# If you're going to offer us lunch, can you please at least follow through? **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 10, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200 "2010-11-10T18:55:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/1 "2010-11-10T18:55:10Z")
My programmers work hard. I work hard right there with them, sharing the load. Boss (VP) comes in around 11am, see’s we’re busy as hell trying to make his laughable project completion date, and probably are going to have to work through lunch. Again. Him being the generous man he is, offers to get us lunch. Whadda guy. “What kind of sandwiches would you like?” We tell him. He’s got a really good memory because he’s not writing any of this down. …time passes… 2pm, and we’re all wondering if we should just go and get lunch, or simply all go home with hungry headaches. The first time this happened, we all just thought he got redirected. The second time this happened, we got pissed. This is the third time. How should we be feeling about this by now? How do you tell a VP that he’s an ass? I realize that this is a free lunch and all, but jeez! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/74df32/32.png) [@The\_Devil\_s\_Grandmother](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Devil_s_Grandmother)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/2 "2010-11-10T18:57:39Z")
If you want to be passive about it, let him know the lunch place, or his secretary ripped him off, because lunch was never delivered. What an asshole. Promising a short-term reward and failing is the worse kind of manager. ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/3 "2010-11-10T18:59:23Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > …He’s got a really good memory because he’s not writing any of this down… Hahahaa! Your boss is a hilarious. An asshole, true. But hilarious. ---
**Author:** ![Dante](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dante/32/9673_2.png) [@Dante](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dante)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/4 "2010-11-10T19:05:26Z")
Maybe he’s just curious about what kind of sandwiches programmers enjoy. Are you sure he didn’t say “What kind of sandwiches DO you like?” Cuz then he’s just, you know, making conversation. ---
**Author:** ![Joey\_P](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/919ad9/32.png) [@Joey\_P](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joey_P)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/5 "2010-11-10T19:16:14Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > This is the third time. How should we be feeling about this by now? How do you tell a VP that he’s an ass? I realize that this is a free lunch and all, but jeez! My suggestion would be that the next time he offers it, wait until he’s almost walking out the door and go up to him and say “Hey, if you’re not actually going to bring us lunch, you have to stop offering it, the last three times you did that all my programmers skipped their lunch hour since they were expecting something to show up” you could go on to say “Hey, no one is expecting you to bring lunch, you certainly don’t have to, but you can’t _say_ you’re going to and then not do it, that’s not really fair” ---
**Author:** ![EmAnJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/d2c977/32.png) [@EmAnJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EmAnJ)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/6 "2010-11-10T19:21:02Z")
I would say something, but sort of phrase it like maybe it was the fault of the lunch delivery service, or maybe a receptionist forgot to make the order. I’m curious about what he’d say. This is so assholish - I don’t want to believe that someone does these types of things on purpose! ---
**Author:** ![ladyfoxfyre](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ad7895/32.png) [@ladyfoxfyre](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ladyfoxfyre)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/7 "2010-11-10T19:35:21Z")
Whereas me, I fully expect that VPs do that sort of shit just to be terrible. ---
**Author:** ![Anaamika](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Anaamika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anaamika)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/8 "2010-11-10T19:39:29Z")
I would just say it, around 12. Do you not see him after all that time? “Say, boss, I was going to go pick myself up a sandwich, unless you’re still buying?” Does he eat you alive if you ask him a question? I ask not to be snarky but genuinely. Even my meaner bosses didn’t get their backs up too much at a question like that. ---
**Author:** ![dmatsch](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/3be4f8/32.png) [@dmatsch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dmatsch)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/9 "2010-11-10T19:41:47Z")
> [@Dante](#): > > Maybe he’s just curious about what kind of sandwiches programmers enjoy. Are you sure he didn’t say “What kind of sandwiches DO you like?” > > Cuz then he’s just, you know, making conversation. Programmers like sandwiches with cans of Red Bull baked right into the bread. And we all joked about the exact same thing the first time this happened. Update: I went out and bought my guys their lunch. _I’m_ not an ass… ---
