# Message to all users:
This is a reminder to please read and follow:
* [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules)
* [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439)
* [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy)
When posting and commenting.
---
Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`.
* Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit.
* Do not harass or annoy others in any way.
* Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit.
---
You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way.
---
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Oh fuck that! I get walked out by the company. I'm not given a chance to gather my stuff. They pack up my belongings and mail them to me. The only thing in my cubicle that I wanted back was a goddamn can of Pringles. And now I'm unemployed. I can't afford name brand food. And are there generic Pringles? No. I'm over here taking dehydrated potatoes, adding water, and pressing them into flat circles and baking them. These are shit! The seasonings I have aren't chip grade, and I don't have the tools to spread it evenly. Those Pringles meant everything to me, man...
Man, i am so sorry. You were unfairly fired. They didn't get Ur humour. A boss ship of power obsessed "sackers"! They individually will suffer payback karma.
That is a horrific story . Maybe if you told the makers of Pringles this . You can be the next spokesman for the company .
Everyone will think of you every time they find themselves craving a salty snack that comes in a canister and every chip looks exactly the chip before it
A guy in an office I used to work at had his lunch swiped, so he printed missing persons pictures with a pic of an identical lunch he prepared and put them on all the office fridges and doors. It was fucking hilarious. Poor sod never caught the culprit.
Someone recently stole my nice Tupperware from my roomie’s work (with his initials on it and everything!) and after 2 weeks of asking around and nada, I was so mad that I made wanted posters. It took another week, but everyone was talking about it and trying to suss out who it was- eventually someone came in super early and put it back on his desk with the wanted poster on top. The return of the hostage Tupperware made it into the next all hands meeting lol.
I did this when some stole my special microwaveable lunch bowl, whom I named Squish. I ournio missing signs with a picture.
Ultimately I purchased a replacement, Squash. The culprit was never found.
It was collapsible for storage and had a steam basket for veggies. I’d mix my meal prepped food in squish and zap it. You will be missed, Squish.
People mostly thought it was funny.
I remember that at one place I worked, I would drink milk as I was into bodybuilding, but they kept taking it to make milk, so I called everyone's attention in the all male office and they looked over to see me resting my exposed testicles on the opening of the milk bottle. No one touched it after that. It was an independent recruitment agency so there wasn't any HR department and the boss would often send me home early so the rest of them could smoke in the office illegally as I was the only one who didn't smoke.
So i have the same story but different. I had just returned to work from having a baby & the same thing was happening to me. So I casually whipped out a boob and expressed some breast milk into that carton and no one ever touched it again.
There's a super duper solution i read that ppl have taken. They put super laxative into the food! The sod soiled himself/herself n had nothing to wear!
I've worked in a Gov department, and there was a theft of 20 sausage rolls, which was escalated to the police and the building users were asking for a fridge cam.
Luckily, calmer minds prevailed, and the whole thing was squashed. One of the directors went out and purchased 50 sausage rolls and gave them out. Honestly, some people pretend that the work fridge is their own house fridge.
I accidentally drank an opened soda because I thought it was mine. From that point forward I wrote my name on my food. Not because I didn't want someone eating it but because it was the only way I knew that it was mine.
See, I always had the problem of a coworker throwing out my food.
She would always take it upon herself to clean out the fridge a couple of times a week, and she never actually paid attention to what had been in there for a week vs what had just put in there, and just assumed that most things were just old.
When I was younger, I would take other people's food from work.
An entire childhood of being food insecure and having to steal food from neighbors, grocery stores, or plates in restaurants before the busser could clean it instilled a deep need to steal food whenever I could find it. I was always so scared that if I didn't take that food, I may not have another chance to eat.
My mom was too nervous to visit food banks or accept government help, and it took me a while to realize that it is okay to accept help.
It was shitty of me to do, and I haven't had this issue since my late teens/early twenties when I started being able to afford my own food without resorting to theft.
Maybe that's the answer. It's always an accident.
