When somebody else is treating, what do you do?

[LilyWDW]

Rude! Heck, I have a medical condition that is very food sensitive so there are some things I CAN NOT eat without risking a lot of pain and discomfort. I plan for that. It's my responsibility to provide my own food, not the responsibility of my job or boss to get me something special. I may have asked if it was possible to have them order me a salad that I would pay for on my own, but I would never ask for them to buy me one. Ugh. So tacky!

 

[Hikergirl]

Would you say that before or after I'd instruct the boss we wanted $30 pizzas from the gourmet place instead of $5 little caesars and to throw in the optional $15 lobster and shrimp add ons?

I'd slip it right there in the middle

 

[Melissakay1q]

Man, I could go for some pizza. DH is trying out the Paleo diet so there's a real lack of carbs in my life right now. Pizza

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

I'd slip it right there in the middle

Good strategy. Then the boss can't single either of us out as the rude one.

Me. Boss make sure it's that good pizza from the gourmet place and not Little Caesars.
You. And throw in some beer. The good stuff not bud or any of that garbage.
Me. Oh and throw in those shrimp and lobster add ons too while you're at it.

 

[Hikergirl]

Then Me: should throw in some wine in case not everyone drinks beer!

 

[Melissakay1q]

I agree that it's rude. People can share a pizza, but purchasing a salad for one person is an added expense. I used to work with this girl who would always order the most expensive thing on the menu when we were taken out to lunch by the boss. Then she would order dessert when nobody else was ordering it or talked about ordering it.

A place I worked would treat the department heads to lunch at Outback around Christmastime. One of my coworkers ordered lobster (that isn't even on the lunch menu) then loudly ordered a second lobster tail while everyone else was eating. I was thinking dang girl!

 

[godders]

I've been lactose intolerant since I was 17 and have some quite strict dietary requirements (wouldn't be able to eat the pizza as much as I would love to, even gluten/dairy-free) so I'm always very wary of others dietary issues. I don't think the co-worker was rude necessarily. If she was asking for salad INSTEAD of the pizza then she's within her rights as the boss is buying lunch for everyone presumably as a little holiday treat. If she wanted it AS WELL AS pizza and didn't offer to pay for it herself then yeh I'd say rude.

Although, could it be argued the boss was rude for not checking that everyone was able to eat pizza? Even if I'm having a dinner party or ordering any kind of food for other I ALWAYS check for intolerance, allergies, veggies and vegans. I will also always provide something for them and wouldn't expect someone to provide their own food when I'm hosting.

 

[Julie's Haircut]

Not rude. The boss should have taken into account that not everybody could eat or even likes pizza.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Then Me: should throw in some wine in case not everyone drinks beer!

Good thinking. You read my mind. But because I already asked for two things, I thought me asking for the wine might be pushing it. Besides. The boss can spring for some private reserve.

 

[Hikergirl]

Good thinking. You read my mind. But because I already asked for two things, I thought me asking for the wine might be pushing it. Besides. The boss can spring for some private reserve.

Ok, food and drinks are covered, who is going to demand, I mean ask for some nice desserts?

 

[MataHari22]

Not sure how I feel about it, because I cannot eat a lot of things because I have dysphagia. So, many times if someone asks me if I would like something, I just simply say, no. Now, if I was in a situation where I was working again, and my owner or supervisor was buying food as a treat or a reward, and I couldn't partake, I would be tempted to ask if I could please order something else. As a former GM and store manager, I have taken people's allergies and food issues into account when purchasing food items for rewards and employee incentives. She asked, and the boss could have said, no.

 

[Marchand63]

My boss announced at about 10am that she would buy pizza for all of us. She asked us what we wanted on it, and that it would be here around noon.

A co-worker, who is in the middle of a health scare right now and is on a super-healthy (self-imposed) diet, asked for salad as well. The health scare doesn't involve anything to do with nutrition - co-worker is trying to decide if she wants to take a medical or holistic approach to treatment. My boss seemed slightly taken aback, (just a LITTLE, not a lot) and said sure.

