Food at work

[Overwhelmed24t]

Where I work there is a cafe in the same building I get an hour for lunch so I often order my lunch 5-10 mins before my lunch break so it’s almost ready when I start. We do get a small discount so like 2 pounds off the meal but I always have just bread and one filling no side salad no crisp on the side nothing in the sandwich just spread. when ever there busy they always put staff meals to the back of the cue which means I can be 20 minutes into my lunch before I get my sandwich we aren’t I don’t work for them but in the same building aibu to expect my lunch at the same time as customers

Buy an insulated lunch bag and stick an ice block in it. You don't need a fridge for lunch.

You could also get a hot food flask for your lunch.

Buying food is supposed to be quicker and easier than making it yourself, otherwise why would you bother?

I can make a sandwich quicker than the walk to the cafe or shop plus the queue plus to additional expense.

Not sure how it’s more convenient?

@Overwhelmed24t

We don’t have anywhere to eat our lunches unless we go and sit in the park by work or use the admin office if empty I much prefer to sit in the cafe also can’t bring much to work as no fridge and no where to heat up food

We do have a fridge at work that I refuse to use because no one cleans it so my lunch is in an insulated lunch bag.

You seem to be making a real fuss over nothing, getting a big discount means you'll have to take second place to those paying full price.

@Overwhelmed24t

We don’t have anywhere to eat our lunches unless we go and sit in the park by work or use the admin office if empty I much prefer to sit in the cafe also can’t bring much to work as no fridge and no where to heat up food

My work is similar but with no canteen/cafe. I just eat at my desk or go for a walk. We also don't have a fridge but I take an insulated lunch bag, stays cold all day then. Many, many people are in the same situation. Like others have said, either wait or do this.

Don't accept the discount then and you'll be served at the same time 🤷‍♀️.

getting a big discount means you'll have to take second place to those paying full price.

This is daft.

Of course the discount is not meant to disadvantage OP. It should be a recognition that she's an employee working (in another business) in the same building. It's not meant to make it worse for her!

I think OP's lunch sounds a bit odd & id probably stop using this cafe. However if you do want to, you need to complain. See what they say / if this changes, then decide.

Of course OP shouldn't put up with crap service just because she's getting a discount!

@EarringsandLipstick

getting a big discount means you'll have to take second place to those paying full price.

This is daft.

Of course the discount is not meant to disadvantage OP. It should be a recognition that she's an employee working (in another business) in the same building. It's not meant to make it worse for her!

I think OP's lunch sounds a bit odd & id probably stop using this cafe. However if you do want to, you need to complain. See what they say / if this changes, then decide.

Of course OP shouldn't put up with crap service just because she's getting a discount!

I disagree...that's a big discount and i would suggest its offered to keep staff busy and cafe productive during slack times....like happy hour in a pub or early diners discount in a restaurant...you accept the discount on the basis that there are conditions to it. Who negotiated the discount and is there a chain of communication? maybe discounted lunches could be ordered first thing and stored in the cafe for collection at lunchtime? cafe still get your custom, discounted food doesn't have to be assembled during a busy period....it doesn't solve the hot food issue but you can't have everything.

I think the cafe are being considerate to offer a discount and as long as there is some consistency, no grounds for complaint.

If you are that concerned then bring your own sandwiches.

@Overwhelmed24t

We don’t have anywhere to eat our lunches unless we go and sit in the park by work or use the admin office if empty I much prefer to sit in the cafe also can’t bring much to work as no fridge and no where to heat up food

I take food to work in a bag with some ice packs to keep it cool. It would save you a fortune and save you a lot of time.

@EarringsandLipstick

getting a big discount means you'll have to take second place to those paying full price.

This is daft.

Of course the discount is not meant to disadvantage OP. It should be a recognition that she's an employee working (in another business) in the same building. It's not meant to make it worse for her!

I think OP's lunch sounds a bit odd & id probably stop using this cafe. However if you do want to, you need to complain. See what they say / if this changes, then decide.

Of course OP shouldn't put up with crap service just because she's getting a discount!

Exactly! The discount is supposed to be a perk; not money off for less food, or less enjoyable/convenient experience. Some of the replies are so wanky - ‘Buy a cool bag and make your own food rather than question crap service in the café’.

OP - is there a building management company you can raise this with? Find out whether this is an official policy endorsed by the management company, or just something the café staff have decided they’ll do because they think staff won’t complain in the way external customers might. What they’ve forgotten, it seems, is that you are their customer, not their colleague.

It may be that the management say ‘Well yes, you do have to wait sometimes, but we agreed to that in order to get the discount’ - in which case you can decide whether you’d rather pay more elsewhere, or take the risk of a long wait to get the discount. But you’ll never know if you don’t ask.

like happy hour in a pub or early diners discount in a restaurant...you accept the discount on the basis that there are conditions to it.

If Happy Hour means glasses of wine are two for one from 6 - 7pm, for example, I would accept that a glass will effectively cost me twice as much at 7.15pm. I would not expect staff, at 6.30, to stop pouring my wine halfway through because someone’s ordered champagne, which is still full price, making them ‘more valuable’ as a customer.

I agree with the posters that say £2 isn't a "small discount" - even if you're having a hot meal, surely that's never more than £6 or so in a basic canteen, so a third off is a pretty good discount and understandable why you'd have to wait. we get 10% off the canteen by me, that's a "small discount!".

Agree with the poster who said if it annoys a lot of people then get someone, management or whoever negotiated the discount, to have a chat with them. The canteen presumably offers it as an incentive, if your company says people are put off by waiting a long time then presumably they can come to some sort of an agreement, such as saying if you put your orders through before 10.30am they will make sure it's ready for you at the time you specify, or promising they will never wait longer than 15 mins, so you know to order at least that time before.

But really, if you've never waited longer than 20 mins, just make sure you order 20 minutes before you start your lunch, particularly if it's a sandwich, it's not going to go cold or stale in 20 mins is it?

I think you’ve essentially got four options: 1: take a packed lunch 2: complain and hope it gets better 3: make it clear you will pay full price in exchange for decent custom 4: put up with it.