Expensive pre-callback dinner Forum

[Anonymous User]

I swear there was just a thread about this topic but I tried searching and couldn't find it. What is the worst that could happen if I try to get reimbursed for a meal that cost about twice as much as the recommended guidelines?

I am not particularly concerned with getting an offer at the firm so I don't care if it would affect me getting an offer or not. I'm more worried about either a) them not reimbursing it or b) them calling my school's career services and me getting bitched out. Any other possible consequences?

FWIW I ate in the restaurant of the hotel that they put me up in and didn't know it would be quite that expensive until I had already sat down.

[meshtdagn]

Well if it was a mistake, probably no big deal. Just don't act like you did it on purpose and are some kind of free wheeling money spending BA.

[Lieut Kaffee]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

[MrPapagiorgio]

If they put you up in the hotel, I wouldn't ask for reimbursement. Also, newsflash to everyone: you will have to pay for some things in life.

[Anonymous User]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

[Anonymous User]

If they put you up in the hotel, I wouldn't ask for reimbursement. Also, newsflash to everyone: you will have to pay for some things in life.

What? Of course I'm going to ask for reimbursement. But I'm ok with only getting 40 of it reimbursed if that is the standard protocol.

[Lieut Kaffee]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

Pretty sure the NALP thing says no booze. When I got booze I did a little "-$6 = $36" on the receipt. But holy shit if I were that firm I'd ding you for sure.

[Helmholtz]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

Pretty sure the NALP thing says no booze. When I got booze I did a little "-$6 = $36" on the receipt. But holy shit if I were that firm I'd ding you for sure.

Asking for alcohol on a separate bill = tcr

[meshtdagn]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

Make sure you say "have to" in your note.

[Anonymous User]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

Pretty sure the NALP thing says no booze. When I got booze I did a little "-$6 = $36" on the receipt. But holy shit if I were that firm I'd ding you for sure.

OK I'll definitely minus the booze then.

I was under the impression that reimbursements were handled by administrative people with no hiring power. Would I really get dinged for eating a dinner with an appetizer at a nice restaurant? But really I'm not concerned about getting dinged, more concerned about not getting reimbursed.

[MrPapagiorgio]

If they put you up in the hotel, I wouldn't ask for reimbursement. Also, newsflash to everyone: you will have to pay for some things in life.

What? Of course I'm going to ask for reimbursement. But I'm ok with only getting 40 of it reimbursed if that is the standard protocol.

Forgot to include "total" before reimbursement. My bad.

[Lieut Kaffee]

Isn't the NALP dinner budget 40-50? You spent nearly $100, pre-booze, by yourself?

Budget said 30-40, I spent 100 including a drink and tip. Should I make a note like, you only have to reimburse me for 40? Or should I just put the whole thing?

Pretty sure the NALP thing says no booze. When I got booze I did a little "-$6 = $36" on the receipt. But holy shit if I were that firm I'd ding you for sure.

OK I'll definitely minus the booze then.

I was under the impression that reimbursements were handled by administrative people with no hiring power. Would I really get dinged for eating a dinner with an appetizer at a nice restaurant? But really I'm not concerned about getting dinged, more concerned about not getting reimbursed.

Credited about the administrative people. Just roll it into your total in the "food" column on the nalp form. Doubt they scrutinize it. But holy shit. I don't think any of my real CB meals even got to a 100/person average.

[mrloblaw]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

[meshtdagn]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

Lawyers

[MrPapagiorgio]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

OP already sat down. What did you expect him to do, get up and go somewhere else?

[Anonymous User]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

A fair point. I would have picked a different restaurant had I known how expensive it was. But once I was already sitting down I got caught up in the moment. I am ok with just submitting 40 for reimbursement and at least I got an amazing meal at half price. I was just secretly hoping that the TLS consensus would be to submit the total bill for reimbursement.

[mrloblaw]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

OP already sat down. What did you expect him to do, get up and go somewhere else?

Personally, I'd not order an appetizer, drink water, and pay cash for the tip.

[BackToTheOldHouse]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

OP already sat down. What did you expect him to do, get up and go somewhere else?

Personally, I'd not order an appetizer, drink water, and pay cash for the tip.

I would look at the menu in the glass picture-frame-thingy right outside the door to the restaurant before even stepping foot in the establishment.

[MrPapagiorgio]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

OP already sat down. What did you expect him to do, get up and go somewhere else?

Personally, I'd not order an appetizer, drink water, and pay cash for the tip.

Was my sarcasm not obvious?

[mrloblaw]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

A fair point. I would have picked a different restaurant had I known how expensive it was. But once I was already sitting down I got caught up in the moment. I am ok with just submitting 40 for reimbursement and at least I got an amazing meal at half price. I was just secretly hoping that the TLS consensus would be to submit the total bill for reimbursement.

To be more constructive, I'd explain the situation to them, tell them that I was totally fine with them only reimbursing the usually allocated amount, and then hope that they offered to get the whole bill. Absent the things I mentioned, you'd easily have a good justification, since it was the hotel restaurant for the place they put you.

[Sup Kid]

If the restaurant is in the hotel, just subtract the drink and submit it, no note necessary. If they limit you to $40, then they'll only reimburse $40 of it, and that'll be that.

However, do tell what appetizer + entree + tax/tip = ~$90. Even a steak + a seafood appetizer would normally only be around $75 at an upscale restaurant. Was this place a Michelin-star rated one?

[mrloblaw]

I'm confused. You go to the hotel restaurant, sit down, see that the place is well above budget, then decide to have an appetizer and booze, and finally add the tip to the bill as well?

You think that you might have had some opportunity to mitigate the whole price issue before you made it to TLS?

OP already sat down. What did you expect him to do, get up and go somewhere else?

Personally, I'd not order an appetizer, drink water, and pay cash for the tip.

Was my sarcasm not obvious?

.

[Renzo]

[I was under the impression that reimbursements were handled by administrative people with no hiring power.

Don't ever assume the "administrative people" have no power.

Personally, I would send the bill with a note saying you realize it exceeded the reimbursement limit, and asking only for reimbursement of the authorized amount. There's a chance they'll send a check for the whole amount anyways, but at least you won't look like as much of a douche for trying to pull one over on them, or ignore the rules.

[IAFG]

[I was under the impression that reimbursements were handled by administrative people with no hiring power.

Don't ever assume the "administrative people" have no power.

Personally, I would send the bill with a note saying you realize it exceeded the reimbursement limit, and asking only for reimbursement of the authorized amount. There's a chance they'll send a check for the whole amount anyways, but at least you won't look like as much of a douche for trying to pull one over on them, or ignore the rules.

Last time I saw the subject came up, I said that hiring partners would never look at the amounts WITHIN THE LIMITS and that you shouldn't bother eating at Chipotle to pinch pennies, because the admin people wouldn't care or help or sink your chances on the basis of what you spent WITHIN THE LIMITS.

[Anonymous User]

[I was under the impression that reimbursements were handled by administrative people with no hiring power.

Don't ever assume the "administrative people" have no power.

Personally, I would send the bill with a note saying you realize it exceeded the reimbursement limit, and asking only for reimbursement of the authorized amount. There's a chance they'll send a check for the whole amount anyways, but at least you won't look like as much of a douche for trying to pull one over on them, or ignore the rules.

Thanks. This (and others' advice above) is helpful. Definitely not trying to be a douche, just wondering what the protocol is.