"Hmm... Yes, I think I do remember making a delicious steak with exceptional marbling, with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and a fresh, crisp garden salad."
Almost everyone at my job does two things, drink Dr pepper and leave their bottles on my desk. I’ve witnessed too many times someone set down their bottle and then someone else come and take a sip and walk off of with it.
Someone did that in a training academy I was in. When I told him that the sweaty, sticky, gallon of tap water he was drinking belonged to the nastiest BO trainee in our class… he almost threw up. Poor guy never lived that down.
Ugh...at around 4 years old I learned that lesson the hard way too after one of my parents' parties. Do NOT drink leftover soda. Also be careful of bees in soda at picnics. Soda cans are dangerous.
I once was so broke that i couldn't afford food for some days. I only had bread at home. And I was ashamed to bring blank bread to work ( i once got bullied because of that at school, so I got scared because I really needed that job).
So I ate some slices at home. During work I noticed how the last few days with just bread finally crashed on me.
I felt weak as hell, my circulation fell into hell. I coudln't properly walk, see or think. So I ate a sandwich of a coworker and an apple from another one. I was ashamed as hell and kept silent about it for some days.
When my finances got green again, I got both of them lunch as an apology and told them the truth. Both were angry because I could have simply asked them. But I was too ashamed. But everything is fine again between us. Sometimes the older lady asks me if my lunch was enough or if she can share with me - even if I say that it was enough and that I am full she still hands me some fruits.
That story makes my heart ache. This is why I bring random treats to work 'for everyone' (bag of cuties and donuts or bagels). There's a lot of college students where I work and I worry about them. I don't want them to have to ask for help. I just want it to be there if they need it.
People like you make the world go around, with these 'small' acts of kindness that are actually huge. You have a good heart. I hope you are happy and fulfilled in life. You deserve to be 💚
If anyone ever gets in this position, go see your local food pantry. If you can’t get anyone, call the big food bank they all get their food from. Most food banks are part of the Feeding America network, and they have a coordinator for your area. The coordinator will get you some decent food.
You can find a pantry by zip code here:
https://www.whyhunger.org
You can find your regional Food Bank here:
https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank/all-food-banks
Find us. We won’t let you have just bread at the house.
I finally swallowed this pill, and after calling and realizing their referral program was literally me calling to schedule an appointment, I felt so much better. Plus, when I went the first time, I scored a bottle of Torani syrup. I wish I'd had grabbed a box of Ritz crackers, but I was pretty happy with what I got. Two things of chicken thighs and a huge package of legs. They even had salad kits and some great veggies. I need to schedule another run for this coming week so I can try and get some other staples I've run out on.
I'm sorry you went through that, nobody should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. I'm going to take this opportunity to give a plug for food banks, they're there to help people without judgement.
If any of my coworkers did this to me, I'd be pissed. I'd happily door dash them some lunch, if I knew. Last time a coworker came over asking if we had any spare snacks because he didn't have lunch he got inundated with food from everyone in the area.
I keep a spare ramen packet in my drawer for just that occasion.
Honestly with this situation I don't think I would really be upset at all, if I believed him/her. If you put yourself in their shoes you could see how awkward/shameful it'd have been to ask a coworker to buy them lunch, and when you're starving it's hard to not snag food you see in the fridge 🤷♂️
I agree with you. Provided it didnt happen again after a conversation was had, I'd totally understand because I've been so poor I couldn't afford enough food before. It's a painful and shameful feeling.
Also the word "starving" gets thrown around a lot. It's not about missing a few meals back to back, it's literally your body eating itself to stay alive. Not everyone has been in that position, but the mind set it puts you through will change a man.
I wouldn’t be angry, I’d just feel so bad for the person.
I was at a point once where I had to eat scraps off of the children’s plates at work (daycare); I’d always volunteer to take the leftover trays to the kitchen so I could stuff a few discarded bits into my mouth before dumping the rest of the food rubbish into the garbage can. After rent, bills, and gas to get to work, there wasn’t enough left for adequate groceries.
