Christmas party venue - inconsiderate choice.. AIBU not to go?

[gailsnails]

I work on a team about about 20 people, with with different tastes, diets, food restrictions, views on alcohol etc.
For our Christmas meal (my first in the company, as I'm quite new this year), the senior management simply told us when the meal will be held, rather than canvas our thoughts, put it to a vote (the fairest way to decide I would have thought?) or discuss with staff.
The picked a hugely pretentious, overpriced and very niche kind of cordon-bleu type of place. All fussy food and centered around pork products.
There are 3 people on the team who have declined to go as don't eat pork (2 Muslim and 1 Jewish) and little other viable options on the extremely limited menu. I declined simply because I only like plain, bland and "boring" food... like chicken and chips or something non-fancy/pretentious sounding.
£65 per head for the meal, seems ridiculous when you've not even had any say in where to go. What's wrong with just going for a pizza or KFC lol? Or a buffet type place that caters something for even the most awkward people?
Any one else have this situation at work nights out?
I just find it rude, and totally inconsiderate.

That's rubbish, I'm veggie so wouldn't be able to attend.
YABU to suggest KFC though!

Sorry @gailsnails but I don't believe you.

Any venue catering for Christmas parties will always have a traditional Christmas meal - no matter how 'pretentious' you think they are. Therefore it will be something with turkey.

Then there will be some kind of vegetarian (or probably vegan these days) alternative.

But if you don't want to go, I doubt anyone will be holding a gun to your head.

Oh, and welcome to Mumsnet.

A restaurant that only serves pork! Can you link to that as I can’t imagine anyone believes that.

And yes wanting kfc for the Xmas meal is beyond odd.

At my previous workplace we always went to either the Thai or the Tapas restaurant in the nearest town. Which was great, except that I'm allergic to chilli, and could basically eat nothing on either menu. There were also two other people on the team (only ten of us!) who didn't particularly like one or the other, if not both. I requested every single year that we went to one of the numerous other restaurants in town (plenty of variety!) and every year the manager said no because she liked Tapas and Thai food, so there.

My current workplace has a much better set up in that we go to a place with a decent selection of food, that's swanky enough for a special do, but not extortionate for those of us on the lower end of the salary scale.

Thanks for the replied all.. Just to clarify - I didn't exactly mean is SHOULD be KFC or pizza - I was just just trying to say I'd have hoped it to be something more "generic", or at least where you can get simple, plainish things.
To clarify - the pork restaurant is one of those hog roast type places. In our city it caters for Christmas parties each year. So yeah, hog roast, pork sandwiches, pork sausages etc.. You get the picture. The only non-pork thing Ive noticed that's savory is a cheese fondue.

@Bluntness100

A restaurant that only serves pork! Can you link to that as I can’t imagine anyone believes that.

And yes wanting kfc for the Xmas meal is beyond odd.

I just googled it, and there is one called Pork + Co. Even the chicken has bacon... However there is a whole one option with no meat. But it doesn't look particularly pretentious. I didn't really google any further, but maybe there are posher places!

@gailsnails

Thanks for the replied all.. Just to clarify - I didn't exactly mean is SHOULD be KFC or pizza - I was just just trying to say I'd have hoped it to be something more "generic", or at least where you can get simple, plainish things. To clarify - the pork restaurant is one of those hog roast type places. In our city it caters for Christmas parties each year. So yeah, hog roast, pork sandwiches, pork sausages etc.. You get the picture. The only non-pork thing Ive noticed that's savory is a cheese fondue.

Hog roast and pork sandwiches doesn’t sound very ‘pretentious’ or ‘fussy’!

Hog roast and pork sandwiches aren't £65 a person. Can you link the company please?

Sounds a bad choice of venue yes .

Is it in work hours? Take Annual Leave and don't go (or stay in the workplace)
Out of hours ? It's your choice if you go .

I declined simply because I only like plain, bland and "boring" food... like chicken and chips or something non-fancy/pretentious sounding

So anything above KFC is fancy and pretentious? Grow up.

That sounds highly unlikely. I go to a lot of 'fancy' Christmas/client/work dinners and there is always some sort of vegetarian/vegan option. Have you even checked if that's the case? I'd also like a link to this place that allegedly serves nothing but pork. In your case it's not even a religious or allergy issue, both of which I understand.

