Called “greedy” at work

[HamOnBeth]

Yesterday we had a lunch buffet for a staff member who is going on mat leave. Usual routine is the buffet comes out at lunch time and everyone brings something such as sandwiches, sausage rolls, flapjacks, etc etc … basic party food. We do a little gift and card giving presentation then everyone gets tucked into the buffet. After lunch the food stays there and people just pick at it during the afternoon whilst they work.

So after lunch we got back to work and I walked across and got a few more sandwiches (other people were also going back up). An hour or so later I went back and got a few more bits - certainly not platefuls - just a couple of sandwiches, a couple of (bite size) flapjacks and a muffin.

We leave at 5pm. At 4pm someone said “there is so much food left”. That’s all I heard so I assumed it needed using up so I went back and got a few more bits. At this point someone said “Jesus Christ Beth, are you hungry?!”

I said “well it needs using up doesn’t it?” And laughed trying to keep it light hearted. Someone else then said “there is going to be none left for people to take home! No need to be greedy with it”.

Long story short it was apparently agreed that whatever was left would be taken home by those with kids. I did not hear this. I said I hadn’t heard this so someone said “Well no, you won’t have” and rolled their eyes.

was I really out of order here?? The food was there, lots of it. Nobody else was bothering with it. I’m embarrassed but I still don’t really think I did anything wrong? It’s not like I scoffed it all as soon as it came out.

Same here.

Wouldn’t it be easier if everyone just took home what they brought?

Also food left out from lunch and all afternoon..yuk! 🤢

'Those with kids'
Enough said.
I bet they expect the first choice of the annual leave times too.

It is not creedy to go back for seconds or thirds or fourths. It is there to he eaten.
As long as everyone has had the opportunity to do the same. In the afternoon the ones wanting to have a takeaway could have gotten some stuff to their containers. And no, those do not usually go for employees with kids.

They were rude to say what they did and decide only those with kids could take it home, that’s just silly on their part. But some people are greedy with buffets, hopefully you atleast brought in a decent amount of food too

I would never bring office leftovers home for my kids 🤢

My first thought is that anyone who noticed how often you visited the buffet clearly hasn't got enough work to do - who has time to track this sort of thing at work?

My second thought is that I'm surprised there was so much competition over it - usually it's almost impossible to get rid of buffet leftovers at work!

As for leftovers being designated for those with children - what a load of nonsense - once everyone has had a chance to take their share, it's first come, first served.

I’m sure I’ve read this exact thing before.

Unless genuinely struggling and unable to feed their families, who gives their kids food that has been out for so long (and other people had potentially touched all afternoon)? I’d judge them more for being shit parents than you for having extra servings …

What did you bring OP, and how much of it?

It probably has been earmarked by those with kids and you disturbed the invisible label.

I'm curious to how many Sandwiches you had altogether though but it my head a sandwich is 2 slices of bread

This . 4 visits for sandwiches is a lot but I wouldn’t say anything. Personally I don’t want food that has sat about for hours. They were very rude though.

People today seem to age. Forgotten the difference between things you can say and things you should just think.😆. they were bloody rude

Usually on a buffet they’re cut into 4 though like little triangles, so it’d still take 4 ‘sandwiches’ to make up 2 slices of bread. Still sounds like a lot from OPs description though

People do tend to notice those that keep taking more from a buffet, biscuit tin, etc than most. There are obviously no rules but it can seem greedy to keep taking.

I know it’s harsh, but I would think someone is being greedy if they went up 4 times in one afternoon.

You weren't being greedy, there is always too much left over at this kind of work buffet. Presumably the parents only brought in the same amount as the non-parents, so why should they get extra for their kids?
The greedy ones are the people who don't bring anything, but still tuck in.
In my craft group, if anyone brought cakes in, one woman always said "can I take the rest for my kids?" despite most of us having kids or grandchildren/nieces/nephews.
I used to say no, I promised to take the leftovers home for DH and family.
Cheeky f***s.

I'm not convinced by this tbh. Op, have you added the "kids" detail in to get people to agree with you? This seemed fabricated.
What was your contribution to the buffet? It also does sound like you were eating alot more than everybody else, for it to be so noticeable. There was a woman I used to work with that would bring in a cheap packet of biscuits that cost £1, if that, then eat loads. Meanwhile the rest of us supplied the rest, and not as well off as she was either. Some people put a lot of effort in, homemaking things, and bringing in a lot. I think it is understandable that when the buffet has finished, some may want to wrap the rest of a cake they've made ror example, and take that back. Husband might have said "Bring me a slice back, if there's any left over at the end."

If you're thinking there is loads of food left, is there really though? If there's say 20 staff and they all haven't back up yet, for instance. It sounds like you were eating a lot more than your share.

The greedy ones are the people who don't bring anything, but still tuck in.

That's not greedy, that's cheeky.

You clearly weren't greedy and were more entitled than kids to the food.

However if three different people (it wasn't entirely clearly who all the different "somebody's" were but sounds like they were all separate people) commented, either you work in an unpleasant place (perhaps I'm lucky but I can't imagine 1 person being bitchy enough to make a comment in my workplace) or you were eating significantly more than anyone else.

We had this once in our office. Someone brought cakes in on their birthday and over ordered massively. They would keep for a few days though so many of us were looking forward to having a doughnut for breakfast the next day.

When we got in it had been stripped and there was barely anything left! Turns out the guy that was in last just decided that as it wasn't eaten, he'd take it home for his kids!

I assume one of the bosses had a word with him about it as it never happened again!

What was your contribution to the buffet? This is critical.We have a couple of people at work who never bring anything in but are at the front of the queue to take stuff. (Not a hardship issue, one is pretty senior).

People quickly spot that behaviour and call the CF out. Some respond, others don't.

Op what was your contribution? This is key information. 😂

Unfortunately people seem to be very interested in what other people eat (and also assume other people are interested in what they eat).

I LOVE food and I couldn't care less who thought I was greedy. Also how could they call anyone greedy based on your food consumption over one afternoon? Surely in order to decide if someone was greed you'd need to know 1. what else they had eaten that day 2. how much exercise they have done?

I used to work in an office and people regularly used to comment on my very large lunches but I often did 2 hours of exercise before work. I was neither worryingly thin, nor overweight so there was no possible concern manifesting in the comments.

Tell them to piss off next time and that you'll eat as much of the team buffet as you like.

Personally I think it’s far more greedy and grabby to expect colleagues to have less so people can take it home for their kids!

The idea of a shared buffet isn’t that you eat a dainty, token amount so other people can take the treats home (unless everyone agreed you could all take leftovers home).

It’s not you, it’s definitely them

They were extremely rude & unkind. However yes, you were also greedy in my opinion. 4 visits to the buffet?? I wouldn’t even do 4 visits at one of those all you can eat buffets and I’ve a healthy appetite.
Besides, buffets at work usually involve uncovered, non-chilled food 🤢 Who would then give it to their kids several room temperature hours later? Yuck

As irrational as it sounds I too would raise an eyebrow. It’s like those all you can eat buffets or the AI places, people just take and take and take.

<clutches pearls> a smidge unseemly.