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Do you hate co-workers who ask you to pick up lunch for them when you go on break?

2

212rikanmofo

macrumors 68000
Original poster
Jan 31, 2003
1,907
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Ok. Tell me if you guys can understand where I am coming from and that is it wrong of me to think this way.

For the past 5 years of working at my job which is consisted of a small office with about 6-7 people working with me. I have put of going to lunch numerous times because I do not like people expecting me to ask them if they would like anything when I am about to leave for lunch. It's a 30 minute break that is suppose to be time for me to get away from the office. The last thing I want to deal with is having to remember what everyone wants on their sandwich, what toppings, toasted or not, wheat or white, etc. And then comes the issue of paying. If everyone at my office wanted me to pick up lunch it would be about 6-7 different types of food/combinations. It is a pain in the ass really. Also handling the money for each and everyone. Sigh. I am really fed up with this that I refuse to even take a lunch at all. I starve myself throughout the entire work day just so that I can avoid this.

Does anyone else have the same problem at their work, or is it just me. Can you guys offer any tips or suggestions/advice to what I can do to fix this situation? I really don't know what to do. :(
 
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Yeah- I've got one. Learn to use the word "no".

If you can't do that, then tell them to come with you. If they won't come with you, then just leave without getting their orders. At some point they'll get the message.

BTW- does anyone ever get your lunch for you?
 
I have a solution to your problem. Take your 30 minute lunch break. Then once it's over, pick them up lunch while you're on the clock. Just consider getting them lunch an office errand.

By the way, I've never been asked at work to get lunch for anybody and we have about 20 employees here. I actually don't think anybody asks someone else to pick them up lunch. If anything, they go out together. I guess it all depends on the line of work you're in.
 
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Why don't you just tell them nicely what you've just told us? That it's becoming an imposition, that it takes away from your own time etc. That's what being assertive is all about.

I used to pick some things up for team members, but only after I offered, and not every day. Lunch time was an hour too, sometimes two. Flexi-time. :)
 
tell them you have an errand to run, that you have to stop by the post office or have to go to a store or something like that. I've had it happen to me but only like 1 person and i think maybe once in my whole life 2 people. Honestly if it was 6 or 7 i would just simply say no.
 
When my co-workers do go to lunch they do ask everyone else if they want anything. But I don't expect anyone to get me food. I am perfectly capable of getting my own food so that is why I don't ask anyone. I don't like to be a nuisance, and I expect people not to ask me either. But I do not want to be rude to them about it. I just wish everyone was more independent and can handle getting their own lunch on their own time. It's nice to ask everyone if they need anything though but it is a pain in the ass.

It's a tough situation. It sucks that I give up lunch over this.
 
212rikanmofo said:
When my co-workers do go to lunch they do ask everyone else if they want anything. But I don't expect anyone to get me food. I am perfectly capable of getting my own food so that is why I don't ask anyone. I don't like to be a nuisance, and I expect people not to ask me either. But I do not want to be rude to them about it. I just wish everyone was more independent and can handle getting their own lunch on their own time. It's nice to ask everyone if they need anything though but it is a pain in the ass.

It's a tough situation. It sucks that I give up lunch over this.
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If the favor is being returned, I think you're being pretty ridiculous. The only person you're hurting is yourself. If you're not eating lunch every day because of this, don't you think it's you who may need an attitude adjustment?
 
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212rikanmofo said:
It sucks that I give up lunch over this.
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It's acceptable to the other 6/7 people in the office to ask someone to pick up lunch. This way, they only have to go out to the store to get lunch once a week and the other days, they can spend their entire 30 minutes doing whatever they like since their lunch will show up on their desk. On their lunch run day, they may lose some personal time.

If you were the only one being asked every day, that's one thing. But I think you're cutting your nose off to spite your face.
 
212rikanmofo said:
When my co-workers do go to lunch they do ask everyone else if they want anything. But I don't expect anyone to get me food. I am perfectly capable of getting my own food so that is why I don't ask anyone. I don't like to be a nuisance, and I expect people not to ask me either. But I do not want to be rude to them about it. I just wish everyone was more independent and can handle getting their own lunch on their own time. It's nice to ask everyone if they need anything though but it is a pain in the ass.

