Out To Lunch

Whether you’re starting work as an intern, summer associate or new hire, in weeks to come, you face the happy prospect of being invited to lots of business meals. Who pays for those meals? It depends.

Dining with Co-workers – When you and five of your fellow interns agree to lunch at the trendy little taqueria right around the corner, immediately plan that you will pay 1/6^th of the total bill. This rule applies even if you eat only one fish taco while everyone else gorges on chips and guacamole before eating their enchiladas and burritos. Instead of attempting to calculate the actual cost of your small meal, add 20% to the total bill (for a tip) and divide by 6. That’s the amount that you should pay.

If you can’t afford to subsidize others’ meals, opt out of some of the group lunches and bring your lunch to work. Just realize that these meals can play an important role as you begin to build your professional network. Attend every one that you can afford.  

Intelligence Gathering – When a summer associate in a law firm’s mergers and acquisitions department wants to know more about prospects for growth in the intellectual property group, she may ask a mid-level IP lawyer to lunch. In this case, the summer associate should plan on paying for both meals. Remember, the general rule is: Whoever extends an invitation to lunch is responsible for picking up the tab.
If the mid-lawyer insists on paying for the meal, and many will, the summer associate should immediately acquiesce.

Boss’s Treat – When a boss or direct supervisor extends an invitation to lunch, the invitee may safely anticipate that the boss will pick up the tab. 

There are exceptions to these rules. For example, often an intern may ask someone highly placed in the organization to lunch for the purpose of building a relationship or exploring future possibilities. Where the more highly ranked person clearly earns significantly more money than the intern, because he or she requested the lunch, the intern should still offer to pick up the tab. However, in such a case, the more senior person should insist that he or she cover the bill. Once that is stated, the more junior person should honor those wishes.

No matter who pays the bill, don’t forget to be grateful for the company of your co-workers and their willingness to share or pick up the tab.
 
 

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