I never stole food - I basically ate out of the bin - but I was so ashamed and embarrassed. There were days I almost started crying when I walked into the kitchen and saw someone else in there, because it meant I couldn’t eat my scraps. And I was so tired, and so hungry. I needed those scraps to get through the rest of the afternoon.
If somebody stole my lunch and later confessed and explained why, I’d be nothing but compassionate and assure them that if they’re ever in that situation again, just let me know and I’d be happy to spot them lunch and also do a grocery run with them, my treat.
PS If anyone is wondering if I ever spoke up and asked for help, I did. I tried telling the lead teacher in my room that I was struggling to afford food and didn’t know what to do. Her response was to say, “OMG, I know exactly what you mean. After I finished booking our summer vacation for this year, I spent so much money that I had to eat oatmeal for dinner last night! It really sucks being poor.” 🙄
I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone saying “I would be pissed too, just ask!” has never dealt with the shame of being truly broke in their lives
Lots of people like to romanticize being broke for some reason like it’s such a noble struggle, and they apply the “broke” label to themselves almost like a badge of honor. But people who have actually dealt with being BROKE know, there’s nothing romantic or honorable about it lol
>Asked if there were any spare snacks because didn’t have lunch that day
This was such a good idea to only ask for snacks to save face. I can see how everyone would rush to pitch in.
nice answer. I've been in that space once or twice. never eaten a lunch but because that particular option just didn't come up, but I totally see why you did. hope things are more solid for you now.
I imagine the answers range for the same reasons anyone steals anything:
+ Desperation; you need the thing being stolen, but can't afford it otherwise.
+ Conserve resources; you're not desperate, but things are tight and tend to have a 'kill or be killed' mentality
+ Resource acquisition; you don't need the thing, but would benefit having it
+ 'Not a big deal' ; you're stealing something you presume is small and won't be missed
+ The thrill; you get a high or an adrenaline rush from taking the thing in question or encountering the situation you're making the theft in.
+ Targetted; This can be done against an individual or a group. The resources stolen may or may not be needed. Can be done for any combination of reasons above and/or because you seek to deprive that person of that resource out of usual vengeful reasons. Not to be confused with stealing consistently because that person just happens to have alot of the desired resource.
It's usually one or multiple of those reasons people steal. I'm sure there's others (and please add to this list), but it usually varies per person based on their inherent level of empathy vs their ability to rationalize those reasons.
Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE rationalizes (justifies) their choices to some extent. It just happens. That's why people are assholes a lot of the time, but never convinced that they are.
This is a great list and breakdown of the reasons, really great work. I’d add in “entitlement” or maybe “narcissism”. Some people just don’t give af about anyone else. They see the food, see the opportunity, and just think “fuck it why not? I’m hungry, this looks good, I won’t be caught, it’s mine now”. There may be some rationalization that occurs with most lunch thieves, but some people probably don’t even bother to rationalize it; I imagine they’re just selfish, entitled, and possibly narcissistic enough to just take it because there’s a want and an opportunity, and that’s enough to justify it for them. Others may rationalize and most probably do, but I’m willing to bet there’s a chunk of people that just don’t care, the opportunity is enough.
Great thoughts here, but I'm gonna add that I've never spoken with a narcissist who did not otherwise justify their actions with some backwards af reasoning. If they have the opportunity to blame the victim, all the better for it.
Bonus for mental illness. One time when I was severely unwell with an eating disorder I broke down in front of the staff fridge. I was involuntarily hospitalised two days afterwards and the food was communal because it was after lunch so anyone who brought food had eaten it already (my office had some catering at the time hence communal), but if anyone had left food in there I can’t guarantee I would have overlooked it. It was like being in the most awful fugue state. I hated myself so much afterwards, too, but I was so unwell and barely alive let alone rational. I’m very glad to have left that behaviour in the past.
