Use It Or Lose It — We Mean It

I work for a pretty large company — so large that, in some areas, if you wanted to walk to the canteen on your morning break, the break would be over before you got back.

Luckily, the company has arranged for food vans to offer a small selection in the areas furthest out. For whatever reason, the guys in my department always snub the food van, opting to go to the canteen for the same food.

One morning:

Local Manager: “Good morning, everyone. Just so you know, the company is looking at the food vans and which ones to keep. I would suggest that if you want to keep the food van here, use it!”

No one seems to pay much attention.

A few weeks later:

Local Manager: “The food van is being discontinued at the [Location]. If any of you rely on it as we do, I suggest taking full advantage of it this week, and maybe they will reconsider.”

Me: “We should probably use it more. I don’t want to have to walk down to the canteen every morning.”

Coworker: “Nah, the canteen had better choices.”

Me: “You have the same bacon roll every morning; that’s what they sell at the van.”

Coworker: “Well, the ones at the canteen are better.”

Me: *Sighs* “It’s the same food; they drive to the canteen and pick it up.”

Coworker: “Well, I don’t care. I like going to the canteen.”

A couple of weeks later, it’s chucking it down with rain.

Coworker: “Oh, man, look at the weather. I wanted some breakfast.”

Me: “Yeah, have a nice walk.”

Coworker: “Didn’t you say something about a food van? Isn’t that near?”

Me: “The one that was just around the corner? And sold bacon rolls and hot drinks?”

Coworker: “Yeah, well?”

Me: “The one you didn’t want to use and they said they would discontinue if they didn’t get enough business?”

Coworker: “Oh.”

Suddenly, the trip to the canteen wasn’t the popular activity it was, and as it got colder, suddenly everyone was complaining about how far it was and how the company should do something about it.