**Author:** ![Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b38774/32.png) [@Attack\_from\_the\_3rd\_dimension](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Attack_from_the_3rd_dimension)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/10 "2010-11-10T19:54:29Z")
The only appropriate response would be to say “why did you ask what kind of sandwiches we would like?” Then follow with: “when would you like this project completed”? ---
**Author:** ![Morgenstern](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@Morgenstern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgenstern)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/11 "2010-11-10T20:04:25Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > … I realize that this is a free lunch and all, but jeez! You realize of course, there’s no such thing as a free lunch. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/12 "2010-11-10T20:18:30Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > Programmers like sandwiches with cans of Red Bull baked right into the bread. > > And we all joked about the exact same thing the first time this happened. > > Update: > I went out and bought my guys their lunch. _I’m_ not an ass… 1. Fill out expense report 2. Attach receipt 3. Place in his hand. 4. Repeat any time he pulls this crap. ---
**Author:** ![jonesj2205](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ecc23a/32.png) [@jonesj2205](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jonesj2205)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/13 "2010-11-10T20:24:46Z")
TruCelt has the right answer. ---
**Author:** ![YogSothoth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/8edcca/32.png) [@YogSothoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/YogSothoth)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/14 "2010-11-10T20:45:11Z")
Program something about sandwiches secretly into the code of the project you’re doing. ---
**Author:** ![Robot\_Arm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/robot_arm/32/18280_2.png) [@Robot\_Arm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Robot_Arm)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/15 "2010-11-10T20:55:46Z")
**TruCelt** is on the right track. Next time your boss makes the offer, tell him that you’ll find out what everybody wants and send in the order, and then submit an expense report. Put him on the spot. If he says no, everyone knows he’s a dick while he’s standing right there to enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![Giles](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/giles/32/60_2.png) [@Giles](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Giles)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/16 "2010-11-10T21:32:46Z")
If I were one of those programmers, after it happened the second time I’d start taking an hour off for lunch, every day, regardless of deadlines. ---
**Author:** ![Chessic\_Sense](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/7c8e57/32.png) [@Chessic\_Sense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chessic_Sense)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/17 "2010-11-10T21:44:05Z")
Indeed. I’m going to get lunch whether you like it or not. If you want me to work through lunch, then you have to feed me. My work recently saw fit to not give us phones. It’s no one-person’s fault or anything, but still. I need a phone. So when people have issues that they need to call me about, I tell them to email me. And if I don’t get the email because I’m not at my desk or I already left for the day, tough. The problem doesn’t get fixed. If you want me to answer calls, you have to give me a phone. Tell the programmers to eat, and tell the boss that he only has himself to blame. ---
**Author:** ![Wheelz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wheelz/32/5718_2.png) [@Wheelz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wheelz)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/18 "2010-11-10T22:01:25Z")
> [@dmatsch](#): > > The first time this happened, we all just thought he got redirected. > The second time this happened, we got pissed. > > This is the third time. Not that it wasn’t a total dick move… But why did anybody expect that they’d actually get sandwiches the _third_ time? Fool me once, and all that. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/19 "2010-11-10T22:20:19Z")
He pulled this shit three times, but were there any times he promised lunch and delivered? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [November 10, 2010, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200/20 "2010-11-10T22:27:42Z")
> [@Wheelz](#): > > Not that it wasn’t a total dick move… > But why did anybody expect that they’d actually get sandwiches the _third_ time? > Fool me once, and all that. Especially when they are all placing orders: “No onions on mine boss!” “Exra oil, hold the mayo on mine” “Olives and anchovies on mine, boss. Just olives and anchovies!” And all the while, he’s standing there with no pen and paper. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youre-going-to-offer-us-lunch-can-you-please-at-least-follow-through/560200.md?page=2)