Xmas party. How much?.

onomatopoeia99

My employer pays for our works do, typically about seven or eight of us and the restaurant bill is usually £300-400. We get a few menus circulated and all vote on where we would prefer. We go on a weekday lunchtime and don't go back to work after, so it's also effectively being paid to eat well and drink plenty.

If I had to pay, I doubt I'd go. If it was in the evening I doubt I'd go either, as public transport to where I live is none after 8pm. Since I'm a single income, no kids, it's not like there's anyone to bring me home after a few glasses of wine.

elisebutt65

BigAunty wrote: »

As a vegetarian, I just knew that the options would be unappealing and unimaginative.

Even before I received copies of them, I just knew they'd probably offer a risotto or goats cheese tart at best. And what do you know - four menus emailed out with a solitary sad vegetarian option of a risotto or goats cheese tart.

I have no idea why these options are seen as luxury dining options on menus - very tired dishes indeed. These are the staples of many restaurants as vegetarian options all year round (alongside vegetable lasagne or neopolitan pasta).

I'm bloody sick of them. M & S often trot out risotto or goats cheese tart or a tomato based pasta dish as their special £10 dine-in meal, too.

So that's my rant over - being presented with a 'special' xmas menu that actually offers the most common vegetarian dishes served all year round by most restaurants.

The place I like is offering Handmade pumpkin & Amaretti pasta (v) with cumin roasted squash, basil, spinach and walnut pesto

bossymoo

elisebutt65 wrote: »

The place I like is offering Handmade pumpkin & Amaretti pasta (v) with cumin roasted squash, basil, spinach and walnut pesto

Oh that sounds amazing!

PenguinOfDeath

elisebutt65 wrote: »

. But really? Would you pat that much for a works do?

For a works do I would expect work to pay, however it would depend on the quality of the food they were doling out. A few years ago work took us a a local 2 for £10 place (Xmas menu £12.99 this year for 3 courses), half the party contracted food poisoning. I would have much rather have paid to eat somewhere that didn't serve boil in the bag food but there you go.

Its only one meal a year in the great scheme of things, is a £15 difference that much?

missbiggles1

Is this a Christmas "do" for the professional staff (I'm assuming you still work in a college) or is it for everybody including ancillary staff? I think that would make a difference to whether it's reasonable or not.

nearlyrich

My employer puts on a Christmas do, usually a black tie dinner in a posh hotel where people who need to travel can stay.

balletshoes

elisebutt65 wrote: »

Just had an email from a colleague about our Xmas party. The venue is charging £39.50!!!
I had to reply, gently declining and counter offering with another venue that is really nice, for only (only!) 25 for 3 courses & prosecco.

Some places aren't charging much more than that for Xmas Day, and that's nearly a week's shopping budget for me.

I think the difference is that I (along with others) have families and the 2 women doing the research are Dinkies. But really? Would you pat that much for a works do?

no i wouldn't, but to be honest we don't really do xmas work do's anymore, we might go out for a long lunch before the office closes over xmas, even that wouldn't run to more than about £15.

elisebutt65

Is this a Christmas "do" for the professional staff (I'm assuming you still work in a college) or is it for everybody including ancillary staff? I think that would make a difference to whether it's reasonable or not.

It's for everyone in the dept, but I'm one of the 'professionals' now, only on 50% though.

Its only one meal a year in the great scheme of things, is a £15 difference that much?

I thought this was MSE? £15 is the difference between soft drinks and vino;)

Anyway I got a reply saying I was free to organise it myself :rotfl:
I.e, if you don't like it then do it yourself. So I will:D Never had any complaints yet.

enthusiasticsaver

Our work Christmas do is at the same posh hotel we went to last year and we booked it in March as it is very popular. That is about £35 per head which covers the meal and disco and the meal was wonderful last year. We will have to pay extra for drink and hopefully I will persuade OH to pick me up afterwards. We have been saving £2 per week since March though so I don't mind paying out as it is only once a year.

codemonkey

Ours is lunch at a choice of 3 places, all of which cost £35 a head before drinks and none of which have a menu that fills me with joy. It's being organised by our office resident 'foodie' . Needless to say, I'm not going. Just because we're DINKS, doesn't suddenly make me rich enough to splash £35 on a lunch that I won't even enjoy.