Christmas meal dillemma

[Return of the Rev]

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?

Kill her! Kill them all!

 

[Smiley Miley]

Keep the admin fee the same but increase the tip: £40 from 32 people is pitiful unless the meal is costing next to nothing.
Tell the complainant the cost is unchanged and email everyone to explain this & that you will not be organising it again. Add that if anyone is unhappy they need to find their own replacement for the meal to get their deposit back & let you know.

Totally agree re: tip, the meal is costing in excess of £650, I have now told them that I will only collect actual cost and they can tip what they like. Also thrown my rattle out of the pram and said I will not be going myself, with a big fat sulk.

 

[Smiley Miley]

Tbh, I would get a bit peed off if I was paying for someone's meal and I didn't know about it. Fair enough if you were upfront with me I wouldn't mind.

Like others have said, do the others know they are paying for your meal? They will probably find out i would guess as I'm sure said women as done the rounds and let the others know.

£1.00 each! have been upfront about it for the last four years and was this time when asked by said hag, i didn't like to mention the £40 i got stung for two years ago, because its no biggie. 25/32 know the score and happy to contribute.

 

[whitelion]

Where is the "Christmas Spirit" in all this.

No wonder many people avoid get-togethers.

 

[Smiley Miley]

4th option, carry on organising it but don't bother going yourself

This

 

[Return of the Rev]

Did our department xmas do at amex. American express put in a certain amount per staff member and i booked a venue huge buffet,disco and all remaining cash behind the bar this lasted all night! Didn't cost staff a bean but always someone moaning about something or choice of venue kill them all!
The moaners are always the last to sort anything out!

 

[Smiley Miley]

As somebody else has commented, the venue (or PROSPECTIVE venue at the point you raise it) would 100% throw you a freebie, if asked.

"Hi, I'm looking for a venue for 32 £20 meals"

"No problem sir"

"I'd like you to provide the organizer of the event a free meal, as part of the arrangement"

"Done"

No different to how, service stations feed coach drivers free of charge, to incentivize them to stop at their site, with their cargo of hungry pensioners.

Tried that originally, no joy, but its not about getting a freebie, Christ I earn enough to afford to pay it all! Its about continuing a suggestion from participants four years ago.

 

[Smiley Miley]

Whatever possessed you to try and sneak a free meal hidden as 'admin' ?

I've never ever known anyone organising a meal do this.

At the very least you should have told everyone "by the way you are all paying for me".

Did so, for the last three years!

 

[Smiley Miley]

This is all very 'Mumsnet' isn't it? I like it though.

Hoping it really escalates today - can't remember the last time it really kicked off over something seemingly innocuous.

Nah, not today she only works Monday to Wednesday, in fact just found out they are having a whip round to pay for me, ha ha.

 

[Easy 10]

Tend to agree. If I found out someone was doing this (especially if they haven't made it clear up front) I wouldn't complain or refuse, because frankly I wouldn't be arsed enough to make any fuss. But i would be quietly and mildly miffed. And for those who seemingly have nothing else in their life to worry about 'mildly miffed' can easily escalate into cackling outrage.

That is SUCH a British reaction

As for the OP's conundrum, I fear it is entirely of his own making. I've organised a few Christmas do's in my time, and its never even crossed my mind to get everyone else to pay for my meal. To then conceal the freebie as an "admin fee" in with the (rather miserly) tip is not really cricket either. Multiple trips to the venue to pay the deposit in dribs and drabs is a fairly bizarre state of affairs as well - surely you set a deadline, collect the deposits and do it in one hit.

Shambles !

 

[Ian Bairds Fist]

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?

I'd kick her in the kuunt.

 

[dazzer6666]

So, now they are having a whip-round for you, but you're not going because you're sulking........

 

[Smiley Miley]

That is SUCH a British reaction

As for the OP's conundrum, I fear it is entirely of his own making. I've organised a few Christmas do's in my time, and its never even crossed my mind to get everyone else to pay for my meal. To then conceal the freebie as an "admin fee" in with the (rather miserly) tip is not really cricket either. Multiple trips to the venue to pay the deposit in dribs and drabs is a fairly bizarre state of affairs as well - surely you set a deadline, collect the deposits and do it in one hit.

Shambles !

Absolute ****ing shambles

 

[Triggaaar]

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?

Well I wouldn't do that.

I wouldn't really be charging for my meal, but you've done it for years and it's a pain the bum, so you've decided you need something for it, so fair enough, that's your call.

I don't see how it's bullying, you are charging a small amount for your time and effort and being upfront about it. If that's the way it's being done, no one should be dodging the price. Maybe you could point out the effort involved and let someone else do it if they like.

 

[MattBackHome]

Please do keep us posted though.

Pictures from the event will be great - the shitter it looks the better.

 

[Notters]

Totally agree re: tip, the meal is costing in excess of £650, I have now told them that I will only collect actual cost and they can tip what they like. Also thrown my rattle out of the pram and said I will not be going myself, with a big fat sulk.

Virtually everywhere adds on 10 or 15% for over 6 or 8 people now anyway, don't they?

 

[Triggaaar]

Also thrown my rattle out of the pram and said I will not be going myself, with a big fat sulk.

Get in!

 

[Easy 10]

What date is it booked for ? I'm looking forward to this.

 

[Bozza]

Christ I earn enough to afford to pay it all!

If you're [MENTION=12697]Steve Foster[/MENTION]'s second account, you've just blown it.

 

[Normal Rob]

Tried that originally, no joy, but its not about getting a freebie, Christ I earn enough to afford to pay it all! Its about continuing a suggestion from participants four years ago.

Do so then. Where's your Christmas spirit? you Scrooge!