Coworker Lunch etiquette

[Maruka]

odd last time i did this i paid for mine and gave my friend the free meal. guess im nicer than most

[gismo7354]

odd last time i did this i paid for mine and gave my friend the free meal. guess im nicer than most

That is how it should have went down. Gives your co-worker the option to then split the cost 50/50 or for him/her to cover your meal on the next outing. Always playing the bigger/nicer person puts you in other people good graces.

OP, you might want to get used to eating your lunches alone.

[Lenonis]

That is how it should have went down. Gives your co-worker the option to then split the cost 50/50 or for him/her to cover your meal on the next outing. Always playing the bigger/nicer person puts you in other people good graces.

Although that's a nice gesture and sure to be received positively I'm not sure I'd say that how it should happen. Offering to split the coupon is good enough -- essentially giving them the perk of the coupon while you incur the cost is kind of backwards if it's your coupon. I don't really see that happen too often.

[Deleted]

OP fails to realize the difference between "buy one get one free" and "get one free for nothing !"

To be PERFECTLY fair. Maybe you should pay like 1/3rd of the meal ? That would be the fairest I guess. Free meal ? No way, you NEED someone to buy a meal in order to get the coupon working. If no one buys anything, your coupon has NO VALUE whatsoever.

[napalm007]

When you have a buy one, get one free coupon, you need to buy something before you get the second thing for free. Since you haven't bought anything, you can't just tack the coupon on the meal your coworker paid for. What that coupon is really saying is 50% off of your next two meals. Otherwise, your coworker can just ask to have the bill split, and you won't be able to use your coupon.

[Youarefired]

TGI Fridays? My friend and I would always get those in the mail and we'd split the cost.

[Deleted]

I'd say no, but myself and my co-workers/friends don't care much. If one of us used the other to get a free lunch I'd wager they wouldn't care, I know I wouldn't. So long as I wasn't paying extra or losing anything I'd be fine with it; If they were making me pay extra I'd probably just end up stealing some of their drink or nicking a slice of tomato from their sandwich.

Now, if it was someone intentionally using me who wasn't someone I was friendly with, like the aforementioned co-workers/friends then I'd offer to split and if they refused I'd decline them the lunch.

I don't view it as being much of a jerk, nor do I think it rude; you're simply trying to get a free meal at no expense of someone else. However I do ask that you respect the others wishes, after all - if they never intended on buying the lunch, you would not be eating.

[OzoAndIndi]

A free meal riding on the back of everyone else purchasing, ehhh... no, not in this case, doesn't come across well.

Buy one get one is better off between family or a couple other people who know each other closely and lunch was already going to be single payer. In a group setting like that, better to use it to help reduce the cost of what everyone would have to pay, they'll appreciate it then that you had a coupon.

[grandpab]

If it were any of my co-workers I would have split it with them, and they would have split it with me, or I know some of them would offer me the free meal. You extend a favor and they extend it back, that's how it works usually.

You realize you were basically asking him to buy you a free lunch. You never would have had that lunch in the first place, unless you or him paid for it. Really...why should he extend the favor to you and buy lunch for you when you wouldn't even split the cost.

[Rucati]

Absolutely split the cost. Incredibly selfish and childish to expect him to pay full price and you get a free lunch. If I was the coworker in that case I would have told you to fuck off and just bought my own lunch, then you could take your coupon and go buy yourself two lunches instead.

[Deleted]

Just split the cost man...seriously....

[Daskapital]

Good lord this thread...it's like the Fort Knox socially awkward basement-dwelling neckbeard behaviour... If Fort Knox was the name of a John Waters-esque trailer park.

Really? You got into a fight with your coworker over a meal from the kind of restaurant that accepts 2-for-1 coupons!? Maybe you need to find a better job so that you can afford to buy your own trash lunch instead of mooching off your coworkers with coupons.

Honestly, if you can't see why you're in the wrong here after everyone has been screaming it at you, you really should take a serious assessment of your ability to function in social situations.

[slime]

your fault for mentioning it. Had you just gone - and used it for yourself, like to get a free dinner for later, then it would've been all yours - your co-worker would have no room to complain. It's like winning a very small lottery - YOU WON A FREE MEAL, period. But, by bringing it up to the co-worker it was like you offered, or even not you put it out there for the co-worker to ask at least. You should've just used it when you were paying for your own meal.

P.S. yay for the john waters reference above my post

[Paladin885]

Everyone says split the cost, I say keep the coupon for later and use it on someone else, like mom/sister/grandmother/date.

By saying "hey man! i got this coupon, COME EAT WITH ME SO I CAN EAT FREE! " sounds kind of lonely. Maybe I am looking at it from a weird point of view. O_o