Can I Get You Something While I'm Out?

[mike_v_s]

You'll never hear me ask this at work. Know why? Because I'm selfish. When I go to lunch, I do not want to take a list of orders for 3 different restaurants with everything substituted except the ketchup and a straw. My particular office is really bad about it.

I made the mistake of being polite about it when I started. I'd say "I'm going to (fill in local chain of decent-but-not-expensive food), can I get you something while I'm out?" Now, I've stated my destination for a reason. They are supposed to take the hint and think of a meal from that restaurant. But no. They responded "oh, you're going to pass Burger King!! I really want a Whopper, but not the meal because I don't want medium fries, so get SMALL fries and an Extra Gigantic Coke. Diet. And ask them to not put so much mayo on this time. What toy are they selling this week? See if I can get all 4 at once. Here's a $100 bill, see if they can break it. Oh, and can you pick it up on the way back so it's still hot?"

So I have to inhale MY meal to give me time to sit in a 10 car line at the drive thru at 12:35. Then I get back with a "wow, my meal kinda sucked" feeling and have to listen to my coworkers leisurely sip a gallon of soft drink as they relax because they didn't have to do anything other than eat.

This happened a few times and I swore off the politeness at lunch. I had a coworker who used to LIKE taking these orders (he somehow felt it was getting him somewhere in the company), but hated to drive. I made him aware of my dislike for the practice and he assumed that it would be OK to go to lunch with me and then bring up the monster food order on the way back to the office. That happened once.

The second time we were leaving and I saw the paper in his shirt pocket and called him on it. At a major cross section of hallways in our building with 4 offices of coworkers in earshot, he asked loudly "Mike_v_s, why don't you tell everyone you're going to lunch and ask if they want anything?"

There it was, in the open for a decent percentage of our staff to hear. I was called out. Higher ups were 20-30 feet away. The hungry scavengers were both curious as to what personality disfunction I might have and they were hoping to capitalize on it by getting food brought to them. So how do you answer? Do you back down and take the order? He asked again: "are you going to see if anyone wants anything?"

So I decide honesty is the best answer and respond "No, I'm not." He counters: "Well, why not, they're your coworkers?" Me, going for it all: "Because I don't care what they want for lunch. I'd like to make an announcement. I'm going to Bud's Broiler. I might tomorrow, too. If you want Bud's, you can get in my car and I'll drive you there. If you want it brought to you, ask Dave."

As you might expect, some people laughed, some weren't sure what to think, and some still think I'm a jerk (they now have someone else bringing their food). To avoid the whole issue, I started taking lunch around 1:30 or 2. By that time, everyone has decided to provide for themselves and I can go eat in peace. When I do get hungry earlier, I usually just say to the nearest coworker, "I'm gonna go to the bathroom", and go to lunch.

I bring this up today because I was talking with another guy who feels the same way and we were leaving for separate retaurants. when I told him where I was headed, I forgot to lower my voice and was asked by someone who should know better to pick her up some lunch. And her friend's lunch, because she promised she'd get it. My new standard? Write it down and there had better be nothing on that paper but a meal number and a drink type. I hope it's still hot when I get back because I'm not making a left turn to get it.

Mike

[santucci218]

Just like people to take advantage of others. Just ask them insane stuff once then stop doing anything for them or them for you and go about your business. or rub your grundle on their whoppers.

[69nites]

at my job whoever runs to get lunch stays on the clock till they get back.

I don't really mind doing it.

we also only get stuff from one place and maybe pick up coffee.

[James Hart]

If I ask someone to grab me lunch, it's usually a "You Fly, I'll Buy" type situation.

Beyond that, I don't get what people do for a living / housing / life that they can afford to pop the cash daily to eat out... maybe I'm just too cheap to budget that in.

[NJL]

i take my lunch late.. about an hour and a half before the day ends here. no one ever asks me, plus they know i ride a motorcycle.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by James Hart

If I ask someone to grab me lunch, it's usually a "You Fly, I'll Buy" type situation.

That's an arragement I accepted before, but I've already drawn the "**** your lunch" line at work, so it's done.

Beyond that, I don't get what people do for a living / housing / life that they can afford to pop the cash daily to eat out... maybe I'm just too cheap to budget that in.

Many of our employees recieve a per diem that includes around 10 bucks a day for lunch. On the projects I get this, I usually buy half the time and bring the other half.

Mike

[NJL]

Originally Posted by James Hart

Beyond that, I don't get what people do for a living / housing / life that they can afford to pop the cash daily to eat out... maybe I'm just too cheap to budget that in.

great point. i couldn't afford to live if i ate out all the time.

[mjolnir]

Wow... That's some douchy behavior from your coworkers, Mike. I don't blame you in the slightest for how you handle it.

The people at my work are kind enough to 1). offer to go out and grab lunch on a regular basis, and 2). keep their orders simple whenever they ask someone else to take care of it. Had any of my coworkers tried to pull the same crap with me that yours tried with you, I'd have probably been much less tactful.

Then again, I'm IT. We are as a rule very ornery people.

[James Hart]

Originally Posted by mike_v_s

Many of our employees receive a per diem that includes around 10 bucks a day for lunch. On the projects I get this, I usually buy half the time and bring the other half.