I was raised with the "you get what you get and don't ask for more" mentality. I have struggled somewhat with asking anyone for anything, and I know that. So, my "proper manners" instinct says that co-worker was being rude. If it were me, I would have said thank you for the pizza and if it was something I didn't want to eat, I would go with Lunch Plan A and just eat what I was planning on eating before the 10am announcement,

However, knowing that I am slightly stunted in the "ask and thou shall receive" department, maybe it's not really considered rude?

What do you all think?

(and this is supposed to be lighthearted conversation....I get that pizza and salad does not constitute calling for a national morality summit! LOL)

Pizza & salad are a morality summit, this is the DIS after all.

Not rude. The boss should have taken into account that not everybody could eat or even likes pizza.

The boss is under no obligation to cater his GIFT to the office to every employees personal eating plan. Don't like it don't eat it. That is what I did when my boss had Chipotle delivered. I don't like but I didn't demand he also order me a lobster roll.

 

[Meriweather]

I would say thank you.....but I can't eat it. (which is true)
And ask if I could order a salad and pay for it myself.
This happened in jury duty and they did pay for it, but I would be happy too. As much as I would like pizza, I just can't

 

[MSLRAC]

I think it was rude as well. DS doesn't eat pizza because of texture issues caused by his Autism. So when we are in a situation where pizza is the choice, I buy him a salad or breadsticks from the same place. If the person treating offers to pay, I graciously say that it is not necessary but let them pay if they insist.

 

[Cannot_Wait_4Disney]

Ok, food and drinks are covered, who is going to demand, I mean ask for some nice desserts?

Tim down in accounting.
Who is going to ask for the "entertainment?"

 

[SMD]

If you're a boss or supervisor it's wise to keep in mind morale. While there may be situations where it is less appropriate to ask for an alternative, if the pizza is intended to be a reward or a group activity is it worth possibly alienating an employee over the cost of a salad? Even if the employee politely declines and doesn't join in, you're risking a negative atmosphere and possible lost productivity down the line. Again, over the cost of a salad.

And for every person who would rather a non-pizza eater decline and find their own food there is a boss or co-worker who will think it's rude to leave to get their own food, not sit around while others eat their pizza or do any of the alternatives. If there is only one possible pizza place that doesn't have salad or any other items, that's one thing, but choosing another place where salad is either available or within budget is such a small concession, what's the point of digging in your heels if the point was to be a gesture to the employees.

 

[mjkacmom]

Not rude. The boss should have taken into account that not everybody could eat or even likes pizza.

This wasn't a dinner party, it was a last minute treat. I assume everyone already had a plan in place for lunch. When I worked, people would bring in surprise treats, like bagels or donuts. If someone was low carving it, too bad. I don't like donuts, so I just didn't eat them.

 

[Pooh2]

We had a friend who used to do this to us. It is rude and inconsiderate.

 

[Gumbo4x4]

Would you say that before or after I'd instruct the boss we wanted $30 pizzas from the gourmet place instead of $5 little caesars and to throw in the optional $15 lobster and shrimp add ons?

When the owner buys, he always insists on the high $ pizza, but skimps on the toppings (it's STL style, which ONLY tastes good with 3+ toppings IMO) or orders weird stuff that nobody eats.

Oh look, these two got clobbered, 1/2 of this one is still here, and only 1 piece is gone from that 1. Maybe change up the order next time??

 

[CarolAnn856]

If I'm the person offering food, I always try to take preferences into account. Of course, if it is a large group, that isn't always possible, but I try to cover the most frequent current restrictions, such as vegetarian and gluten free. I think it's polite to offer choices.

If I'm the person being offered food, however, I would never ask for my personal diet to be accommodated. I consider it very rude to ask under most normal circumstances. My daughter is vegetarian, and we do not expect anyone else to alter their menu for her. If a group is ordering pizza and collectively choosing toppings, that's easy, since getting a half cheese is no big deal. We usually find that there are several people who only want cheese, anyway. But, if we're going to a friend's house for a meal, we always bring something we know she can eat, just in case the main course is meat or meat-based.