You're at a company dinner. A co-worker (older and married) offers to buy your drink. You politely refuse, insisting you can get your own -- but he insists.
Ettiquite teaches me that it's rude to refuse in this case. So I accept and he buys my drink. However, I can't help but feel this was somewhat inappropriate on his part -- and perhaps on mine for accepting. What's the rule here?
2007-05-31 02:22:09 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Etiquette
if someone insists, it would be a little rude to keep declining, unless you don't drink or aren't drinking that particular evening. nothing in this scenario seems inappropriate to me - maybe he didn't need to be so pushy, but otherwise, nothing really seems off the mark. it's happened to me, too, loads of times ... i guess it makes men feel good about themselves or something, i don't know, but it's perfectly acceptable. don't worry about it!
2007-05-31 03:23:09 · answer #1 · answered by yin yang 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Strictly speaking it was okay for him to buy you a drink and for you to accept, even though you didn't want to really. This is a commonplace office thing. If you bought him a drink next time there's a party, you are paying him back and there's no obligation. Neither of you breached etiquette.
2007-05-31 10:04:54 · answer #2 · answered by jenesuispasunnombre 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I don't think it's inappropriate for him to buy you a drink. He's only trying to be polite. My experience is to accept free drinks, otherwise the person trying to purchase the drinks will feel insulted. I hope I've helped!
2007-05-31 09:27:07 · answer #3 · answered by BeezKneez 4 · 7⤊ 0⤋
It is appropriate for him to offer to buy you a drink, but since you declined then it was rude for him to insist. You are more polite than me because I would have said , loudly if I had to, "Really, thank you but NO."
2007-06-01 02:50:35 · answer #4 · answered by Lauren J 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe he was just being nice. My coworkers will often bring me things into work and then I will return the favor later on.
Unless he started making advances to you after you took the drink, I would just dismiss it as a friendly offer and nothing more. Next dinner, you can return the favor.
2007-05-31 09:52:20 · answer #5 · answered by Cookie On My Mind 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I would accept. One drink is polite, two are pushy. Is he also in a higher paying position? Often at company parties, department heads do this as a way of mingling with employees. Usually one head will get 'assigned' to a table of employees. Kind of nice, except if you wanted to boss bash :)
2007-05-31 09:30:30 · answer #6 · answered by J M 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If you felt it inappropriate to accept, then it was inappropriate in my opinion.
You'd have to decide yourself about the man's motives, if he gave you no reason to suspect he was after something, then perhaps he should have the benefit of the doubt.
Either way, it doesn't seem any real harm was done.
2007-05-31 09:30:10 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
It is appropriate because it is a business function. You could just as well have done the same thing for him and it would have been appropriate as well.
It sounds as if he was being a gentleman, especially since he only brought you one drink.
2007-05-31 12:17:33 · answer #8 · answered by Tressy S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I was at a conference with my married BOSS and he was buying me drinks. No one thought anything about it. If you not comfortable buy the next round.
2007-06-01 00:25:43 · answer #9 · answered by Classy Granny 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It is very rare that a co-worker is just trying to be nice by buying you a drink. Ladies, please - guys buy you drinks for one reason. There are exceptions, but very few.
2007-05-31 09:55:19 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