Tradesman asking for a sandwich

[AtleastitsnotMonday]

I’ve had a tradesman working on the outside of my property today. Got here about 11.30, job was about a couple of hours worth of work. About 1200 I went out and asked if I could get him a tea or coffee. He answered “Tea, white with two please, would you be able to knock me up a cheese sandwich while your there?”
Now, admittedly I’m rubbish at saying no at the best of times and I wasn’t expecting this so obliged, even returning to check if he would like pickle/tomato etc with it.”
Dp thinks I’ve lost the plot and he was being grabby and to be honest I’ve only ever made drinks with the odd biscuit before, the only exception being when we had an extension built which was a much longer project and I outdone make them bacon sandwiches on a Friday morning if I wasn’t working.
Would you have made a sandwich?

My dh is a landscaper and was cutting hedges in someones garden last week in freezing weather...it was lashing down with rain etc....the householders were at home and didnt offer him a hot drink the whole day...i just cant understand some people.

Different culture but we always offer some of what we've made for lunch, sometimes specifically making food for them if it's the weekend. If it's a short job, we may offer cake or biscuits

BUT, and I think this is key, it's the audacity of telling you exactly what he wants. He didn't ask nicely and he was specific, both of which is not nice.

I usually offer - but I use a friend with his own carpentry business; I'd be a bit startled if a stranger asked.
Particularly if he is only there for a couple of hours, rather than a full day.

That made me laugh too OP, and yes I suppose they say, if you don’t ask you don’t get!

I am happy to make drinks etc, and would make a sandwich if asked, but I wouldn’t usually offer, tea coffee biscuits perhaps cake is usually my limit.

He might fancy a fry up for lunch tomorrow so be ready for the question.

I dunno: it takes 5 minutes and costs a few pence, so I wouldn’t grudge the bloke a sandwich. I don’t believe in karma but I don’t like missing opportunities to be kind at little personal cost.

I find it odd that people ask for anything. But I work for the local authority and used to do tonnes of home visits. Some colleagues wouldn't accept a cuppa, let alone food. I'd take tea if offered but wouldn't ask.

For all you know he could be diabetic and have forgotten to bring any food. Honestly, your options at the time were "no, sorry, we don't have any cheese. We're fresh out of bread..." or to make the sandwich. Why would you make it (even asking about pickle etc) then be annoyed at him for imposing? Bizarre and very two-faced.

It’s the ultimate in casual sexism isn’t it reading some of these responses. Big burly man doing proper manly mans work of course I woman would always offer a lunch 🙄
There are some weird attitudes on MN about certain jobs. Teachers are the devil and having a cleaner is akin to promoting slave labour.

I always offer tbh, but we got to know all of them in this area.
Never known one ask, but I don't normally give them chance to ask or refuse.
Kettle and bacon sarnies available all day here.

Wow. I've never been asked that.

The big question is - would he have asked a bloke the same question?

The answer is no. So, because of that (if I thought of it in time), I would have told him no.

I would offer a drink but a cheeky request for a lunch would be no, especially for a short job

@myusernamewastakenbyme

My dh is a landscaper and was cutting hedges in someones garden last week in freezing weather...it was lashing down with rain etc....the householders were at home and didnt offer him a hot drink the whole day...i just cant understand some people.

Maybe they were worried about COVID contact with the tea mugs?*

*I’m not saying I would do the same but I’m offering it as a potential rationale in the current climate.

I've had it the other way round where my dog has eaten the tradesmen's sandwiches, but even then they didn't ask for a replacement (If I had known, I definitely would have offered, but I wasn't in at the time).

Meh.

Yeah, I would have made one. It's not exactly a hardship.

CF!

A biscuit at the most might be acceptable, but to expect lunch - no way!!!

As rude as the guy we had here today. Twats.

When ive had people in before for jobs I've offered cake with brews. Id have assumed the guy asking was really hungry if he asked, and id have made a sandwich.

I don't always have bread at home so that would be awkward.

I do generally always get biscuits in specifically for any tradespeople and offer a cuppa, unless it's just a quick visit.

I'd have thought he was joking and laughed!

There's a shop nearby, so I'd have said 'you can always go to the shop just there, if you've forgotten your lunch'.

Can you imagine ever doing this yourself? Asking a client to make you lunch, because you couldn't organise yourself to make a sandwich in the morning??? How embarrassing!

@NoOneOwnsTheRainbow

For all you know he could be diabetic and have forgotten to bring any food. Honestly, your options at the time were "no, sorry, we don't have any cheese. We're fresh out of bread..." or to make the sandwich. Why would you make it (even asking about pickle etc) then be annoyed at him for imposing? Bizarre and very two-faced.

A bit of a reach? Surely if that was the case, he’d have been better opening with something that reflected the situation rather than seemingly demanding a specific food item apropos of nothing?

Of course medical reasons or/and loss of his own food would be more likely to result in his request being granted but he has a responsibility to actually communicate that to the OP.

Ahhh, I'd have made him a cheese butty. I always offer tradespeople a brew and something to eat anyway though!

That's weird and cheeky. We've had loads of work done on our house over the years and I've provided tea/coffee/biscuits, with the occasional cake maybe, but I've never been asked for food. They've always brought their own or gone off to the local café for lunch.

If someone is here for a full day or a few hours I would automatically offer hot drinks, cakes and biscuits /perhaps mini pork pies, sausage rolls.

Sandwiches etc.would only be offered if they were doing a major job over a few days.

Had I been asked by someone just here for a few hours I would have been tempted to tell him we were vegan so don't carry commercial sliced bread or dairy products.😁

Absolute misogynistic cheek IMO as I don't think for a second he would have asked your DH/OH. 😡

I always offer tbh, even the postman got a cup of tea the other day, he was freezing poor man.

Very rude. Do you think he would have had the cheek to give his lunch order to your DP? I don't think so.