EDIT: 0. Go and just HIT the booze, have like four beers and a dozen tequila shots. If they sack you for getting drunk at a work function sue their asses into your retirement.
Pay and accept it as part of work social life, it’s a chance to bond with new colleagues.
Go but don’t eat anything, claim you’re in a bit of debt while being between jobs. Eat your packed lunch on the way to the lunch. Maybe come across as a bit difficult.
Refuse to go saying that if they’re not paying for the meal or your lunch break they can gargle your fucking nuts.
I reckon I’ve listed them in order of acceptability and reverse order of what I’d want to do.
2 is a really good option, probably what I’d do as well. The other time we had a work lunch at a nearby pub that was eye wateringly expensive, I didn’t eat and later when the idea of going there was floated again I just straight up said it was nice but out of my budget. Only then did some colleagues chime in to agree. Just gotta be brave sometimes
EDIT: 0. Go and just HIT the booze, have like four beers and a dozen tequila shots. If they sack you for getting drunk at a work function sue their asses into your retirement.
I reckon I’ve listed them in order of acceptability and reverse order of what I’d want to do.
2 is a really good option, probably what I’d do as well. The other time we had a work lunch at a nearby pub that was eye wateringly expensive, I didn’t eat and later when the idea of going there was floated again I just straight up said it was nice but out of my budget. Only then did some colleagues chime in to agree. Just gotta be brave sometimes
Very well put.