To be annoyed I have to pay for this "Christmas meal"

[FeatherFairy]

The other week I was invited to join a departmental "Christmas lunch". I don't often get invited to group lunches so I was quite pleased with the invitation and said yes (I'm not in the same department but part of a much smaller team which sits next to theirs).

We had pizza and fried chicken and a cake, not loads of food.

I've now been told I need to pay £40 for my piece of chicken and half a pizza! It's so expensive because apparently half this team had their birthdays recently and this is their birthday treat so we must all pay for them!

It was my birthday recently too, not that any of them cared about that. I feel I was invited just to pay for their lunch. It was really awkward at the meal. I was one of the first to sit down and everyone else clustered themselves away from me leaving the seats next to me empty until the last person showed up and had no choice but to sit next to me.

What Laurie said. If you are OK to pay the £21 just transfer it to CF account. No explanation, no apologies, no mention of it when you see any of them. You don't owe them an explanation. You don't need to justify yourself here. Fuck 'em.
Oh, and maybe time to look for a new job perhaps?

Op send the email suggested upthread and then send £2.10 via bank transfer and be adamant that you've sent £21.

That will teach them

OP I would definitely keep your reply simple, tell them it was your birthday recently but you don't expect to be paid for so you will pay £20 which should cover your share. I don't think you need to mention what others need to pay, or the fact you weren't informed of the cost in advance, I would put this one down to experience.

I do agree with others though, these people sound like total cunts x

The problem here is not really the lunch thing or the money. It is the way OP is being treated at work. In my opinion, these people are not worth cultivating as potential friends. They behave cliquey and they are not inclusive.

Pay whatever you see as reasonable and look for another job. This incident should spur you on to seek employment with people who are pleasant to work with.

I'd say sorry I can't afford the £40. I thought it was a work meal paid for especially as it was in the canteen. None of this was discussed beforehand and I would've declined the invitation if I'd known

Sounds like the person asking for the money just wants to top up their Xmas budget to be quite honest. I wouldn't pay a dime.

How did it go? I'd be tempted to send a breezy reply. "That's so kind of people to agree to pay for all of us with recent birthdays. (Mine was X.X.XX) Are you sure you're ok to cover my meal?"
Just to see what his reply would be.

OP?

Send £4 and say you assumed it must be a typo.

I'd just ignore the email

£40? That's ridiculous! I'd probably be in with £5, if I'd been asked first and agreed to it!

*ok with

OP did you hear back. What happened. We need a conclusion !

I hate it when people give so much advice and the OP doesn't bother to come back and update

Cheeky to ask for the money after the meal and not tell you upfront. I would be pissed that they invited me to bring everyone’s costs down. I wouldn’t pay what he’s requesting, just the cost of my own meal. Are you even pally with the people who’s birthday it was? If not, there’s even more of a reason. Why would you help pay for their meal when you feel used.

*Today 18:09 sweetsomethings

I hate it when people give so much advice and the OP doesn't bother to come back and update*

So inconciderate isn't it.

Maybe the OP was kidnapped and her family are having to pay the 40 pound fried chicken ransom so she can be freed.

Hopefully I'm being unduly pessimistic, however the fact that the OP hasn't returned suggests that she gave the cheating bastard the 40 pounds. Crime pays.

Happy Christmas to all.

What did you do OP?

OP, another thread reminded me of this. Did you ever get this resolved?