing the treat I'm certainly not standing there policing how much everyone takes. It would be different if OP was in charge of bringing a meal for a set number of people, but she ordered some extra pizzas to be nice. I would have set them out with a note that said "Enjoy" and not given a second thought to who took what.