Split the Check or Boycott company lunch

In My Humble Opinion
1

Recently went on a company “good bye” lunch to a local micro-brewery. The group ordered several appetizers that I did not eat/like (calamari, etc). Several people had beer, some getting 2. I didn’t get a beer. I ordered a relatively inexpensive lunch, some other lunches costing double mine. When the check was split N ways, my water and 6.95 sandwich ended up costing me $24 or so.

With a group that does not want to bother with changing their accounting methods, do you outcast yourself by not going to company lunches, or do you just pay the price?
(I know there are other options, one of which is to order and eat a bunch of expensive stuff. Let’s leave that option aside for this discussion).

2

Well, ordinarily I’d just say split the check and smile, but that was a pretty hefty markup on your lunch. Next time, I’d just put in your real share and say, pleasantly, that you’d prefer not to go in on appetizers and expensive drinks, since you don’t consume them.

3

[list][list][list][list]Say Good-bye to them[list]…:rolleyes:…

4

With coworkers, unless you eat out with them a lot or are on relatively friendly terms, I’d also suggest splitting the check equally and not saying anything.

With friends I feel like one could be a little more familiar and subtly suggest that each person pay his share, for example: “Well, here’s $___. That should cover what I ate, plus drinks and tip…”

That seems to be how most people I know prefer to do it.

5

That is a hell of an awkward situation.

The first question is, do you enjoy going? If you don’t, just bow out if you can.

The second question is, do you need to go for business reasons? In some offices, staying behind when everyone went ot a good-bye lunch would be like spitting in the face of a threee year old nad running off with thier candy. In others, it would be no big deal.

Third, how often does this happen? If it happens once a year, I’d say suck it up, it’s inconsiderate, but there you go. On the other hand, if every office occasion is answered this way and it is happening monthly or more often, then you have to change it.
If you have decided you either want to or need to go, and it happens offten enough that it is an issue, then what you need are allies. You probably weren’t the only one who was trying to be economical, only to discover that you economy resulted in subsidizing other’s indulgence. Find these people, and mention in passing that it really sucks when that happens, you’re uncomfortable, yaddie-yaddie-ya. It helps if some of the people there who ordered the appitizers, drank $5 beers, etc, make alot more money than you. People are usually happy to bitch about the inconsiderate nature of managers. What you want to do here is foster a groundswell of opinion that seperate checks are the fair way to go. You don’t want this groundswell to be focused on yu, so you start by bringing it up casually to a couple people you know will agree with you, bring it to the forefront of thier mind, and let it grow. Once the idea comes back to you, you can agree with it, point out good reasons for it.

When you bring this up you want ot appear torn not greedy or whiney. Be like “You know, I have so much fun when we go out to eat, and it’s such a great break from the day, but the other day I had a $25 chicken sandwitch, and twenty five bucks is alot of money in my house these days.” If you play your cards right, you should only have to say it once, to the right person, then feed hte flames a bit when it comes back to you. Like I said, oyu are almost certainly not the only person who is unhappy with this.
Another technique is to go, but don’t eat. Say that your on a crazy diet, or that you had a huge breakfast, or that you’re having a huge dinner, or that your stomach is acting up (that won’t work weekly) and just sip an iced tea. No one will expect you to put in if you’ve only ordered one soft drink. To carry this off you have to make it clear that you really are happy to be there, jsut there for the company, enjoying yourself. Put a couple bucks into the tip pile, and grab some chips on the way back to the office.

6

Simple. Get a seperate bill. That way you can pay for what you eat, and contribute as much as you think is fair to the honouree’s lunch.

There have been a couple of occasions where someone was trying to economize, but “had to” go to a luncheon; and ended up paying $13 for a $4.95 bowl of soup. Since then when we go out to lunch we figure our own accounts unless everyone got the same thing (“family style” Chinese, for example). In the latter case, we divide the bill evenly.

But if the boss is attending, he insists on equal divisions. In that case I get my own bill.

7

blink

Amazing what a difference transposing two letters will make. :slight_smile:

Regarding the OP: Next time, suggest seperate checks. If you want, lay some groundwork as Manda JO suggests. If your co-workers aren’t game, then say you’ll just have a seperate bill–and be sure to keep your paws off their appetizers. :slight_smile: No one should be offended if you don’t want to subsidize their beer. Now, if it’s a situation where there’s a guest of honor (a going-away party or a birthday or what have you) and the idea is that the GOH doesn’t have to pay and the check is split N-1 ways, then I think you’re obligated to pitch in at least a little to the community pot, even if you’ve gotten a seperate bill.

8

Manda Jo had an excellent post. I would be a little cautious suggesting to have everyone pay for what they ordered. At one of my previous companies that did the “divide the check evenly amongst all lunchers”, we tried that and ended up short several times, so we went back and every time a new person suggested only paying for what you ordered there would be a big debate and some people would bear a grudge against the “newbie” for starting a controversy.

I personally would sneak in lunch beforehand and then just have drinks and chat with the crowd. Johnny LA can teach you how to make pirate ships with french fries to amuse people so you don’t have to be staring at your place setting.

Do your colleagues do other extra-curricular activities (e.g. softball games, movies, card parties), and if so, do you participate in those? I guess my answer would depend on how much you want to fit in with your co-workers. I’ve worked in two jobs where I was friends with my colleagues and would go to birthday parties etc… for people I worked with. My last two jobs I never saw anybody I worked with outside of office hours. I think that the company culture would have a lot to do with what behaviour I would recommend.