People who request help moving and offer no refreshments once job is complete - Faux paux or not?

Best typo I’ve seen in a while. :smiley:

I helped my best friend move a new bedroom set into his house a couple weeks back and was “paid” with a full-on meal at the local watering hole (I went with fish and chips), including a couple pints of beer, and some hot wings for dessert. Not bad for a half hour of lifting stuff. :slight_smile:

We hired movers for our last change of residence and as I recall, we fed them pizza, all the water they wanted, and a couple iced teas as well, on top of paying and tipping them. Totally worth it. I’ve never been involved in a move that didn’t reward the help (hired or volunteered) with food. I agree with totally not cool to give you nothing.

My suggestion is to ask her to help you move something in the future and demonstrate to her through your own actions what is considered proper etiquette by providing beer and pizza as a thank you to all involved – perhaps this will help clue her in to the expectation.

It’s not tacky. It’s not a faux pas. It’s downright rude.

OK, so you don’t hire movers. Whether it’s because you’re cheap or you’re poor you’re still calling on your friends for help. And they’re your friends, right? They’re doing you a favor.
So when you don’t offer anything in the way of refreshments during or food after what you’re saying to them is that you don’t see them as friends. You see them as either slave labor or dupes who you can take advantage of when it suits you.

I worked as a professional mover when I was an undergrad. As a result, not only am I the big strong guy that people always want helping them move, but knowing I have experience, they want my help even more. I will usually be willing to help and never sort anything out, but I do expect at least a drink and some food as a tangible thank you for my time and effort; hell, people even often offer me money, even if we’re fairly close.

But really, it’s not any different than any other service one can provide to someone else. If you go over and paint or help them clean or mow their lawn or repair something, it’d be just as rude not to over something, even if it’s just a cold drink. Hell, as a guest in your house, you ought to offer them something, and even moreso if they’re a guest to do a favor for you.

That all said, I’ve never helped anyone move with the expectation of reimbursement other than when it’s specifically been offered up front. That doesn’t mean I won’t consider you rude for failing on basic hospitality and courtesy.

I’ve always thought that Beer and Pizza was the standard pay for helping someone to move.

Yup, this describes what we’d do as well.

When I moved recently, I ordered a couple pizzas and 2 liter sodas.

I’m a certain age and can’t afford movers, and was planning to post that in my mind moving = beer and pizza. I don’t even drink beer and I buy it for the people who help us move.

You are giving your time and labor. Offering to feed you is the least she can do.

I can’t imagine asking someone to help you move and not offering them something.

In fact, in a story scene I was working on yesterday, a guy’s ex asked him to help her move two pieces of furniture and a few boxes, and immediately afterwards says “Where are my manners? I should offer you a drink, a snack-” :smiley: So I guess it’s not wrong to say I literally can’t imagine doing otherwise.

I too believe in the beer & pizza standard, because it’s what my parents always offered when people helped us move when I was young, and what various people I’ve since helped offered too.

Where I come from, beer & pizza is mandatory for friends helping you move. You’re lucky if you can skate by with only two six-packs. Usually you should have a case or more on hand.

Bri2k

Tacky as hell! When my mom died earlier this year (in another state) I had to rent a moving truck and bring quite a bit of her stuff back with me through 4 states. I asked 2 of my guy coworkers to help us unload it when we got home - took about an hour between the two of them and Mr. Panda. There was pizza, chips, soda AND dessert, and soda only because they were both driving, so booze was out.

Helping someone move, to me, is an enormous expression of friendship, particularly if you haven’t offered to pay cash for the job. The very least someone can do is pizza and drinks and I can’t wrap my head around the concept of not offering. Oy, the nerve … wanders off, mumbling

I tend to agree with the pizza and beer standard, though accommodations specific to the guests are fine too, of course. Really, it’s just one of the barest of considerations to give people food and water after laboring for you as a favor. Moving sucks and anyone who helps you weather that storm deserves your appreciation. “Thanks, bye!” isn’t appreciation.

This is bananas. I actually volunteer to help friends move (I also help them put together their IKEA furniture – it’s my tiny little butch side coming to the fore) but jeez, after lugging a bunch of boxes and crap, giving me pizza and soft drinks isn’t just polite, it’s wise, considering I’d be exhausted and famished. Hell, I’d offer refreshments to professional movers, especially if it was hot out.

I wouldn’t dream of asking for help moving and not provide food and drink. Pizza is easy and not necessarily expensive, along with a variety of soft drinks, or some beer if I know what kind the helpers would like.

When the stripper shows up.

For the OP, helping to move = Pizza + Beer.

Pizza and beer at a minimum.

Yeah it’s a faux paux. I’d be moderately peeved.

Minimally, cold drinks…water, soda and beer…available from first trip onward.
Pizza, burgers, etc. if there’s moving done during a mealtime.

It’s buried somewhere in there in the Bill of Rights!

It’s pretty rude in my opinion.

I’ve had my friends help me move a few times the least I can do is feed them and offer libations afterwards. Doesn’t matter how short the move is.

If she ever invites you over for a barn raising, don’t go.