It's a tough situation. It sucks that I give up lunch over this.
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I think the reason why they feel they can ask you to pick up something for them is because they ask whenever they go out. Take advantage of it some day or just let them know that you don't want to do that for them.

I only go out for lunch once a month because I eat left overs from the night before. I can't see spending money on lunch when I have left overs.
 
Bring a lunch from home. Why was this not even considered an option? I don't understand why anybody goes out to buy lunch every day anymore. It's much cheaper and healthier to bring your own, and you avoid the issue of "starving" during lunch and having to deal with buying your co-workers their lunch.
 
it5five said:
Bring a lunch from home. Why was this not even considered an option? I don't understand why anybody goes out to buy lunch every day anymore. It's much cheaper and healthier to bring your own, and you avoid the issue of "starving" during lunch and having to deal with buying your co-workers their lunch.
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And pop it in one of these... ;)

apple-lunch-box.jpg
 
212rikanmofo said:
When my co-workers do go to lunch they do ask everyone else if they want anything.
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So wait a minute.....you benefit 6 or 7 days in a row before you need to return the favour. You gain extra personal time at lunch for many days when others get you your lunch.


Just go along with it. It's part of the office social system, and you don't really lose anything except on 1 day out of 7 or 8.
 
Have them place their orders to ONE take out place and give you the exact change. Like the poster before, pick up the order at the end of your lunch so it will be fresh. If you don't get correct change back, give them what you got back.

I used to take a walk at lunch and it took about 10 minutes to get to my car, 10 minutes to pick up lunch and 10 minutes to get back. Fortunately my boss was understanding. I think these errands should be rotated but I was the designated scut puppy until I brought my lunch to work and went off by myself. ;)
 
Abstract said:
So wait a minute.....you benefit 6 or 7 days in a row before you need to return the favour. You gain extra personal time at lunch for many days when others get you your lunch.


Just go along with it. It's part of the office social system, and you don't really lose anything except on 1 day out of 7 or 8.
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No. They hardly ever go get lunch. They wait at the chance to see if anyone else will go. That is my point. Even if they did go get lunch and asked me. I would say no thanks. I don't like the idea of someone else getting my lunch. It's nice of them. But I much rather do it myself. I am more of an independent and I expect the same back when I go get my lunch. Just wish they would've never pop the question. It would make it much easier for me just to go on lunch.
 
212rikanmofo said:
Ok. Tell me if you guys can understand where I am coming from and that is it wrong of me to think this way.

For the past 5 years of working at my job which is consisted of a small office with about 6-7 people working with me. I have put of going to lunch numerous times because I do not like people expecting me to ask them if they would like anything when I am about to leave for lunch. It's a 30 minute break that is suppose to be time for me to get away from the office. The last thing I want to deal with is having to remember what everyone wants on their sandwich, what toppings, toasted or not, wheat or white, etc. And then comes the issue of paying. If everyone at my office wanted me to pick up lunch it would be about 6-7 different types of food/combinations. It is a pain in the ass really. Also handling the money for each and everyone. Sigh. I am really fed up with this that I refuse to even take a lunch at all. I starve myself throughout the entire work day just so that I can avoid this.

Does anyone else have the same problem at their work, or is it just me. Can you guys offer any tips or suggestions/advice to what I can do to fix this situation? I really don't know what to do. :(
Click to expand...

Easy solution. Get them lunch. Then put salmonella or E. Coli in their lunch.
 
So are you not able to tell them no? Do they have some crazy hypnotic abilities? If you are as independent as you say, its not really that hard to say no. Tell them you wanted to go for a walk and that would cut into your time. Tell them you're trying to exercise more.

Personally I wouldn't mind it so much. But 30 minutes is kind of short so I would have them call in their own orders and let them deal with their own change, they could just as easily figure out who gets what.
 
LeahM said:
So are you not able to tell them no? Do they have some crazy hypnotic abilities? If you are as independent as you say, its not really that hard to say no. Tell them you wanted to go for a walk and that would cut into your time. Tell them you're trying to exercise more.

Personally I wouldn't mind it so much. But 30 minutes is kind of short so I would have them call in their own orders and let them deal with their own change, they could just as easily figure out who gets what.
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Exactly- I don't know what the problem is here. Just say "NO". I know I would.
 
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