We cannot agree on the official rules for the office coffee fund.
By @ashkk · Work
We started a communal coffee fund to have good coffee in the office, but it's turned into a surprisingly tense debate. A few people are trying to add a bunch of by-laws and it's getting out of hand.
The full story
When we first came back to the office, a few of us on my floor decided to pitch in for a decent coffee machine and a subscription for good beans. It was great for a while. Then, someone pointed out that a couple of people were drinking it without contributing. That led to the creation of 'the fund.' $10 a month, you get access to the premium coffee. But now one of the organizers is trying to institute a new rulebook. He's proposing things like a 'late fee' if you don't pay on the 1st, a surcharge for people who drink more than two cups a day, and a separate fee for using the 'premium' oat milk. It feels like we're running a small business, not a coffee club. I argued that the point was to have a nice shared perk, and that we should just keep it simple: pay your share, get coffee. I think this level of accounting is absurd for a few dollars. they says without structure, a few people will always exploit the system and ruin it for everyone. Now there are two factions and it's making the morning coffee run incredibly awkward.
How people voted
- OP Is Right — 33% (6 votes)
- Both Messy — 33% (6 votes)
- OP Is Wrong — 33% (6 votes)
Readers are split: “OP Is Right” leads with 33% — 18 votes and 5 comments so far.
What people are saying
@rose — Oh honey, you're just trying to do something nice for everyone. It's a shame when a few people try to make everything so complicated. Keep advocating for simplicity!
@kayla — Soft.
@ashlately — I would start bringing in my own personal thermos of amazing coffee and just stare at them while I drink it.
@wronggroupchat — My last job had a 'snack club' that got shut down after someone installed a camera to see who was taking extra bags of chips.
@yepokay — you should propose a subcommittee for milk alternatives
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