Vent: My Coworkers Are Getting Pizza During A Working Meeting And I Have To Bring My Own Lunch

[Gamecreature]

Wow Steve, your boss certainly sounds like a piece of work. You should start cataloging these little incidents. If she's singling you out, then you might need to talk to her supervisor.

Then again, you could just send the list to me - I could always use some more material for Working Daze.

[skoki-mom]

I actually got asked to phone in the pizza order in question on the night shift I told you about. They said "Lori, you're not busy, will you phone in the pizza order?". And I said "uh, no. I'm not gonna have anything to do with pizza I can't eat". I got a look for a second, then I think the person realized what she had asked me to do. In that case, I didn't want to be the one in trouble for not ordering whatever topping some picky person wanted! At any rate, I think I made my point. I don't mean to be a bag about it, but everyone else's pizza really has nothing to do with me.............

[Rusla]

Well let's see the other day at work the head boss brought in some donuts for everyone. Then the union came by with KFC and Pizza. They asked if I wanted any and I said, I could not have it do to extreme allergy to wheat and gluten. Well their answer was oh, sorry but that doesn't stop them from doing it over and over. I wonder if one can't brand this as a work place prejudice.

[kathymacn]

Oh it gets better...my boss just came to my office door and said, "What kind of pizza do you think I should order for Wednesday?". I told her, "You're asking gluten-boy (my nickname here) who can't eat any? I really don't care." She said, "Oh I know you can't but I thought you'd be good to bounce this off of." So I said, "Veggie and pepperoni". So she reads off her selections and I respond, "Again, on behalf of people that can't eat pizza, that sounds fine." And went back to working on my computer. THE NERVE OF HER! She is coming to my party on Saturday night. I should make sure something sits out for DAYS before hand and give her that to eat so she gets food poisoning.

Your boss is being passive-aggressive on a really grand scale! I'd be so tempted to ask her if she realizes just how cruel she is being towards you.

[steveindenver]

Well good news update: Her pizza got shot down and know we are ordering from Jason's Deli, so I can get a gluten free Chef's Salad and bring my own salad dressing in. Now I just have to deal with the company Holiday party in December. A bowling party (sigh) with tons of fatty, breaded, fried foods. I'm tired of the "its not about the food, it's about the company" attitude cause at times, it IS about the food! :-) Oh well, I am just going to special order at the bowling alley and the company can pay for it and that's that!

And on another good note, my boss did give me a $25 gift certificate to Regal Cinemas today to thank me for all the work I've been doing lately, and for my hard work on a recent project. And I do appreciate her recognizing me. But come one, she still asked me what kind of pizza to order.

Thanks to all of you for your support.

[shai76]

It's not right for you to be treated that way at all.

I'm deathly allergic to milk and I can't even be around pizza or risk anaphylectic shock. Some of the people I work with bring food into the studio and I have to tell them I can't be anywhere near it, and they usually go to the breakroom to eat. I stay far away from the breakroom. What would they do if you got sick from being around them? They are very rude and inconsiderate.

[happygirl]

let's see...two boxes of donuts for breakfast, pizza, wings, and soda for lunch, and peanuts and candy for snacks. I cannot have one ounce of any of those---it sucks. But, the most important thing for me is that I am still able to live my life healthily. My co-workers (and I am brand new!) see this and appreciate it. I'm still there and social, and just block it out of my head at this point. Its the only way I can do it!

[blueeyedmanda]

My coworkers at my job (guess I am not all that new anymore since Ihave been here a year) go out to eat to celebrate birthdays and sometimes like to order in. I have one coworker who always asked dumb questions until I was out at a birthday lunch gathering and she was throwing pizza in my face. I pretty much embarrassed her in front of everyone. She just seemed to either be lacking a brain or just inconsiderate. For my birthday they made me gluten free cheesecake cupcakes with cherry icing. When they get panera bagels in the morning, they bring me a fruit cup. Sometimes they forget I can't have things but they don't push the issue. They understand I cannot go to Pizza Hut and eat. It is no big deal, thankfully.

It sucks your boss is so rude and inconsiderate. What would they do if you had a serious allergic such as nuts/seafood and it would cause shock.

[jenvan]

I totally understand, I've had this happen to me many times. But, its best that we don't get too upset, because then we are only hurting ourselves. And this won't be the last time, unfortunately. For some people, its simply being ignorant of the situation...and I think we've probably all had a moment of ignorance in some form. That being said, it does stink....and when we have lots of these little experiences adding up, it stinks even more! It probably doesn't bother me quite as much as others, as I would rather bring my own food than have someone else try and figure out something for me. Just easier. On a side note, a friend has a Celiac daughter and wants to help her feel like her lunches aren't so boring. She bought her a real bento box to take her lunch in and make it seem more *special*...so maybe the whole jealously thing can work

[shai76]

My coworkers at my job (guess I am not all that new anymore since Ihave been here a year) go out to eat to celebrate birthdays and sometimes like to order in. I have one coworker who always asked dumb questions until I was out at a birthday lunch gathering and she was throwing pizza in my face. I pretty much embarrassed her in front of everyone. She just seemed to either be lacking a brain or just inconsiderate. For my birthday they made me gluten free cheesecake cupcakes with cherry icing. When they get panera bagels in the morning, they bring me a fruit cup. Sometimes they forget I can't have things but they don't push the issue. They understand I cannot go to Pizza Hut and eat. It is no big deal, thankfully.

