Christmas meal dillemma

Smiley Miley · Nov 30, 2016

So, for years I have organised the office meal. Half day off for those who attend and what started off at just 8 has escalated to 32 for the last couple of years.
Quite a bit of work goes into it, sourcing venue, collecting and paying deposits, communicating fayre with pub, collecting balance and providing attendees with the food choice on the day cos they get pissed or rabbit too much.
Now I have never asked for anything just a pint or two maybe, however this year I thought i would charge a couple of quid extra to cover a £40 tip and pay for my meal, I communictaed this as an "admin fee".
So today I ask for food choice and balance and I get one old hag (who has a gripe with me anyway) question the "admin fee" and after telling her, she refused to pay full cost, i.e. the extra couple of quid.
Fair enough I will give you back your deposit and someone can take your place I tell her.
Well after "copy all" to 32 she accuses me of work place bullying and unless I reinstate her at the price she is willing to pay i should expect a call from H R.
I am inclined to reinstate her, tell everyone to pay the price of the meal only , sort your own tips out, pay the pub the balance and **** off home.

What would you do?

Ernest · Nov 30, 2016

Let her organise it

happypig · Nov 30, 2016

I would refund everyone's money and bin the whole idea.

BensGrandad · Nov 30, 2016

Refund all money and cancel the event and then make it known why and who was responsible. Then arrange another one as an informal meal nothing official with the people you chose and would like to go with.

bluenitsuj · Nov 30, 2016

As the above replies and everyone will know that it is due to the old hag so all works out good.

Springal · Nov 30, 2016

Agreed. More hassle than it's worth and if HR is being mentioned I'd give everyone their money back and say you are not sorting it. Don't email or anything though as could be seen as bullying

Bry Nylon · Nov 30, 2016

Yup - another one here for bin the whole thing.

Marty___Mcfly · Nov 30, 2016

Maybe you should have just said it covers the tip! At this point I would advise that it will now all be put towards a slightly larger tip and you will fund your own meal and tip contribution.

If you're livid you could pass the whole thing over to someone else to deal with.

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Perkino · Nov 30, 2016

It's Christmas! An endless amount of expenditure goes towards celebrating with people you don't overly like nor would you choose to socialise with throughout the rest of the year.

Cheeky that you expect the others to contribute your share, but poor that she is being miserly and moaning about it. She should either pay her share or not go. Let her go to HR I'm sure they'll see how petty she is

TheJasperCo · Nov 30, 2016

Where do you stand with the other 31? Whose side are they on?

Bry Nylon · Nov 30, 2016

It should also be pointed out that there is nothing quite so unenjoyable as the 'team' Christmas lunch and should be swerved at all costs anyway.

dejavuatbtn · Nov 30, 2016

You forgot to complete a assessment form, which would have increased your workload by several hours checking the venue etc. As others have suggested, let someone else have the hassle and you have a merry Christmas.

Badger · Nov 30, 2016

Perkino said:
It's Christmas! An endless amount of expenditure goes towards celebrating with people you don't overly like nor would you choose to socialise with throughout the rest of the year.

Cheeky that you expect the others to contribute your share, but poor that she is being miserly and moaning about it. She should either pay her share or not go. Let her go to HR I'm sure they'll see how petty she is

Have you not had much experience with HR people then?

Smiley Miley · Nov 30, 2016

Considered refunds and choose company, trouble is non refundable deposits.

Wrong-Direction · Nov 30, 2016

Quit.

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Mattywerewolf · Nov 30, 2016

I'd just tell her to **** off, and let HR have a real issue to deal with

Brian Fantana · Nov 30, 2016

Cancel the whole thing.

MattBackHome · Nov 30, 2016

More trouble than its worth. Drop the whole thing on her lap and see how she likes it.

skipper734 · Nov 30, 2016

Before I became a grumpy old man I used to get involved with this sort of thing. I am afraid it is unfixable. The first of you problems is how to dump the whole thing without being accused of the HR bullying thing. Whatever you do too try and keep it going will fail. A crowd of people ( if that is the collective term ) will contain more than one rotten apple that will infect the rest, even if you drag the rest along they will have extras and not pay for them, you will get stiffed for the cost. Some of the crowd will talk about you behind your back and join in with the I'am not paying for his meal crowd or if you leave them to put their own idea of a tip together, you will be so embarrassed with the display of copper and small silver you will add far more than you should from your own pocket to the small pile.
There are lots of other ways that this sort of thing can go wrong, just don't try unless you have a feeling for your fellow man and a hide like a Rhinoceros. Anyway Merry Christmas.................. Ba Humbug.

fat old seagull · Nov 30, 2016

BensGrandad said:
Refund all money and cancel the event and then make it known why and who was responsible. Then arrange another one as an informal meal nothing official with the people you chose and would like to go with.

Well done BG, spot on....Its only sometimes that you aren't :wink:

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