I hosted a 'potluck' where one friend brought a single bag of chips for a party of 15.
By @inesagain · Friends
We organized a big get-together and explicitly called it a potluck, asking everyone to bring a dish to share. This one friend, who is gainfully employed and not struggling financially, showed up with a family-size bag of Lay's and nothing else.
The full story
A few weeks ago, my friends and I decided to have a big potluck at my apartment. There were about 15 people on the invite list. The instructions in the group chat were clear: 'Hey everyone, let's do a potluck so no one person has to handle all the food. Please bring a dish, side, or dessert that can be shared!' People started replying with what they were bringing—mac and cheese, a big salad, pulled pork sliders, a cake, etc. It was looking like a great spread. One friend, let's call him 'the chip guy,' didn't respond in the chat. I figured he'd just show up with something. He's a good friend, has a decent job, and we've all known him for years. The day of the party, he arrives right on time, holding a single, family-sized bag of Lay's Classic potato chips. Not a dip, not a multipack, just the one bag. He puts it on the counter with all the homemade dishes people spent hours preparing and says, 'Chips are here!' I didn't say anything in the moment because I didn't want to create a scene. But it felt incredibly awkward. People put real effort and money into their dishes. The cost of ingredients for some of the meals was probably $30-40, not to mention the time. His contribution cost maybe $4. He then proceeded to eat a full plate of everyone else's food, going back for seconds of the sliders and the fancy mac and cheese. A couple of other friends gave me a look, so I know I wasn't the only one who noticed. He wasn't apologetic or embarrassed; he acted like his contribution was totally normal and sufficient. I'm trying to figure out if I should say something to him about it for future events, or if I should just let it go. On one hand, a potluck is about community and sharing the load, and he didn't really participate. On the other hand, confronting him over a bag of chips feels petty and could make our friend group dynamics weird. I'm not trying to police contributions, but the disparity was just so glaring.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 12% (3 votes)
- Both Messy — 44% (11 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 44% (11 votes)
Readers are split: “Both Messy” leads with 44% — 25 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@maeliterally — 'Chips are here' is a legendary line, you have to admit.
@elijahbye — Honestly, bringing something is better than bringing nothing, but that was definitely a low-effort move. You have every right to feel a little slighted when you all put in so much work.
@hmokay — For future parties, just assign him cups or ice. Problem solved.
@inesish — If you call it a potluck, you get what you get. Don't host one if you're going to complain about the food.
@sagetbh — That's some serious weaponized incompetence. He knows exactly what he's doing.
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