Boss demands lowest-paid employee spend $100 on lunch for customer, she worries she won't get paid back: 'Is it not etiquette to pick up the check?'

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Ally Perry • Writer and Editor
Mar 5, 2026 9:00 PM EST

Business expenses are a part of many jobs; what is less common is the expectation that the employee picks up the check. While recent years may have seen corporate budgets squeezed and cushy expense accounts become the thing of a bygone era, most companies will still cover various costs that some may believe are extra.

After all, one of the best ways to keep employee turnover low is to make sure that there are some benefits to the job other than the salary. No matter what some of those stingy CEOs say, there is usually a little room in the finances for that.

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  • A coffee shop worker smiles as she hands a customer a paper bag over the counter
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A coffee shop worker smiles as she hands a customer a paper bag over the counter

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • That being said, the whole concept of getting your company to pay for things that they probably should be paying for can be an awkward scenario for some employees. It is not uncommon for misunderstandings to arise, or for sneaky bosses to try to make out like it is the worker's responsibility. There are plenty of accounting departments in this world that do not hesitate to get granular when it comes to what employees can claim. They want to save as much of that company money as possible.

  • Boss gave me the responsibility to supply lunch for our customer visit. I feel wronged as I am the lowest paid person in the office... how should I handle these kinds of situations going forward?

    I work for a mid sized manufacturing company. I am a buyer and the lowest paid person in my office that is made up of about 8 people.
    via Ladybug_379
  • I also hold the lowest title. Everyone else is either a supervisor or manager and makes at least 20k more than me a year.
    via Ladybug_379
  • Today we had one of our customers coming in for a visit. One of the supervisors and my plant manager put the responsibility of lunch on me.
    via Ladybug_379
  • It was a lunch for 10 people altogether. I ordered it online and picked it up.
    via Ladybug_379

  • In this story, a manufacturing buyer who was the lowest paid employee in her office felt incredulous after her manager ordered that she pay for the takeout lunch of a visiting customer. When she asked how she was going to pay for it, she was given what she thought was an unhelpful and unclear answer.

    She ended up paying $100 in all, and felt that she should have the right to claim that money back. However, she still felt awkward about the entire situation and was looking for guidance on how to deal with it if something similar happened in the future. 

  • It came out to around $100. I was able to cover the bill, however I feel like my plant manager or the supervisor should have offered to pay for it.
    via Ladybug_379
  • They know we don't have any corporate accounts anywhere and that we don't have a company credit card to use for this type of thing.
    via Ladybug_379
  • Am I in the wrong to feel like they should've offered? They have tried to get me to do these things in the past and I usually ask them how am I supposed to pay for it and then somebody else takes care of it.
    via Ladybug_379
  • However, the last time I asked "how am I supposed to pay for it?" The supervisor responded, "that's a good question...
    via Ladybug_379
  • money." His response embarrassed me and I felt too embarrassed and too pressured to tell them I don't feel like I should have to pay for the lunch today.
    via Ladybug_379
  • Not to mention the company policy is that the person in the highest position attending the lunch should pay for it, as I feel it should be.
    via Ladybug_379
  • I am already pretty fed up with this company anyways. My husband suggested I talk to my plant manager about this.
    via Ladybug_379
  • I can get the money back. I just feel like it is the principle of the matter.
    via Ladybug_379
  • Is it not common courtesy or etiquette for the boss to pick up the check? Especially if they are the ones who expected it.
    via Ladybug_379
  • I understand this is our customer, but honestly I wouldn't have bought lunch if I wasn't given the responsibility.
    via Ladybug_379
  • Questions: How should I handle this situation going forward? Am I wrong for feeling like they should've offered?
    via Ladybug_379
  • Isn't it proper etiquette for the boss to pay?
    via Ladybug_379
  • A businessman holding a clipboard smiles while standing on a manufacturing floor
    via Getty Images (Unsplash+)

    A businessman holding a clipboard smiles while standing on a manufacturing floor

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • kimmer2020 Turn in the receipt and ask when you can expect reimbursement.
    via kimmer2020
  • Hangmn65 Yeah boss pays, say sure, where is the card.
    via Hangmn65
  • VenterVisuals Start applying, no respectable company will make its employees fork out cash for food on a whim and fail to reimburse. If you have an HR I would speak to them about it, if not, don't do it again and just refuse + if it were me personally, that sarcastic comment about money.....yeah I'm not gonna take that sh. Stick up for yourself.
    via VenterVisuals
  • Natural-Current5827 Submit an expense report
    via Natural-Current5827
  • FishrNC Are you familiar with expense accounts? And turning in your expenses? I'm sure no one was expecting you to personally pay. for lunches for visitors and assumed you know how to turn in your expenses. If you didn't, that's a problem you got to work on.
    via FishrNC
  • InteractionNo9110 My response would have been great idea. Let me have your credit card and I will order. And keep it on file for future orders. You were suckered, if you don't have a corporate credit card. Or system for reimbursement. Just say 'no'. Someone else will have to handle it for payment. To compromise you can offer to pick it up and set it up.
    via InteractionNo9110
  • MillwrightWF There must be some kind of expense form that they just didn't tell you about. We don't have company credit cards but we do fill out expense firms for any business related expenses. If they really are expecting you to pay for lunch that is very very wrong.
    via MillwrightWF
  • SoarsWithEagles Agree to go pick it up, tell them "I'll need $100 cash" while holding your hand out. Tell them you only have $9 on you and no credit cards (it would be useful to make sure you don't have more than that in your wallet, and no CC in there; keep that somewhere else, in case. they ask to see.) If you're poor, that's not embarrassing for you, that's THEIR fault since they pay your salary. Lowest person can expect to do the grunt work, but NOT to lend the company money. I'd seriously l
    via SoarsWithEagles

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boss employee manager work customers lunch workplace money
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