STYLETHREAD -- LET'S TALK SHOP!

honey · Gucci

work etiquette?

valenciana · Dooney & Bourke

It would be polite of you to go, but I don't think necessary. It is work, so it would probably be easy to say that you're a lot busier than you anticipated and can't spend the time it would take to go out for lunch because you need to get caught up. I doubt anyone, especially the person leaving who you don't even know, would be offended.

Ally S · Kate Spade

As Valenciania said, you can beg off on the excuse you are busier then you thought you'd be. That would work.

How many people are going to lunch? meaning if there are 5 people and the one leaving is the 6th, then you would only need to cover you lunch and a 1/5 of her tab. Are they going somewhere higher end and it could get $$? Then skip it and use the excuse, if it would be relatively inexpensive then go, it's Friday and I always love to go out to lunch on a Friday. It's a nice way to end the week.

dc · Dooney & Bourke

This type of thing happens to me at work all the time. I don't eat lunch (just snacks every 3 hours), so I am usually bored and drinking tea at these things and often beg off. Nobody minds - it is understood at work that often one is just busy. Just say you are unable to make it (no reason to explain - it's implied by the fact that you are working) and wish them well.

blubirde · Chanel

I agree with dc. Lots of people don't go to group lunches at my office. It's no biggie. But, if you want to go to lunch and it will only cost you a couple extra bucks, go for it.

Prissy · Dooney & Bourke

I do the same thing all the time. I'm always "in" when people ask but when it comes down to it I'm like "no". You can just blame it on a client that something just came up.