You know the situation, you have a friend who is going to the store and they ask you if you want anything from the store. Do we assume that they are offering to buy an item for you?
How about this related scenario. You are meeting a possible business associate at a coffee shop. You have been waiting about 15 minutes. The person arrives, apologizes for being a bit late, then states that he is going to the counter to get a coffee. He asks you if you want anything. Do you assume that he is offering to pay?
2007-05-23 23:57:12 · 45 answers · asked by pomosimulacrum 2 in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
In either of those situations I would not assume that the other person is offering to pay. There is a cafateria across the street from my job, and I always ask the teachers near me in the building where I work if they want anything when I'm headed over there. I assume they are going to give me the money before I go, or when I return with whatever they requested, and thus far, they always have. When it is a friend, not a coworker, and I say that same thing, I usually still expect them to give me the money. If I am intending to treat I usually ask can I get you anything rather than do you want anything.
2007-05-24 01:51:03 · answer #1 · answered by wendy08010 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If someone is going to the store and asked, I would not assume/expect they were going to pay for my milk, bread, etc. With the coffee situation, if it is only a business associate, I would offer the money if I wanted something. Usually the person will not take the money, but I would not assume they were paying.
2007-05-24 01:25:43 · answer #2 · answered by candace b 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In the first situation of going to the store, you pay for what they buy you. In the coffee shop, you assume the person getting the coffee is paying but it's nice to offer.
2007-05-24 03:16:42 · answer #3 · answered by Kabu 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, no and NO! They are just being practical since they are going to the store and if you need something they might as well get it while they are there. I would always assume that they do NOT intend to pay.
If you are in a coffee shop or ANYWHERE else in a similar situation you should ALWAYS offer to pay. If your friend says no then so be it.
2007-05-24 05:00:28 · answer #4 · answered by Keenu 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No you should never assume with money. Common freakin sense. I offer money even if it is 20 cents that I owe. The world would be so much of a better place if everyone was this way. They didnt say "do you want me to buy you anything" so why in the world should one assume they are paying for it? So its fair for someone to physically go and get u something AND pay for it while you sit your lazy *** down and wait for it to be handed to you? I cant stand ppl like this.
2007-05-24 04:15:57 · answer #5 · answered by Jukebox 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I wish!
No, I never assume anyone is going to pay, unless they actually say "I am going to pay", or unless I know them so well that it doesn't matter who pays (because it all evens out in the end).
I like to get that stuff sorted out beforehand. If someone says "I'm going to the shop" or "I'm getting a coffee" I usually say, "Hang on, I'll give you some money, will you get one for me, too", and let the conversation go from there.
Just because the person is late, they don't OWE me a coffee (I could have left). Of course if they WANT to buy me coffee, that's a different matter :-) Smile and say 'Thanks, that would be nice".
Good luck :-)
2007-05-24 01:49:17 · answer #6 · answered by Bluewaterwoman 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you go into a store to buy a pair of shoes that are on sale that week and they are out of them THEY have 2 options: Issue you a raincheck (ususally a card or form they fill out with all the info about the purchase), that means when they get the shoes you want in stock (no matter if the price has doubled) they will sell them to you at the price they were when they issued you the raincheck. Or sorry no raincheck; too bad you loose, you should have been there when and if they had them from the start of the sale.
2016-05-21 09:45:48 · answer #7 · answered by ? 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My answer is "it depends".
Who is this friend? How close are you? What are you asking them to buy for you?
Are you very close friends? Do you pay for each other's stuff all the time? Do you buy each other lunch when you go out? Do you loan each other money all the time?
Ask yourself this: Have I ever been in the reverse siutuation where I was running to the store, and I paid for some things for this friend?
Another thing to consider is what are you asking them to buy. Is it worth a couple bucks? Are you asking for a coke, or are you asking for a case of beer? And how rich is this friend of yours? Would that case of beer be a "big " thing for him, or not?
If there's any question, you should offer to pay, and let your friend turn you down if he wants to pay. You don't want to get the reputation of being a mooch.
2007-05-24 08:48:50 · answer #8 · answered by tom_2727 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not necessarily. Normally you always have to have in mind that you always to pay the things yourself, except if your friend say that he or she say that she/he will buy the thing/the coffee for you. It is just because you are shopping together or go to a coffee shop together, it does not mean that she or he has to pay it. It might be that you did not do anything, or say anything to the shop assistant, then she/he thought that your mind was not there and he/she ask you if you want to have anything.
2007-05-24 01:21:05 · answer #9 · answered by ninka 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just to be on the safe side, never assume that someone will pay unless they somehow allude to it. If they ask "if you want anything", that's pretty vague. But if they say something like "do you want me to get you a burger?" then it could suggest they might pay. It's still pretty vague though. If you want something but don't want to pay for it, just say so. If the person wasn't going to pay in the first place, they'll say "ok, just wanted to ask" but if they were going to pay, they'll say so.
If that exchange doesn't happen and they do get ya something, offer money when they return. THey'll either accept or give it back.
2007-05-24 00:02:42 · answer #10 · answered by jbone907 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