To snub dinner with colleagues on work trip

[PeachyT]

I'm going on an overnight work trip to another office later this week, and 3 other people from my office and department are also going. (I don't know any of them that well, but well enough, and we work on the same overall project).

One of them is a manager who is very gossipy and loud, a big drinker. She's desperate for us to go out for dinner and drinks together in the evening. But I'd rather wander around the city as I've not been before (weather permitting!) and then go back and chill in my nice hotel bed with a takeout! Is it really bad to snub them? I also don't drink and the loud manager always makes a big, embarrassing thing out of it.

Also I'll have been up since 5.30am to get the train there. I just want to spend my evening relaxing!

I travel for work a lot and no one bats an eyelid of someone or me says I'm doing my own thing etc

I rather think you're going to be meeting up with an old friend that evening and hope that everyone else will have a good time doing their thing.

There is no obligation or legal requirement for any team member to be “a barrel of laughs”.

My colleagues would be relieved if I didn’t join them.
I’m known to be more crabby than Padstow harbour.
😉😁😁

In many places it is part of the job and opting out would really not be taken well, unless you had a genuine reason to do so.

If it’s just one night I’d make the effort but probably go home early if tired.

If more than one night I’d def fancy an evening to myself

I always go out for dinner with my colleagues on a work trip, seems the polite thing to do.

Absolutely not. Just say no thanks, I'm off to explore and that's it. You don't have to have dinner with anyone you don't want to.

@cinnamonfrenchtoast yes if your job involves networking with clients, for example, but OP's clearly doesn't

I've never had a job that involves networking or meeting clients, but we were still always expected to have our meals with colleagues (all funded by the company).

It was part of "working away" for us, unfortunately. We couldn't just opt out and do our own thing.

Given your update then no. Ignore them and do what you want to do.

I would do my own thing you aren't forcing someone to have dinner alone. I tend to mix it up on any trips.