We have a killer on site cafeteria. My access badge is also linked to an 'account' at the cafeteria. We get $100 a month to use as we wish. The problem is... they are closed after 10pm and before 7am Monday to Friday and closed for the weekend. I work 9:30pm to 8am Fri to Mon. I'm not there nearly enough to spend my money (it doesn't carry over but does all get added to my taxes).

They leave us a cooler with a couple hot meals, salads, cold subs and bottled water for the overnight staff (opens at 1:30am till 5am)... Usually by Sunday night it's empty except for the waters. If I can spare it, I'll get one of the guys to run to a 24 hour store. I buy for the driver.

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by mjolnir

Wow... That's some douchy behavior from your coworkers, Mike. I don't blame you in the slightest for how you handle it.

The people at my work are kind enough to 1). offer to go out and grab lunch on a regular basis, and 2). keep their orders simple whenever they ask someone else to take care of it. Had any of my coworkers tried to pull the same crap with me that yours tried with you, I'd have probably been much less tactful.

Then again, I'm IT. We are as a rule very ornery people.

I should add that it isn't all of them. The ones that do make up for them, though.

Mike

[MJ5150]

Interesting that this should come up today. It just happened to me, kind of.

The guy who sits behind me and I agree to order cheese steaks. I give him my $10, and he starts heading out to grab our lunch. He likes to go get the food, so he has no problem being the runner each time. The shop we go to is run by a guy from Philly, so I thought it best to stay away today especially. I went in after game two, and he told me to f-off. I don't need to order an actual item, the guy who owns the steak shop knows us. So anyway....dude heads out. The whole process normally takes 30 minutes max. After just over an hour, my buddy is missing and I have no cheese steak. This guy is kind of old, and does not believe in cell phones. So I have to wait without a way to contact him.

About 90 minutes later he comes rolling up to my desk with my steak sandwhich. The fries that come with it are cold as a fridge, and so is the steak sandwhich. I ask him what the heck happened, and he tells me how he went around the other THREE floors in our building to see if anyone else wanted something. To top it off, he decides to bring me my food last, even though I ordered FIRST. His food you ask? He ate it while driving back to the office.

I choked down the cold sandwhich, and then explained to him he is never again to pull that stunt....never. I kind of felt bad getting that way with him because he is a bit older than me, but I think he deserved it. Had I known he was cruising the building for other orders, I would have went and got mine myself.

-Mike

[FL Knifemaker]

I eat lunch out every day. I have about 10 regular places I hit. I don't spend much money and it's good to get away from the shop for an hour. I'm much more motivated when I get back. I usually combine my lunch trip with going to the hardware store or shipping, shopping, etc.

[Jazz Ad]

I'd hate buying food for others.
I'd hate even more having somebody else buying it for me.
I eat homemade sandwiches most of the time anyway, with real bread, real lettuce and real ham.

[roberthelpus]

If folks would bring their lunch to work, combine trips, cook food that they bought once a week, left for work early, etc. then gas prices might be a little lower.

While working temp jobs at a lot of different places I was blown away by how universal it was that nobody could get it together to bring their lunch. They'd all fly out of there at a million miles an hour to sit in the drive through line, idling. As I was sitting relaxed, having eaten at a leisurely pace, they's all come rnning in the door trying to inhale their deep fried lunch. Day after day. But hey that's more convenient.

Sorry but I grew up going out to eat about once a month and drinking water from the tap. We got to have a Coke about once or twice a week. Sometimes having parents that grew up during the great depression sucked but it may put me in better shape for what may be around the corner.

[Aaron Saunders]

Way to give 'em a big ol'

[Valerus]

Originally Posted by Aaron Saunders

Way to give 'em a big ol'

disturbing

[roberthelpus]

In a roundabout way I am saying bring your lunch and you wont have to worry about it. But yes when I was younger I ran into a similar problem and on top of that I somehow wound up short on the money. I guess I was young enough to not care whether it upset the office politics or not when I told them to get there own freaking lunch. Pretty much avoided getting peoples lunches, or having others get mine since.

[FL Knifemaker]

Originally Posted by roberthelpus

In a roundabout way I am saying bring your lunch and you wont have to worry about it. But yes when I was younger I ran into a similar problem and on top of that I somehow wound up short on the money. I guess I was young enough to not care whether it upset the office politics or not when I told them to get there own freaking lunch. Pretty much avoided getting peoples lunches, or having others get mine since.

OOOOOOOoooooooooooooooo K

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by roberthelpus

In a roundabout way I am saying bring your lunch and you wont have to worry about it. But yes when I was younger I ran into a similar problem and on top of that I somehow wound up short on the money. I guess I was young enough to not care whether it upset the office politics or not when I told them to get there own freaking lunch. Pretty much avoided getting peoples lunches, or having others get mine since.

I don't worry about it now, so no point in bringing my lunch. My post had a few points, but one of them was inconsiderately attempting to take advantage of a situation for personal needs with little regard to the people you might be imposing on...

Mike

[mike_v_s]

Originally Posted by FL Knifemaker

I eat lunch out every day. I have about 10 regular places I hit. I don't spend much money and it's good to get away from the shop for an hour. I'm much more motivated when I get back. I usually combine my lunch trip with going to the hardware store or shipping, shopping, etc.

This is exactly why I do it. Even when I bring my lunch, I still take a drive. sitting at the office amounts to little more than a break.

Mike