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.

Who cares?

@BoundaryGirl3939

no one! Some people think Op was greedy, some don’t. Being greedy is hardly the worst thing to be in the world. It’s no big deal

Implying she is unvirtuous and greedy because she went to get extras? Really Come off it. Let ppl enjoy themselves. Stop putting a dampener on people's lives with these immature judgements. This world is crazy with messed up people.

Blimey, if they said that to your face imagine what they are saying behind your back. Funny how brave people are in a pack… like dogs. What h this lot, they sound like bitches. I can’t believe they wanted to take a bit of sweaty party food home so badly that they’d completely insult someone like that!

They sound really horrible OP I'm sorry (and the 17% who said YABU are idiots!)

Can’t believe this trivial matter is still being discussed - it really doesn’t matter.

@BoundaryGirl3939sorry I meant to say if she was piling plates high and shoving things into bags and leaving little or nothing for anyone else that would be different.

@Cherrytree86I’m confused are you saying she is being greedy or not?

Numerous folks were brought up to eat everything on their plate & not leave or waste food - Most Surely She's not greedy just presumed it would be thrown if not consumed
Comfort eaters aren't greedy either, they can be addicted to food like an alcoholic is to alcohol
We can never sit in judgement or name someone's being greedy especially when we just don't know the complete circumstances

💚🥰Immensely well commented 🙌

@BoundaryGirl3939

ive just said being a bit greedy is no big deal!

The other people who were entitled to a share of the food obviously cared.

But she didn't take it from them, she took it from their children!! They are not part of the office buffet.

Exactly. She could have been hungover. Hangovers make you want to eat rubbish all day!!

Honestly what a load of waffle. A couple of plates of party bits is nothing throughout the afternoon. 4 5 sandwiches could be triangles therefore only one full size sandwich. Happens all the time in my office but we don't get the comments and leftovers issue

Yes, I agree with you.

Op, if there were only one or two people with this strange attitude, I would try ignore their pettiness (I'm embarrassed for them actually). Or if you have a good relationship with your supervisor, you could mention the nastiness confidentially to stop this business of food being reserved for children.

If most of the workplace was in agreement with them, I would be tempted to look elsewhere for a job as that behaviour is too strange and toxic.

I've never heard of staff bringing home workplace food to feed their families. In my workplace, it goes into our staff fridge and anyone who wants to pick at it the next day is welcome to it. Then it's thrown out.

Yes I might have been inclined to say “what exactly do you mean by that, why wouldn’t I have heard it?!”
Maybe ask them next week what they meant by it and put them on the spot !

FishersGate · Today 15:35

'Honestly what a load of waffle. A couple of plates of party bits is nothing throughout the afternoon. 4 5 sandwiches could be triangles therefore only one full size sandwich. Happens all the time in my office but we don't get the comments and leftovers issue.'

It wasn't 4 triangles, op doesn't specify. She is going up for a few sandwiches and other bits here and there. This was 4 trips. It is easy to minimise what you've had at these things, when you're making loads of little trips, it soon adds up. Dh does is all of the time when we gave family buffets, he'll say, "Oh I only had acouple of sandwiches and a few bits", when in actuality had had 8 sandwiches, chips, biscuits, a couple of little cakes here and there (because they're bite size, he will think he isn't having many).

There is little context, op didn't come back to this thread, tell us what her contribution was, etc. I suspect when so many people in the office noticed, there is a lot more to it (if this is a genuine thread to begin with).

Buffet sandwiches are always little triangles.

There was plenty left which was commented on. One person going up again at 4pm wasn't going to make a difference.

The shape wasn't what I was alluding to, it was the number.

It was only just a Warmhearted suggestion from this lovely lady, hoping these unkind coworkers would possibly see, lovely original commenter, is just fine without participating in their petty, mind games
Yes it's most surely possible these types wouldn't care less, but if it helps original commenter to feel comforted & consoled by their pettiness & exclusion of her, it just might be worthwhile 🙏

Yes & when we remember the mini sandwiches are simple small triangles, it helps remind us that even if the number of those mini triangles were somewhat higher, it still wouldn't have been a quantity large enough to implement someone's displaying elements of greediness 🙏

But what about the size of the triangles?? I love this thread 😁

If you contributed to the buffet I don’t get the issue. If you brought nothing and ate everyone else’s food then maybe

And the crusts situation?