I had a coworker who, for whatever reason, liked to "clean out the fridge" which translated to throw away everything in the fridge that wasn't hers. So I just started eating her stuff. I'd call that fair.
At least monthly. The first time she did it, she cleaned it out and threw everything away, and made a rule that we had to write our names on everything that was ours. Okay, fine, ill do that. Then it happened again, and my name was written on all of my things that she threw away, and I was mad. Then she said that we should have our names written on it and the receipts taped to our food (getting ridiculous here, but okay), so I started doing that. Then she threw everything away again and said that we should have our names, receipts, and keep everything that is ours in one bag with our names on it. At that point I said fuck it and just started eating her food. Groceries are expensive, I'm not going to keep buying things just for her to throw them away. I did quit not too long after that.
At my work we're actually getting to the point where people will not only have to write their name but also a date on food they leave in their or it'll get tossed during a monthly clean out. But we also have had major issues for like 2 years now of food rotting in there so it kinda makes sense. Sometimes grown adults need to be treated like children which may be an unpopular opinion here
My job requires the date it was put in and a name. Anything without either or anything that was left for 3 or more days are thrown away by the night shift.
When I lived in a communal area at university, I used to have my food stolen from the freezer. Used to irk me so much coming back from a long day of classes, just to find my food gone. They also kept taking my damn tea cups. I'm pretty sure I knew who it was, but had no proof. She woke me up once at 3am asking for a condom. "No, Charlotte. But, you can give me back my damn pizza and cups!". Fairly sure those cups sat in her room going mouldy as well. I don't think these people have respect for themselves, let alone anyone else.
I had that problem when I lived in residence. My mom had died, so I worked all summer & had to ask my dad for help with money. (He gave me $1,000 for the year). Also, I’m vegetarian. I would take a plate with bread & peanut butter on the nights I had evening classes & missed dinner, also I had milk & a banana for the mornings I missed breakfast . I had just enough money to share a pizza or go to a movie once a week. If my food was stolen, I’d go hungry. (In second year, I learned where leftover breakfast meeting food was, & also forged a bus pass so I could buy coffee).
I lost a lot of weight that year.
I bought a bottle of cheap sparkling wine for my birthday while I was living in halls. Left it in the fridge for 2 hours while getting ready to go out, greeting friends etc. Some cunt nicked it. How do you even justify that? It's not like it was a splash of milk :(
My wife is like this. Her food allergies make potlucks dangerous. And the way serving spoons move around, if one thing there contains an allergen then anything might.
For me it's more hygiene worries. What's their house like? Did they touch their butthole and then the food? Did they cook the chicken to the right temp?
I know a lady who is known as the baker of her friend group. Any time there's an event she does the cake and cookies and pies. She's recently branched out and is selling her goods on Facebook. I won't touch her food. Her house is nasty and her dogs shit inside everyday. Her hygiene is highly questionable; I've seen some things I wish I hadn't. She doesn't clean the old batter off her stand mixer so weeks old dried up batter falls into whatever she is mixing. She leaves things sitting out that should be refrigerated and uses expired ingredients.
There's been times that no one touched my food and I had a hunch that is because I'm poor and they assumed that means I have a dirty kitchen. This woman lives in a _very_ nice house in one of the nicest neighborhoods in town. I don't trust anyone unless I watched them do it.
Same. I always thank people who share cookies or stuff and then when they're not looking, I toss it out. People let their cats on the counters with shit feet, let toddlers help cook, and run gross shit through their dish machines.
A guy once offered me some chips he'd been eating while petting his dog. He was reaching into the bag with the same hand and seemed confused why I'd turn that down. Gross. People are gross.
We had a lady boss at the office - everyone said "don't share your popcorn with her - she doesn't wash her hands after using the toilet." And she sure did not.
I used to do this as a kid - don't know if that counts - but I would have to sit around for hours at my mom's work and she never had food for me. I would look in the fridge, which was in the same room I had to sit in and if there was an unopened yogurt I'd wolf it down. I feel bad about it now, but dang, why didn't a mother have food for her kid??