It sucks your boss is so rude and inconsiderate. What would they do if you had a serious allergic such as nuts/seafood and it would cause shock.

Just to make it clear, other allergies can be just as dangerous as nuts and fish. I'm deathly allergic to milk, beans and legumes, and my husband is deathly allergic to animal dander. I hate to go off topic, but I try to correct this whenever I see it because this kind of confusion has caused me, and others with anaphylectic allergies, major problems.

[blueeyedmanda]

Jenvan-Jealousy can work. I make Gluten Free Pantry's triple fudge brownies....then sometimes I let them sit out on the desk. I once shared a plate of them and they were gone within 10 minutes. You are right, sometimes people are ignorant of the situation.

Example: Last week it was bosses day on Monday I believe, well out of the blue everyone figured out they had forgotten the occasion so they quickly decided we should go out to eat. They choose Pizza Hut...I declined the offer to go. The one girl looked up and said I forgot all about you. (that part didn't bother me) When told I should get a salad I just told them you can never be sure. I said it was no big deal, I had already brought a lunch and I was going down to the cafeteria to meet a friend anyway. Well one of my coworkers who hasn't got a clue about common sense things, let alone celiac says just bring your lunch and sit with us, I will share my breadsticks with you.....The plans were cancelled in the end, the boss didn't feel like going out. So they settled on ordering in from a better place later in the week.

I didn't get mad over this, but I get left out alot since people bake and bring in things. Of course its always pretzels or cakes. I always have snacks anyway, but sometimes you think in the back of your head they can at least try.

I already said how they made me cupcakes for my birthday, the same coworker who insisted she would share my breadsticks at the time of the birthday treat planning said, oh what kind of cake do you like. I replied with I cannot have cake...her answer, So, the rest of us can. If curiousity kills, what does plain ignorance cause????

[powderprincess]

In situations like this.........I say..........Make them jealous!!!!

Take something wonderful for your lunch. Yes it stinks that you can't eat pizza, yea it stinks that you have to smell it and be around it, SO make them want YOUR lunch

Take a steak

Take shrimp cocktail

Make your own gluten free pizza with tons of yummy toppings and tons of cheese.

Make a huge salad filled with tons of veggies.

Take something to make them want YOUR food I hope you enjoy your food revenge haha

-Jessica

Jessica that is a genius idea.

[angel-jd1]

Jessica that is a genius idea.

Thanks!!

[Guest marshlakemom]

I went to our local Pizza Hut restaurant last night, and asked them if their chicken wings were gluten as I had read on another Celiac site that they were. Well they brought me out the label, I read it over, and with the help of a friend decided I would be ok to eat them.

NOT.....I was only home 1 hour when the diarreah hit me.

Just burns my butt sometimes how these restaurants just don't get it, and why they don't start catering, at least a little bit, to people with allergies.

Just sounding off myself here.

Deb

[Guest nini]

I went to our local Pizza Hut restaurant last night, and asked them if their chicken wings were gluten as I had read on another Celiac site that they were. Well they brought me out the label, I read it over, and with the help of a friend decided I would be ok to eat them.

NOT.....I was only home 1 hour when the diarreah hit me.

Just burns my butt sometimes how these restaurants just don't get it, and why they don't start catering, at least a little bit, to people with allergies.

Just sounding off myself here.

Deb

burns your butt literally huh??? yikes! I wouldn't trust Pizza Hut as far as I could throw them.

[ajay]

Oh it gets better...my boss just came to my office door and said, "What kind of pizza do you think I should order for Wednesday?". I told her, "You're asking gluten-boy (my nickname here) who can't eat any? I really don't care." She said, "Oh I know you can't but I thought you'd be good to bounce this off of." So I said, "Veggie and pepperoni". So she reads off her selections and I respond, "Again, on behalf of people that can't eat pizza, that sounds fine." And went back to working on my computer. THE NERVE OF HER! She is coming to my party on Saturday night. I should make sure something sits out for DAYS before hand and give her that to eat so she gets food poisoning.

OMG, you are so nice. How did you resist the urge to say "Pineapple and Anchovies. Together. It'll be great!" ?!

I haven't read through the rest of this thread yet, but I have to add a funny pizza story. I worked at a place that had lunch meetings every friday. With, of course, pizza provided. Every Friday.

Well, I worked with a person who's Jewish and keeps Kosher (no milk/dairy and meat together). And another person was Catholic and observed Lent (no meat on Fridays). And two vegetarians. Spring rolls around, and what does the assistant order for our Friday meetings? Pepperoni pizza. It was kinda funny. At least I wasn't the only one frustrated. Maybe she wanted to be sure there were lots of leftovers...

[eKatherine]

I've been to so many functions where they order all pepperoni except for maybe one of a different type. My observation is that only half the people out there even like pepperoni. The non-pepperoni goes first, and then people are complaining there's only pepperoni - no plain, no sausage, no veggie. Even the pepperoni orderers hit the other flavor first. But do they change the order next time? Never.