My coworkers have started charging a cancellation fee for backing out of lunch plans.
By @quinnkay · Work
A few of us from my department have a standing lunch group that goes out every Friday. After a couple people bailed last-minute last week, the unofficial 'organizer' sent an email saying there's now a $10 cancellation fee if you cancel within 24 hours of the reservation.
The full story
I work in a pretty standard corporate office environment. For the last year or so, a group of about 6-8 of us have made it a tradition to go out for a 'team' lunch every Friday. It's informal, just a way to decompress. One person in the group is a 'planner' type and always takes the lead on picking a place and making a reservation, which is helpful. Usually, she makes a reservation for 8, and we confirm via a group chat on Thursday. The issue is that sometimes, things come up. A meeting runs late, you have to finish a project, or you're just not feeling it. Last week, two people had to back out on Friday morning. The organizer was visibly annoyed, saying it makes us look bad to the restaurant when we show up with fewer people than we reserved for. I can see her point, but it's not like we're booking private rooms at Michelin-star restaurants. We're going to slightly-nicer-than-fast-casual places. This morning, she sent a follow-up email to our little group with the subject "Lunch Protocol Update." In it, she laid out a new 'policy' where anyone who cancels within 24 hours of the reservation time will be expected to Venmo her a $10 'cancellation fee' to compensate for the 'social inconvenience and reputational risk with our valued local eateries.' She was dead serious. I thought it was a joke at first, but she's already added it to the description of our group chat. It feels completely insane to charge your coworkers a fee for missing an optional lunch. It's not a business meeting; it's supposed to be fun. Now I'm almost afraid to say yes to lunch in case something comes up. I want to tell her this is absurd, but she's the type to get very defensive and I have to work with her every day.
How people voted
- Bad Move — 26% (7 votes)
- Needs Context — 44% (12 votes)
- Reasonable — 30% (8 votes)
Readers say “Needs Context” (44%) — 27 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@benfr — I would start a 'second, more chill' lunch group chat and pointedly not invite her.
@ezra — Can't wait for the follow up email about mandatory appetizers.
@claireb — I feel like people were probably cancelling on her constantly for her to resort to this.
@finnkindof — lol just say yes every week and then cancel last minute every time
@kev — She has a major control issue and is making a social event into a power trip.
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