To think you should feel embarrassed eating food you’ve not paid for?

[BornInSydneyy]

Everyone chipped in the same amount of money to get a buffet at work. You had the option to not participate.

One of the people who didn’t pay came up and helped himself to massive plate fulls at least 4 times.

Thanks Lying

We regularly do this at my work . We have two members of staff that politely refuse to pay but come along and eat their own food to join in. They always get offered a mince pie etc but rarely say yes.

If you can't afford it fine, don't pay. Eat your lunch at your desk or take your sandwiches with you and join in with your work mates. The behaviour this man displayed is so rude and would wind me right up as I usually arrange these little parties to build morale.

Keep

No crisps for you. CF.

NOWHERE in the OP does it say that the buffet was laid out - let alone flaunted under the OP’s colleages’s nose.

Colleague is, in all probability, a cheeky fecker!!

Not everyone feels comfortable saying they're completely skint. Or if they do say so get made out they're exaggerating and must be able to afford to chip in something.

You're seriously defending someone who opted out of paying, and then thought it was OK to go up and help himself four times.....?

I really think a workplace Christmas Buffet should be inclusive and on a voluntary contribution basis. Personally I think contribution of food/drink rather than cold hard cash works best, that way people can bring what they are comfortable affording.

Season of goodwill and all. Really not nice to exclude someone from team events.

That said, 4 platefuls of buffet food seems a bit much really. I'd genuinely worry someone didn't know where their next meal was coming from to feel the need to eat that much.

That only works if everyone is fair minded mrsm. Unfortunately, to some people 'voluntary' to some people means 'don't bother your arse, everyone else will sort it'. The fairest way is those who pay, eat, those who don't, don't. Fair enough, a free-for-all for any leftovers, but only an EXTREMELY CF would help themselves to 4 plates of food they hadn't paid for!

Reminds me of a relative who refused to pay for a shared set meal and ordered herself a small dish instead. She then proceeded to demolish most of the set meal (but still only paid for her original food). "Just the chicken for me" is now family shorthand for a cf.

(Just to put peoples mind at rest relative is not hard up and is perfectly aware where her next meal is coming from)

No this guy is just a CF taking advantage.

Or mrsm, they are a CF taking the piss. It's people like you that CF take advantage off.

Would love to know what was in the buffet
Totally missing the point but very nosey and hungry

You know what, I probably do get taken advantage of. But I would rather 100x that someone took advantage of me for the sake of a few sausage rolls, than 1x someone went hungry.

I have a lot to be thankful for, and plenty to share. And it's Christmas

Well the buffet would look pretty silly mrsm if you paid your fiver and no one else did then there was a scrap over five sausage rolls and a packet of sandwiches.

I really do think it’s unjust to suggest people are being mean or are happy to see others go hungry because they object to this scenario. This wasn’t a hungry man on the bread line - he took four whole platefuls. If he was poor enough to be unable to feed himself I think his colleagues would have noticed this by now. In my office someone not being able to afford lunch would definitely be noticed.

There was a buffet at work today, one of the staff saved me some of the biryani they’d made. It was glorious. I forgot to take in my donation. There’s a selection of cheeses in my fridge that won’t get eaten now.

Whoops!

You know what, I probably do get taken advantage of. But I would rather 100x that someone took advantage of me for the sake of a few sausage rolls, than 1x someone went hungry

But why should the people who actually paid have to do without.
He was offered to pay his share,he said no.He shouldnt be filling up 1 plate of food,never mind 4.Unless of course theres leftovers.

Where is OP to tell us what was served at the buffet and whether the CF’s huge portions meant there wasn’t enough for paying colleagues?

And you just let him take it and didn't say anything?

OP, do you work for a council in Hertfordshire by any chance? Because I've heard a very similar story from my sister today about an incident in her office!

Where is OP to tell us what was served at the buffet and whether the CF’s huge portions meant there wasn’t enough for paying colleagues

That's not the point, it wasn't his to take.Hes stealing food from his colleagues.

`I don't understand why the man was not confronted and the chances of him seeing this thread are close to zero so will achieve nothing.

I see the Excusers are on here already - poor man is close to starvation, may not have eaten all day, struggling, poor - we just need mental health and possible autism suggested for MN bingo full house.

No point moaning here if you did not speak up at the time and it upset you that much.

Exactly this. Or instead come on here and create a soap about it.