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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Management giving the scrap of their catered food after a meeting to plebs

143 replies

Peasantsuzzane · 26/09/2015 08:40

I find it very insulting that management give their leftovers to other people, only after a long meeting and thw food is all looking a bit tired.

This isn't a nice thing for them to do right?

OP posts:

ChickenTikkaMassala · 26/09/2015 08:58

gobbynorthernbird that wouldn't work in most companies, it's a bonkers idea.

ginmakesitallok · 26/09/2015 08:58

Happens regularly at our place too. Only time I was a bit about it was when we'd had an event in a charity run place and they had kindly provided biscuits free of charge. At the end one of our admin staff took a plastic bag from her handbag, swept all the left over biscuits into it and brought it back to the office. Can't say we were impressed by a bag of broken biscuits which sat on the side for a week before someone binned them.

ClashCityRocker · 26/09/2015 08:59

We tend to gather round the door a'la Oliver twist style too, preminstrel. The clients have to fight their way through ravenous urchin types to leave.

nonetcurtains · 26/09/2015 08:59

gobbynorthernbird - you're not serious surely?

chairmeoh · 26/09/2015 09:01

Are you serious gobby?
On that basis, do you believe everyone who doesn't have a company car should have a taxi allowance so that it's fair?

mamadoc · 26/09/2015 09:03

I just did this after a meeting a few days ago. I thought people would be pleased. I used to like it when I was on the pleb side of the fence- what's not to like about free lunch.

None of our internal meetings are catered only client ones so the food is not being bought for management it's more for guests.

If you are insulted you don't have to eat it. It's better than throwing it away.
Did you think that they should order in food for everyone in the company if they ever have any? That's not likely to happen in the real world is it?

Sparklingbrook · 26/09/2015 09:04

It was always done where I worked. Don't see the problem.

MyCarHasBrokenDownAgain · 26/09/2015 09:05

Our dept were know as 'the locusts' for our ability to sweep into an abandoned meeting room and pick it clean before Catering came to collect the empties! Happy days, before the committee rooms next to our offices were turned into classrooms. Big wig meetings were always the best and eagerly awaited . We have no shame ...

cardibach · 26/09/2015 09:05

What gobby? Am I missing some sarcasm? If your serious that's a barmy comment.

Sparklingbrook · 26/09/2015 09:06

I never ate any of the buffet in meetings. I was too scared I would have a mouthful of food and be asked a question, or make a mess or something.

PaulAnkaTheDog · 26/09/2015 09:07

Wtf Gobby?!

Forget Facebook and Apple being giant companies, if your idea was put into practice Dominos would rule the world!

IWasHereBeforeTheHack · 26/09/2015 09:09

OP, I'm sure your colleagues are grateful they don't have to elbow you out of the way in the scrum.

Unless I'm missing something and the bigwigs stand over you watching you eat. Now that would definitely not be a nice thing to do.

Don't like the idea? The don't eat the leftovers. This is a non-problem.

CatMilkMan · 26/09/2015 09:09

Yabu

AnnaBegins · 26/09/2015 09:14

We used to get leftovers, and yummy they were too, every Friday before people like you complained at such treatment (!!) Now I have to bring my own lunch on Fridays which is much less nice than the beautiful salads, steaks, quiches etc we used to get. The professionally offended few spoilt it for the many

BeyondYourPeripheralVision · 26/09/2015 09:15

I'm laughing at gobby's indignation and can you just imagine the AIBU to follow?

"Every day our c-suite get given sandwiches on faux silver platters whilst we get pizzas delivered to our desks. AIBU to believe they should cater to their staff's health more and offer vegan-friendly dishes to the plebs whilst they scoff luxury food?".

Ime catered meetings ensure high attendance.

Roussette · 26/09/2015 09:15

Bloody hell... what a thing to think U. And whoever said that those who can't attend a meeting should get takeaway pizza on the company, you are having a laugh! So when there is a Board meeting with sandwiches provided, the hundreds of employees can dial up a pizza because it isn't fair. Hahaha... I think this is one of the funniest things I've ever read on MN.

We run intensive training courses where I work, all the leftovers are hoovered up and everyone loves it. OP you are being VVU.

Sparklingbrook · 26/09/2015 09:19

I am always quite suspicious of buffets. You never know quite how long the food has been out or who has touched it....

Lindy2 · 26/09/2015 09:22

From my time in offices it works on all levels. Managers have a meeting and then leave out any uneaten food for the rest of the staff. Staff have a training course and leave out any uneaten food for the managers, one department has a meeting and leaves out their uneaten food for the other departments.
It's a not wasting food and sharing thing rather than a level of seniority thing.

feckitall · 26/09/2015 09:25

I would rather have the left overs than a chip...on the shoulder...

AnchorDownDeepBreath · 26/09/2015 09:31

I go to a lot of catered meetings, it's often easier to book over lunch and cater as it means everyone can attend. Then when the meeting attendants leave, the food is taken into the office for the other staff, as we've paid for it and they might as well take what they want! Some people wait for that and have their whole lunch from it, others just grab biscuits or pastry or whatever. I'm sure some don't touch it at all, but I don't really watch.

How strange to think it's patronising. Do your work just invite the "plebs" and below? Do they assess you on your food choices and eating speed?

catfordbetty · 26/09/2015 09:31

OP I may be the only one who agrees with you but I also find this practice extraordinarily condescending. The scraps from our masters' table? I'd rather go hungry.

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 26/09/2015 09:31

Done at our place too - the poor sod bringing it in gets mobbed by a ravenous horde!!

What's not to like about free food???

IKnowIAmButWhatAreYou · 26/09/2015 09:32

I'd rather go hungry.

All the more for me to supplement my sarnies with then!! (and take your head out of your arse!!)

DurhamDurham · 26/09/2015 09:32

I work in the voluntary sector and attended an event at the civic centre. After a counsellors meeting next door they brought out a plate of dried up sad looking sandwiches and bestowed them on to us as if it were a huge favour. No one wanted them, we just looked at them and put them in the bin. It's ok if the food is still fresh and tasty but I do think it's thorughtless to give someone some crusty old sandwiches that you wouldn't eat yourself.

DiscoGoGo · 26/09/2015 09:33

Been the norm in every office I've worked in.

When there's biscuits or little cut up fruit people get quite excited :D

This happens at any meeting which has food not just senior management, it's good not to waste food.

Don't relate to op at all.

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