Office food at a new job

... Do you have a point, are you just trying to make fun?

What's this "or" business?

Grammar error, and continued antagonism suggesting immaturity, noted. If you pull out "I know you are, but what am I", you will absolutely make my day. Have a good one!

I know you are but what am I.

You're welcome.

That wasn't a grammar error, I was materializing the implied "or" in the quoted part of your post.



Okay then. My point. HR is not there to tell you how to play nice in the informal stuff that goes on in the office. Part of being successful in a grownup job is learning to navigate situations involving informal culture and etiquette and figure them out on your own. There's nothing wrong with asking a co-worker or just watching to see what other people do and learning from that but having to go ask the HR department or some other authority in the company for guidance on whether we should call the boss Mr. Jenkins or Stan or whether we should take the stairs or the elevator shows a lack of grownupness and a lack of ability to handle a grownup job in the real world. Benefits, timekeeping, grievance procedures, dress code, these are things that could be HR questions. What should I eat and when can I use the potty are things that successful people have figured out without having to resort to official channels. People who advance in grownup jobs don't need their hands held through every decision to be made in their career.


Not only that but: I'm rubber, you're glue etc.

I will toss my hat in the "just eat what they serve" ring.

1) Its free eats
2) If you are new you may want to do your best to blend in and not become the guy who is too good to eat with us.

I work in construction and I rarely if ever drink and I know that it has cost me jobs because I don't have the face time with the boss at the tavern like everyone else.

If he really does not want to eat the offerings then maybe do the ole, push it around the plate, cover with napkin and toss routine like you did when you were a kid with your broccoli.

I really don't see the issue of pulling out his container of homemade chill and eating with them. He can still eat and socialize with them. You don't have to eat the same food to bond. Its kind of an ideal situation, they aren't going to restaurants every day where he wouldn't be able to bring his own lunch and have a hard time making better choices.

The issue is it's poor workplace etiquette. This is not just a bunch of coworkers eating lunch together. When CEO level people and especially when clients are involved it's just not the proper thing to do. The proper way to handle if you really don't want to eat any of the catered food is to eat your own before or after the group lunch and have a beverage and socialize with people during the meeting.

If it's a small company and you get the vibe that the CEO is friendly enough that it's considered a social lunch among co-workers even when he/she's present than after a while it's probably fine to bring your own food to those lunches, but if you value your career don't walk into a client lunch meeting with your own food.

My boyfriend works very closely with the CEO of the company he works for. They are both health nuts and he is always telling me about the lunches they bring while the other employees eat the "catered" lunch. What if they brought in big trays of pasta and you were a celiac and couldn't eat anything? Should you eat it anyways and possibly die later, just to kiss the CEO's bum?