I was a naive 18 yr old working my first job. I opened the fridge in the break room and there was a bunch of food there. Cakes, snakes, sandwiches and whatnot. For some reason I just assumed this was food the company just put in the fridge for the employees to take at their own discretion, so I grabbed a single slice of carrot cake. Man, the person who it belonged to was PISSED! She wrote a note on the fridge with all kinds of insults. I could feel the anger through a piece of paper! I bought the same cardot cake a few weeks later and put a note on it that said "for everyone, especially the person I stole from". No one ever found out who did it - and they never will! This was in 2008.
I did the same but with a mug when I started working. I didn’t realize the mug belonged to someone else - thought it was the company - and I was drinking it in front of him. He was mad and I apologized. I came from daycare previously and nobody has personal mugs, and it was my first office job.
Ironically it’s 5 years later and someone else took my mug and I felt the same annoyance lol.
The food I ate was frozen; and judging by the look of it had been for sometime. It was 2 frozen burritos, totally iced over and way back in the freezer.... I still feel shame, but I hadn't eaten in nearly 2 days, and my hunger overided my morals. I was flat broke, and riding a bike to work.
I would never eat a freshly packed lunch though.
I think a statute of limitations in a shared fridge is appropriate when it comes to what could be considered abandoned food. My company routinely cleans out the fridge and throws out forgotten items. If you know who the owner is, by all means, ask them first.
Don't feel bad, if it's all as you said. All of us have a couple frozen burritos in the back of the freezer that we've forgotten about. They're cheap and forgettable, not like taking somebody's freshly made sandwich, IMHO.
Someone took my food from the fridge. It was in a container. I looked everywhere and after a while I figured out that we brought the same container and he just thought it was his. Sometimes it’s just Hanlon’s razor guys
I've never done it, but I remember a girl stealing some bread from a bag at work. She had no food, and it was her first day, it was a full loaf so I ignored it.
Next day I brought her something from the vending machine
Next day was pay day and she had food
I like my cream bun for morning coffee... first day it was taken, second day it was taken. 3rd day I lifted up the cream and laid down a layer of hot sauce. 3th day it was taken. 4th day I enjoyed a cream bun with my coffee.
I did it once... Guy left a couple of microwave pizzas in the work freezer... He only comes by once or twice a week, one day I forgot my prepared lunch and had no money so I ate his pizzas
He was fine with it, but I did get a couple of replacement ones.... He took too long so I ate those too.
Now it's a running joke, I left some food in there once and he ate that, was super proud of himself
I never ate peoples but from my experience its usually the bosses. They feel entitled enough and have the opportunity.
I've caught a manager and a owner both tucking into others food. When I started to hide mine the manager said I was being petty. What the fuck...
We actually had a woman in the accounting department at the bank get fired for this. She was written up several times and her attitude was if it was in the lounge it was up for grabs. She just wouldn't let that go and would help herself to whatever she wanted right up until she was fired 🤦🏼♀️
Never understood it, hope you get some honest answers. People be making their lunches from a home with canines in the kitchen and cats on the stove. Bunch of weirdos, if food doesn’t come from my home, I do not touch it.
A client once emailed someone in my workplace to ask if they received a box of cookies that had been delivered as a gift to the front desk, but no one had seen them.
The junior receptionist at the time was asked if she had seen the delivery, she said she had and that the autistic boy who worked at the office had eaten them.
He was asked about them and admitted to eating them.
They then checked the security tapes however and seen that the receptionist ate them all.
Needless to say she was fired.
Idk but the first time I worked for my current job I never ate at work had just had my first son and would have nothing left over a coworker asked why I was never bringing my lunch and I told him I couldn’t afford it and about my son three others said “shit man I’m sorry just ask” and handed me food I still think of that sometimes
I did this when my coworker died. She left candy in her desk. After a respectful time had passed, someone had to. It was going to get gross or attract ants if I didn't do something. I watered her desk plants for a long time, in my defense.
