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

[Peasantsuzzane]

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?

However crusty and dried up the offerings were there was always one or two that would hoover them up where I worked. Same people every time.

God, I used to love getting lunch leftovers! When I worked at head office the Directors had the best lunches so we used to wait in anticipation for the Board meetings to finish so we could swoop on the buffet.

One day we did just that. Saw the Directors leave so we went in, marvelled at the goodies they'd left (desserts! wine!) and industriously ferried it all back to the eager 'plebs' waiting in the normal office. Then the Directors returned from their break and wondered where their eaton mess was ......

But all levels of staff have meetings Catford, and may have catering at them, depending on time of meeting, whether externals are attending etc. As a PP said, it may be junior staff and it's their bosses who are helping themselves afterwards.....I can't work out what there is to get offended about.

We used to get very excited in the office if we got left overs. Considered a perk. Yabvvvvvu op.

It's the norm to share out leftovers from meetings.

What isn't the norm is people who consider non-managers 'plebs'.

Or worse, someone assuming that one group considers another group plebs, based only on silly stereotypes.

Especially if that's used to stir.

I work in the NHS and a catered lunch is so rare that even directors rarely get so much as a coffee. leftovers are enjoyed by all for novelty value

I'm amazed that something like this can turn into 'plebs' and class and 'masters table'. How daft. So on a TV cooking programme when the cameraman and crew descend on the food like a herd of locusts, are they being patronised too?

Should good food be thrown away then just because someone thinks they are like they are the underclass, I'm afraid that is your problem.... there'd be an outcry where I work and it's a waste of good food. We sometimes do fruit, dips, veg sticks etc and we over cater and there's a huge bowl of fruit out for anyone to help themselves to, what's wrong with that? I must remember next time to ask everyone whether they are offended by these leftovers

How very strange. In one of my previous jobs where I worked in sales we had a lot of catered meetings for clients. Leftovers always went downstairs and we're always eaten.

Hahaha at chip on shoulder, feckit!

Ooh I love meeting left overs! Score!

Nick all the fruit & take it home.
No-one ever wants the fruit.

I just think you have an inferiority complex.

I got the impression that gobby was joking, mainly because it is such an outlandish suggestion!!

I am truly baffled that people get offended about this. Of course it shouldn't be bestowed upon the lower orders as though they were being really generous, but surely a 'help yourselves' isn't offensive to anybody? However, I do think they should bring it out as soon as everybody has finished eating, rather than at the end of the meeting when the sandwiches are all curled up. Ah, leftovers etiquette, it's such a minefield...

This used to happen in my workplace too. I personally chose to refrain but others helped themselves. I think you're massively overthinking it. Just don't eat it.

would you prefer if they just threw the leftovers in the bin in front of you and then laughed in your face? they used to do this all the time at a place i worked in, in the midlands.

Would you rather perfectly good food was thrown away in the bin?
This is definitely the weirdest thread I've ever read on MN and that's saying something!
There honestly is no pleasing some people, is there? The old saying you can't please all the people all of the time so right for this thread!

this in normal, although I'm in the NHS so catered meetings at any level are rare as rocking horse poo, and usually restricted to patient/carer engagement type stuff. I'm not offended in the slightest by being offered leftovers.

Normal for us too. We have "celebratory" lunches once a month - those invited get first dibs and then it opens up to the rest of us. I'm not going to turn down free food!

Where's the OP got to?

"Would you rather perfectly good food was thrown away in the bin?"

OP would probably be fine with that. And would then start a thread saying something like:

title: Management treat workers like plebs and won't share

"I find it very insulting that management throw away their leftovers after meetings instead of bringing it for all other staff to share. Even after a long meeting it's perfectly edible, even if a bit tired looking, and sometimes there's lots.

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

YABVU.

Some ppl will really appreciate the chance of some (nice) left-overs. (Even if they are looking a bit 'tired'.) I definitely would, if I was hungry, or poor, or if it still looked OK. (And if I thought I could take it home for later!)

It's a good thing to share any unwanted/left-over food if there's anyone who wants it. (And as long as they won't sue you/accuse you of having poisoned them!) Plus, no-one is forcing you to eat it. So don't? But let the others have that choice?

This reminds me of 'poor' people who claim that being offered 2nd hand goods is insulting. Eg Situations where, altho they might struggle on benefits, but they claim would rather only buy NEW (good quality) for their baby than have something (still OK) for nothing and be able to save that money for something more important ... for when the child is older.

I use Freecycle a lot, mostly to give rather than receive as I am decluttering/moving soon. I think it's a marvellous idea/way to not bin things which are still useful to someone. And I have often wished there was a food version for things I have over-bought which need to be eaten! But, of course, this could never work due to the short timescales.

I also like the discounted shelf at the supermarket concept. Tho I often feel the discounts there are too small/not interesting enough, & that the system works best when the items are reduced to ~10% of the original price to get them shifted ASAP!

FYI, most people are very grateful/happy to re-use things ... poor or not ... as it can be a good feeling to spend less/avoid wasting of resources.

So if things can be re-used/recycled/passed on, why not? IMO, it's not insulting at all! In fact it's a good company policy!

YABVU, so you want them to waste the food instead?

Somebody obviously has a huge chip on their shoulder when it comes to management.

Coming back op?

I used to work somewhere that did the most amazing fruit platters at meetings. We used to get v excited about those coming back and would proceed to stuff ourselves with melon in fancy shapes and strawberries out of season for the rest of the day.

Catered meetings are rare now sadly but the last one we went to we did take loads of sandwiches back to the staffroom.

YABU.

I would be more annoyed that its generally a better quality of food than they provide normally.