Would you do this to a co worker?
By nicolec
@nicolec (2671)
United States
July 10, 2007 11:33am CST
The other day I had decided to get lunch from a local restaurant. I told my coworker that I was ordering lunch, did she wanted anything. At which she replied 'yes, will you please order me ....'. Ok, so I call in our order, they tell us it will be ready in 20 minutes for pick up.
In 20 minutes, I offered to go get the food at which she accepted. After all it was my idea and I would be going regardless. She then says to me, oh all I have is this $5. I was floored. Under no circumstances was it implied that I would be paying for her, but now I have to cover the cost of the rest of her food.
We are only talking $2 here and that's not the point. I'm certainly not upset over 2 bucks. But the prinicple behind it. When I asked her if she wanted something, she should have said, yeah but I only have $5. At that point, I might have said, well I can cover the rest. Or I might not have. But to just assume that I would chip in so she could have lunch?
Of course she offered to 'pay me back' when she has the chance. And honestly, I am sure I will never see that money again. But I just couldn't believe she did that.
Have you done that to some one? Or had them do that to you?
6 people like this
28 responses
@thrwbckjay67 (2870)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I've had that done to me. I'm a nice person, don't get me wrong, but I didn't pay the difference. It's one thing for you to be short and then for me to offer or for the person to specifically ask me to cover it up front, but the way it was handled was pretty messed up. And I mean, normally I wouldn't have a problem with it as long as I had the money too, as long as the person was up front. I don't do that; I have turned down offers for food just because I didn't have enough to cover it. I mean, a lot of times my co-workers will offer to cover the difference, but I don't just assume they will.
2 people like this
@nicolec (2671)
• United States
10 Jul 07
And it's not like she appologized for it. As if she thought she had more, then when she went into her wallet she didn't. Because then she would have said 'oh dang, I thought I had more money here, sorry about that'. But that wasn't the case either.
I won't be doing that again.
1 person likes this
@Thoroughrob (11742)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I would have never done that. She should have told you ahead of time. The next time I would not even ask, or before hand ask if she has enough money. I would have been floored also.
2 people like this
@freak369 (5113)
• United States
20 Jul 07
That happened to me a few times - when I would order a pizza and bring it back to the shop and everyone just assumed that it was "for everyone". After that I would order a couple slices and eat it at the pizza shop. I don't mind paying for pizzas but don't assume that because I walk in the door with a box that it is for everyone to scarf down.
I'm too mean to let someone stuff for for two bucks. I'd ask her if she wanted something for lunch, let her order it then pull the same gig on her. "Oh, I only have five dollars". But I'm getting mean in my old age lol.
1 person likes this
@huggiebear22 (2007)
• Canada
10 Jul 07
Yup but always give the persone the benifit of the dought if they do not pay or come up short and if they do not pay me back in a timly manner then i jsut do not ask them again. When being asked always make sure i haev the cash on hand to cover what ever i order unless they say my treat i just assume i am paying for myself
1 person likes this
@huggiebear22 (2007)
• Canada
10 Jul 07
oddly enough they do these are the peopel who need some manner training or a good slap as to WTF are you thinking.
1 person likes this
@raymond71 (16)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I would tell her that I am going to get lunch this time and that she can buy next time. That this is not going to be a habit. That if she didnt have the money that she should of not asked for anything. Dont say nothing to her. Just see if she gives it to you.
@nicolec (2671)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I could have done that, offered to pay now if she payed later. But I was a little strapped for cash at that point as well. I agree if she didn't have the cash she should not have agreed. Or if she only had a credit card, she should have said that too. then I could have given her the cash and she could have gone to pick up the food.
1 person likes this
@darkness01 (1300)
•
10 Jul 07
I totally agree with your stance on this one. I do offer to get my co-workers something if im going anyway but i make sure they give me the money before i go because im not the one who is going to bring them their food and pay for it at the same time.
2 people like this
@mom2chriskel (1060)
• United States
11 Jul 07
No, I haven't had it done to me. But if someone was to ask me if there was anything I wanted from the take out place, I would have checked my wallet to see how much cash I had before I ordered. I don't expect anyone to pay for my food--I mean it isn't like you two were married or dating or anything for you to just pay for her food.
1 person likes this
@nicolec (2671)
• United States
11 Jul 07
That's what I'm thinking, that she didn't check her wallet first. But it's not like when she did she said anything. If I thought I had more money then I did, I would be like 'oh darn, I thought I had more cash in here. Sorry.' But i didn't even get that.
@crazynurse (7482)
• United States
11 Jul 07
I find that very assuming and very disrespectful. For the sake of friendship and the fact that you have to work with this person, I wouldn't say anything. However, in few weeks, I would go to her and say, "Hey, that xxx (whatever you ordered) that I had the other day was awesome, I've been craving it since. How about we order out? Problem is, I only have 5 dollars...can you spot me the difference if I go pick it up? " It's worth a try!