I did this once when I was like 18 and working in a factory. I lived alone and couldn’t afford food to make a dinner for myself. I rotated lunches until my first paycheque came in. I wouldn’t eat the entire thing… only take 1 item from certain containers.
Once I got my first paycheque I bought pizza and a bucket of wings so I didn’t feel so guilty! It cost me like £40 (back in 2006?) so a lot back then!
When I was 18-19, I worked at this whole sale store. Occasionally the most the managers would do was buy a small bit of ice cream for the employees. Always pre-wrapped type stuff.
I came in one Saturday night and found Klondike bars in the freezer. No note, no packaging, no bag etc. I figured the managers had a morning party and that was the left overs. I was hungry that day and ended up having 2 or 3. Again, I was like 18.
Next day I get a straight up interrogation call, asking if I ate one of the key holder’s ice cream.. great.
They didn’t let that shit go until the day I left. Offered to buy her more and everything. Didn’t care about that, only cared about telling the whole store I stole the ice cream lol
I’ve only ever stolen a Red Bull before and it was bc a) I was dead tired and had a lot of work to get through that day and b) it was in a 12 pack so it’s not like I was taking the owner’s last one. This was fairly recently so I’m thinking I should just buy a single can of what I took to put back in the 12 pack and it’ll be like it never happened
I had mine taken a couple times at an old job, it was the first and last time I used communal fridges.
I would buy Wendys before work, and throw in the fridge, and at one point, it got taken a few times in a row, so I bought another, sabotaged the fuck out of it.
Rubbed it on the trash compactor, bottom of my shoes, spit in it, had a coworker spit in it. Wrapped it back up and put it in the fridge. It was gone like clockwork.
I hope they got extremely sick and missed work.
I did it once and only once after I found out my coworker ate MY lunch (pretty expensive soup & a pastrami sandwich from a local deli) and I was 100% sure it was her.
Waited until she had something really good in the fridge (takeout from the best Thai place in town) and DEVOURED it. Left half a bite in her empty takeout container. I call it justice.
When I was really broke and my only meal for the day was a hotdog and bread. I still never took anyone's lunch. It's just a question of character. Some people don't have any.
Not me, but a coworker of mine actually fessed up and apologized. Said he didn't have money for lunch. We made garbage wages and my wife at the time was making pretty good money. Next day I brought 2x my lunch and shared and did that for the 3 more months I worked there.
Plain and simple hunger. One place I worked someone ate someone's meal almost every day. People were pissed! A panel of people decided to catch the crook. Pans were hatched. Spies were hired.
Then one little girl (still in college) asked the question, "What if we have someone here who doesn't have enough money to eat?"
That changed everything. Several people began bringing food and labeling it, "free."
I’ve done it before. I was like 18 working at a nursing home as a CNA and didn’t even make enough to cover my bills, let alone feed myself. My “food budget” was just enough for the baby formula that WIC didn’t cover. I felt bad about it but it was usually the only time I would eat that day. And I didn’t do it often, just when I felt I couldn’t stay on my feet anymore. Luckily I struck up a deal with the kitchen ladies and they started putting leftovers from dinner in the fridge from time to time. They risked their jobs for me.
i was so god damn hungry. i peeked in the fridge and freezer just to see. i ended up eating a chicken pot pie that had expired a year beforehand because i figured it had been there long enough that no one would miss it. no regrets.
Had someone steal my lunch 3 times... the next time I put the upper limit of my spice level in my food.. which was no where near the spice level of the dick that stole it.. well we all found out who did it. He was pissed tried to fight me but couldn't due to the roaring inferno in his stomach...
I'm Belgian. I'm flabbergasted to learn people do that. I've worked 30+ years for the federal administration and nobody ever stole food from the shared fridge. Ever.
I’ve ate someone’s because I watched them put it in the fridge, then it was still in there the next day. They then went on vacation
So I took the liberty of making sure it didn’t go to waste.
