Coffee etiquette in the office

[hattie43]

In our office of 3 up to sometimes 6 we have long asked for a decent coffee machine so far to no avail .

This means I'm finding it difficult to go and grab a coffee without asking everyone else , but making a variety of coffee, hot chocolate, tea with our kettle takes so bloomin long .
Same with when I want a Starbucks I feel obliged to ask everyone else .

What do you do where you are , get your own or offer a ' round ' to everyone else .

Yep me too. I actually prefer it to the more expensive machines!!

We used to have department coffee and tea rounds at our office. I hated it. I was always thirsty before the others so ended up doing more rounds than I had time for. During covid everyone had to do their own and only 1 person in the kitchen at 1 time.
After that I just carried on doing my own, it is much better, and saves loads of time.

I get my own. I would never offer to make or get drinks for others, to hell with that. It sounds like such a hassle, I'd end up dehydrated trying to avoid it!

We used to do rounds, but since COVID we moves to get your own - one good thing of the pandemic! Makes life so much easier, and means the lazy arses have to get up if they want a drink rather than waiting for someone else to do it.

lol that’s more of a treat from the boss on payday once in a blue moon thing than something colleagues expect
when I worked in office, if someone went to Starbucks etc, they’d say hey I’m going to Starbucks, anyone wants to come with? Then if people joined everyone would buy their own.

Ach no if they always order but never reciprocate then stuff it, don't buy for them. Don't tell them you're going there if that helps. Make it an afterthought after you popped out for something else.

I'd just stop asking OP. Just get up and make your own or if you're going out to get one then just say back in a bit.

Someone in our office always asks and the rest of us politely decline. Seems bizarre that anyone would accept.

When everyone is in just tell the truth, sorry guys but last time I treated you too coffee it was a one off, I can't afford it.
Could you all keep the cash and pay upfront for your coffees otherwise i will have to leave it as i only do my own.

I always just stick to making my own and explain that a) I can’t be arsed making loads of different things and b) I usually just have one cup a day

Ew - I hate those things, they are not clean

This. Just buy a cafetiere. Make that then leave on the side for others to help themselves too.

I offer if there's only one other person in otherwise I just go and get one for me. Don't start a precedent if you don't mean to continue is my advice.

When I worked in a small office we used to drink hundreds of cups of tea and approximately take turns making it.

Would not be allowed in many offices carrying too many hot drinks is a safety hazard.
Everyone gets their own drinks. Saves time too.

If they never reciprocate, stop getting coffees for them. Or suggest setting up a kitty or something similar.

Your company need to invest in a zip tap bloody marvellous things.

Isn’t it cheaper to buy your own decent coffee machine than buy Starbucks all the time?

I hated it when I was the lowest grade at work & we were expected to make tea & coffee for the whole office & the inspectors on our floor. We took a stand & refused to do it, the inspectors were the worst, they thought they were too special to make their own drinks. I can remember one girl spitting in the District Inspector's tea because he was so awful ringing through every hour for someone to make his drink & loosing his shit if it wasn't on his desk two minutes later, we were expected to drop everything just to make him his drink even if we were elsewhere in the building.

@Nat6999 Wow what a cheeky bastard! You should of made him a scolding cup & accidentally on purpose spilt it on the cheeky fucker 😆

Yes no way i would offer this

One thing with proper coffee machines is usually the same person gets stuck with cleaning/maintaining so they sound good in theory

I really like the suggestions to use a thermos and pour the ‘water’ (aka takeaway coffee) into it.

I always get a coffee before work to avoid any awkward coffee dilemmas and I have been doing this for years. I sit in a team made up of a few people where we are all in different teams virtually but in one physical location. At morning tea time they all go for a coffee run together. Sometimes I go with them and get a second coffee (but we all pay for ourselves).

They also like to announce when they are going to the supermarket to buy treats. I personally prefer to buy my own treats but they like to keep a few communal items. To not be such a Scrooge, every now and then I buy treats to share.

We used to do rounds but then when Covid happened and we went back to office after one of the things in place like one way systems etc was that people made their own drinks so we’ve just carried on doing that. It is easier as when it was rounds it used to get to a point where you felt obliged to go and make if hadn’t for a while and it was your “turn”, even though you might be busy and didn’t actually want a drink. Now can just make one when want to and have time or want a little break

This sounds like it’s only you offering / making drinks for everyone?

why do it then? Just get up and go make your own drink.

If everyone does “rounds” then they are probably all thinking the same thing - in which case next few times someone offers say “no, I’m ok just now, I’ll get a coffee in a bit”, then wander off 15 mins later to get your own.

if you want Starbucks, nip out at lunch and just get your own. If anyone comments “oh, wish I’d known, I’d have got you to pick up for me”, just say “it was spur of the moment - plus last time you offered you got stuck with paying for everyone”.

“The drinks are here they cost £30. She we split the cost evenly or do you want to give me the exact cost for what you’ve got?”