AIBU to think it's normal and polite to offer servicemen a drink?

[NeedACleverNN]

We had the gas man round yesterday to do a boiler check. I offered him a drink and he gratefully accepted a coffee.

Dh saw the cup on the drying rack and asked if had guests round. Told him no it was the gasman and he looked confused.

I've always thought you offer them a drink. He thinks they are there to do a job and that drinks are not part of it

Yes? No?

Of course you offer a drink - kindness and consideration cost nothing.

sparklingbrook it always worries me if they refuse a cup, just in case it's because they think I'm slovenly!

Have you been with your DH for very long? It seems odd not to have found out his peculiar attitude before now.

I drink out of the same mug every time and so does dh. Dh wouldn't notice a mug on the drainer because he's never that close to the sink. I however would definitely notice (especially as it most likely won't have been washed lol), if I'd been out and came back and a random mug was on the side I'd likely say, oh, has such and such a person been over. Not coz I'm a jealous freak, just coz I know hubby doesn't use that mug and I'm a bit nosey lol .

As for offering a drink, I always do if I remember. I forgot once coz I was in the middle of feeding the kids when the plumber came and I felt awful after when I remembered!

I never offer drinks unless it's a friend. I feel very threatened by strangers. I have AS though. I just want people in and out ASAP. I'm not a mean person it just makes me incredibly anxious having someone I don't know in my house.

It's interesting to read these kind of threads because they just confirm my 'otherness' iyswim.

I always do, as long as you're not offering a glass of wine I don't see the problem

An electrician called to do a job a while ago and asked me to put the kettle on before he'd even got his tools from the van. Initially I thought it was a bit rude, but it was because the electric was soon to be switched off.

However, if they are working outside the house I have no problem giving them a coffee. I'm afraid of them staying in the house and me having to talk to them.

I always do. And if it's a job over a few days, eg painting, I tell them to help themselves to tea and coffee.

A tip for biscuits is to buy individually wrapped ones. I was regularly putting a selection on a plate but the loose biscuits were always being left. The builder explained he didn't like picking them up with his dirty hands whilst working.

Yes it is normal esp if they are there for some hours.

From the thread title I thought you were talking about the armed forces. 🙄

LBOCS2 FruOla because phones are distracting dont you know. We live in the arse end of nowhere, her house was in the arse arse arse end of nowhere. No 2g, just a tiny wee phone signal.

I was at home with 2 young dd's and heavily pregnant with dt's at the time, we were told/knew it would be a very prem labour. Dh did indeed tell her to fuck off, in a much politer way, me id have lobbed the paintbrush up her arse and told her to fuck the job.

Farmhouse here

You get tea, coffee, a sugar bowl, home made cake, lunch if you are painting the barn at lunch time, sausages at breakfast time, baked potatoes.
Oil man, decorator, gardener, accountant, shepherd, plumber, electrician, lost motorist, Tesco man, postie, rambler, travellers...everybody is offered hospitality. In the old days the farm accountant coming was the occasion for a full-on boozy lunch.
We are so happy to see anybody, and they have come a LONG Way to get here :)

I always offer a drink if it 'a more than the gas meter being checked. On one occasion a tradesman working for my neighbour knocked and ordered two cups of tea ( rather abruptly I thought) but being British I made it anyway and took it out to them.

I had the Sky man round recently and offered him a cuppa, as I do with all workmen. He looked at me with huge relief and gratefully accepted, telling me I was his 4th job of the day and I was the first to offer him a drink! I don't know what this world is coming to!

I also made the man who fitted the front door a sausage sandwich. I felt I couldn't make us lunch and ignore him. He was very happy with that!

I gave the gas engineers muffins I'd baked. Not specifically for them mind. I just bake. I offered the whole team one (they were digging up my garden and replacing my gas pipe because of a leak) I couldn't offer them tea because the gas was off. I don't have an electric kettle. They did make me one from the back of their truck to say thanks though.

and the last time I had builders in I left out milk sugar and tea bags for the guys and let them make stuff themselves because I had to do the school run. I did sit and have a long chat with my Romanian decorator - it was autumn at the time and I'd just come back from gathering sweet chestnuts - and we talked about how back home his town had a festival dedicated to the sweet chestnut he asked where I found my stash and asked if he could have a handful.

Gardeners always get offered drinks if they are working here for a few hours. Often I leave a jug and mugs on my doorstep for them. Not because I don't want to interact I'm just usually very busy!

Its such a tiny gesture to people coming into your home but its worth a lot more. plus its manners.

Dangly. She sounds utterly awful

Oh, and Norks, may I come round to your house? I don't think there's anything I could actually do for you - but your hospitality sounds great, especially the boozy lunch although I'd probably have to stay the night after that

Yes

Yes always offer a drink YANBU.

I always offer a drink and then the it on a tray with a couple of biscuits. I find the if you offer biscuits they are always refused but if you just take them they are always gratefully received. If you find a good tradesperson ('serviceman' ) then do what you can to keep in their good books I say. My joiner likes a buttered crumpet so I always get them in for when he's doing work for me. I sometimes find my dh's treatment of tradespeople a bit awkward when he doesn't chat with them and may or may not offer a brew. He takes the view that they are being paid so leave them to it but to me, if they are in your home then it is only polite to keep them fed and watered, or watered at the least.

Yes- always offer if it is more than a meter reading! I took a brew out to the Autoglass man. The community fire safety officers got a brew and gingerbread ( coincidence I had been baking) when they called to check the smoke alarm.

I was horrified when we called a locksmith out at work and he expressed surprise at being offered a drink and said most places don't bother! Mind you we get through a hell of a lot of tea and coffee in my office.

I had no idea it was standard practice to offer people cups of tea or whatever. No idea. I'm quite a welcoming person, not frosty or unfriendly, and I'll happily let workmen use my toilet if they ask etc but offering anyone and everyone a cuppa as standard? I had no idea that was 'a thing'. I always offer if I am having one myself but it would never cross my mind to offer one to someone if I wasn't actually having one myself. I'd feel totally awkward just watching them drink their tea. But then it's an absolute pet hate of mine for someone to offer me a tea/coffee and not have one themselves, I find it horribly rude for them to sit and watch me drink it. I just assumed that other people felt the same. I didn't realise that made me 'a bit of a cunt' as someone upthread said. I thought I was being polite