1 person likes this
@callarse1 (4783)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I agree with you about not having the money. I did that one time with a classmate, he offered to go to lunch. I did want to go, but I told him "I don't have any money," and he was kind enough to offer to pay for my food. I thought that was nice of him. However, to assume that someone is going to pay that is a bad idea, perhaps that is what the people around her do. They pay for her all the time, so she just expects it.
Pablo
1 person likes this
@EvanHunter (4026)
• United States
11 Jul 07
No if I was broke or had limited funds I would have said right from the start "Look I only have five can you cover the rest and I will pay you back". She kind of put you into a spot where you had to cover the rest of it because you had already ordered the food. Like you said its only two bucks but the point is she seemed to almost purposeful lead you to where you had to cover the rest of it. If it was me I would probly just shrug it off though better to have a work environment that isnt hostile over 2 bucks. But that sure doesnt mean you cant set a boundary next time and only order for yourself or say at the start do you have the money to cover it.
1 person likes this
@jolenegreen (1209)
• United States
11 Jul 07
I cant believe she did this...what a brat. We always order food at work and everyone is responsable for their own food.
1 person likes this
@wiccania (3360)
• United States
11 Jul 07
I've had something like that happen. I used to work in this office (my mom also happened to work there) and every now and then if one of us was going to Wendy's or something they would get the others lunch as well. Sometimes a co-worker would ask one of us what we were doing for lunch and we'd tell em one of us was going to pick up food from somewhere.
A couple of times a month someone would pop up with "oh can you get me...?" and we had no problem with that. THe problem is that sometimes those people would order $5 - 7 worth of food and when the food was brought back THEN they would check their wallet and say "oh, I only have a dollar... I thought I had more."
Needless to say that after that happened a second time with anyone we made them pay in advance. The people who paid what they were supposed to everytime we went on faith with. Even covered them a time or two.
She definitely should have checked BEFORE she placed the order.
1 person likes this
@misshoney (973)
• Philippines
11 Jul 07
hello nicolec :-) i understand when you said that it's not the extra two bucks that is the issue but more of the feeling that you were kind of fooled by your coworker.
i had the same experience with one coworker before. our company went into a night swimming. on our way to the resort, we passed by a pizza parlor and i decided to buy food. i asked my coworker if he wants anything and he said he garlic bread. i was surprised because he did not give me any money so i just though he'll pay me later. i bought him a garlic bread and gave it to him. i said to myself, if ever he didn't pay me back it is alright since garlic bread is quite cheap.
but when i ordered again for spaghetti. he again said he wants some drinks. he still didn't give me money and i still gave him the drink..but i said to myself i will not offer to buy him anyhting gain. it made me feel abused.
1 person likes this
@icequeen (2840)
• Canada
10 Jul 07
I agree with you. She should have been forthright with you and told you she only had that amount of money. She could have at least offered to go get the food to cover the $2.00. I would wait and see if she pays you back...if not don't offer her lunch anymore...
@carolscash (9492)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I can't imagine anyone that I work with doing that,but if they did I would just pay the difference and go on as we do things for each other all the time. I wouldn't think much about it unless it happened all of the time and then I would wonder how much I should do for her.
@mari_skye (1637)
• Philippines
10 Jul 07
I've never been in that kind of situation. It's a good thing that my officemates in here are honest and would never think of doing that kind of thing. I have never done such a thing in my life. I have been short of money but to intentionally withhold that fact in order to have something is like stealing. When I am short of money, I tell it right away.
1 person likes this
@amyann16 (414)
• United States
13 Jul 07
I have never done that to someone and haven't had that happen to me, thankfully. I do think it is rather rude... if someone where to ask me if I wanted anything, the first thing I would do is check my wallet and see what I had available, and if I didn't have any cash, I either wouldn't order, or offer to go and get the food myself so I could get some cash.
1 person likes this
@smileonstar (4007)
• United States
10 Jul 07
I agree with you, I dont know what was she thinking? well, in my country if someone offer like that then that mean you are the one that pay for her. I dont like that at all... lucky I am not living there. I used to ask my friend like that when I was in school and then my friend said just the same thing she asked you, then guess what ? she didn't have any money to pay for the food and I had to pay for it. She said Ok, tomorrow lunch, I pay you back... Never happened. After that, I never ask anyone again. If I do, I will say " hey, im going to lunch now. So does anyone want me to buy some lunch? if so please put the money on my desk and I will get it for you... then I make it clear that I need the money to buy it " hahah...
1 person likes this
