What to do if you lose something a boss gave you and wants back? (office, buy) - Work and Employment -Jobs, employers, employees, hiring, resumes, occupations, government, laws, unions, contracts, workers, part-time - City-Data Forum

EricS39 · 08-20-2014, 08:47 AM

My fiancée watches the little kids of a family and they get along very well. The family invited myself and others over to their home for dinner with fiancée all together, and the babysitting family served everyone cake and chicken picatta.

After the meal when we said goodbye, they handed me a container with leftover food for me to enjoy for lunch the next day and I thanked them.

I brought it to my office fridge to eat for lunch and it was delicious.

Then I left the finished container on my cubical but the janitorial staff mistakened the container for a trash/recyclable item.

Now fiancée wants the empty container returned to them but obviously it's gone and I can't do anything about it. Fiancée is unbelievably upset with me the container is gone. I do not remember what brand this container was other than it was plastic, rectangular, and had a blue lid.

What is the appropriate course of action to take? Concern is buying a replacement container may not match the ones they use in their home.

Sage 80 · 08-20-2014, 08:52 AM

It sounds like this is a run-of-the-mill plastic container. If so, buy them one that looks similar, and give it to them in a gift bag. Explain what happened. It shouldn't be a big deal.

jaypee · 08-20-2014, 08:53 AM

Ummmm ... tell them the truth, ask what brand the container was, and buy a replacement. Why make such a big deal out of tupperware?

BirdieBelle · 08-20-2014, 08:58 AM

Yep ^^^.

IonRedline08 · 08-20-2014, 09:07 AM

Did they want it back, or did he?

Was it a really nice piece, or just one of those plain GladWare type ones?

I cook a lot, and I make a practice to never give out containers I need/want back for this reason.. If they do bring it back, great... if not, no big deal.

If it is just your fiance wanting it back, tell him to get over it. If they wanted it back, and was a nice piece, I would just send an apology note with a bottle of wine or something.. but even that is stretching it.

EricS39 · 08-20-2014, 09:10 AM

I was typical Tupperware. No I wasn't told I would be needing to bring it back but should have not needed to have been told

IonRedline08 · 08-20-2014, 09:12 AM

Do you or your fiance cook?

If so, make a batch of cookies.. buy one of those bigger gladware pieces, fill it up, and send it back thanking them for the dinner and with an apology for losing their other container. Problem solved!

Pitt Chick · 08-20-2014, 09:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaypee

Ummmm ... tell them the truth, ask what brand the container was, and buy a replacement. Why make such a big deal out of tupperware?

Yep.
Fess up and make right... not a big deal at all!

palomalillie · 08-21-2014, 10:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EricS39

Now fiancée wants the empty container returned to them but obviously it's gone and I can't do anything about it. Fiancée is unbelievably upset with me the container is gone. I do not remember what brand this container was other than it was plastic, rectangular, and had a blue lid.
.

That sounds like a sandwich keepe? I would do an online search until I found one that looked close to it, then order it and give it to them.

If someone lost a tupperware of mine, I would not care that much.

theluckygal · 08-21-2014, 11:10 AM

Buy a similar looking container. Maybe you can fill it up with some homemade cookies for the kids & send a note with it saying you accidentally lost the container & wanted to replace it with a similar one. I am sure they wont make a big deal. It was not made of glass or part of a set so it should be fine.