Honestly, if you were my manager and tried to take me to KFC for Christmas dinner I would probably consider my options, work-wise...

@gailsnails

Thanks for the replied all.. Just to clarify - I didn't exactly mean is SHOULD be KFC or pizza - I was just just trying to say I'd have hoped it to be something more "generic", or at least where you can get simple, plainish things. To clarify - the pork restaurant is one of those hog roast type places. In our city it caters for Christmas parties each year. So yeah, hog roast, pork sandwiches, pork sausages etc.. You get the picture. The only non-pork thing Ive noticed that's savory is a cheese fondue.

Not much is plainer than a hog roast! Literally meat and bread.

Have you considered that eating out might just not be for you?

The only posh Christmas meal I've been to with work has been when they've been paying, the rest have been in pub type places so nought fancy, reasonably priced and great fun though. If people aren't going due to reasons beyond oh I just don't like that then that sucks and isn't just being fussy imo.

I thought Christmas meals, arranged by the firm, were paid for by the firm? I've never had to pay fir Christmas party unless it was just my team going out to the local pub.
Can you get the most senior of you to suggest to the managers that they jave made a bad choice of venue and reconsider and offer a few alternatives?

Yeah I’m a bit confused... a hog roast place doesn’t really tally with ‘pretentious’ and £65 per head,

@Livingintheclouds

I thought Christmas meals, arranged by the firm, were paid for by the firm? I've never had to pay fir Christmas party unless it was just my team going out to the local pub. Can you get the most senior of you to suggest to the managers that they jave made a bad choice of venue and reconsider and offer a few alternatives?

Depends where you work I think, public sector very very unlikely to have anything paid for for example.

Wow! £65 would be very expensive for that. My workplace charges £20. That's a buffet and lots of drinks.

A hog roast really is very niche. I'm vegetarian and even if there were veggie options the smell in places like that would make me retch.

Just decline.

£65 is pretty standard at Christmas, hardly Michelin prices

Erm, that is a lot of money for a Christmas meal where I live @JustWonderingIfYou and @StormcloakNord

What's wrong with just going for a pizza or KFC lol?

Is this a wind up @gailsnails?

A cheap and nasty takeaway place isn’t exactly festive or celebratory. However, I agree that the choice of venue hasn’t been thought through. I suspect that there will be a very low take up.

One Christmas my team ended up at a cheap pizza chain for our Christmas "do" because one of the members had a very limited diet. The meal was underwhelming and rather dull. Fortunately it was next to the station so I could drink and get the train home

I think if you're a fussy eater who only eats processed beige stuff then you'll have to accept that meals out for a mixed crowd probably aren't going to suit you, as most people when they go out for a special meal want something that doesn't look and taste like it's from Farmfoods.

hugely pretentious, overpriced and very niche kind of cordon-bleu type of place

or

the pork restaurant is one of those hog roast type places

Which one of those statements is true?

Really silly choice. I wouldn't eat in a pork restaurant either even if having the veggie option. It goes against everything I believe in. It's much easier here where pork can only be bought for home consumption so we know we can avoid it. I don't agree with meat either but I do get that Muslims eat Halal which is just as beastly for the animal but I can only change myself not the world. In my team I am the only vegan and most others eat meat but some are strictly vegetarian under the Hinddu faith. We tend to go to generic places like Cheesecake factory where everyone can choose. And I pay. Not much of a Christmas party being asked to pay for something you don't want.

Proper laughing at a hog roast being called ‘cordon-bleu’ .
Sorry OP, this doesn’t add up.

@BIWI

hugely pretentious, overpriced and very niche kind of cordon-bleu type of place

or

the pork restaurant is one of those hog roast type places

Which one of those statements is true?

This , it can’t be both and if it’s the latter I really don’t see how it’s £65 per head . I think someone is telling porkies . 😀

There is a guy on our team who only eats meat and two veg, so he declines to come to work events where he won't eat the food. Simple.

I'd be very put-out if his preference was catered for every time. I hate paying for food I can make at home.

KFC? I don't think!