Once when I was in clinicals one of the supervisors bought me and my fellow student a pizza. So we ate some and left the rest of it in the fridge overnight. The next day we went to get it for lunch and it wasn’t eaten but someone had played with it and pulled it all apart into small pieces and basically destroyed it. I was like whyyy would someone intentionally destroy the food of broke college students. I never got an answer and it haunts me to this day. If they had just taken a piece or two and eaten it, I would not have cared at all.
My spouse is military. One day three separate people in their office had their lunches stolen.
Imagine an angry Lt. Colonel (the boss) stomping around the office in full irate officer mode trying to ascertain who the culprit was.
Whoever the monster was didn't even leave my good tupperware anywhere to be found.
I'm my field (nursing) we are more scroungers than thieves. It's well advised to label your stuff because untended stuff and hungry night staff are not a good combo.
This will go badly for people at my work....I am a medical marijuana patient...I take it for pain issues, have for years. As a result, my tolerance and dosage is extremely high (pun intended)...so whover eats my homemade cookies, brownies, or caramels is gonna find themselves way too stoned to function, without a prescription for the medicine...terminated.
I ate my coworkers sandwich bc he accused me of doing it when I hadn’t and wouldn’t let it go. I hardly knew the guy and he was a huge asshole about it. After that, I would go out of my way to eat his sandwiches every single time, plus I would text him and tell him I did so (I worked third shift and he was on first).
##fuck you steve
I don't know how often it happens if it was on the regular I'd be leaving an ass hair sandwich as bait. Probably the same people that piss all over the toilet seat or worse.
The only moment I did it is when my colleague got sick, went home and sent us to our work whatsapp group that she forgot her luch in the fridge and she will be one week in sick leave and if one of us wanted to eat it!
It was delicious!!!
I worked in a place that didn't supply milk for coffee. I would keep small long life 200ml bottles in my toolbox, I'd only use half of it to make my coffee, the other half I'd have to put in the fridge for the next morning. I started noticing the half I had left over was getting smaller and smaller. Someone was having a taking some of it. I asked around and even said I don't mind if you ASK... know one came forward. So I filled it with my piss. I am not joking. I even labelled the back of the cartoon (******'s piss! Do not drink!) I came into work one morning and the kitchen had vomit all over the floor, and the cunt of the workplace was on his knees dry heaving. When confronted by everyone, I simply showed them what I wrote on it. 4 weeks later he resigned. I also got a warning, but I was prepared for it. I think if I didn't write on the cartoon, I may have been fired
I took a soda that has been in the fridge 9 months. Diet Mountain Dew. Never knew whose it was and I was DYING for caffeine after an all nighter. I was like it’s been there long enough it’s never being claimed.
With COVID we had tons of people in and out for long stretches. I myself accidentally switched departments and left some drinks behind so figured I paid with interest.
I caught a co worker stealing my lunch but he didn't see me watching him take it.
I had to work overtime that day so when he left, I shit in his safety boots.
# Message to all users: This is a reminder to please read and follow: * [Our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/ask/about/rules) * [Reddiquette](https://www.reddithelp.com/hc/en-us/articles/205926439) * [Reddit Content Policy](https://www.redditinc.com/policies/content-policy) When posting and commenting. --- Especially remember Rule 1: `Be polite and civil`. * Be polite and courteous to each other. Do not be mean, insulting or disrespectful to any other user on this subreddit. * Do not harass or annoy others in any way. * Do not catfish. Catfishing is the luring of somebody into an online friendship through a fake online persona. This includes any lying or deceit. --- You *will* be banned if you are homophobic, transphobic, racist, sexist or bigoted in any way. --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ask) if you have any questions or concerns.*
good luck separating the honest answers and clown answers.
[удалено]
So you’re more a scavenger than a predator.
Oh fuck that! I get walked out by the company. I'm not given a chance to gather my stuff. They pack up my belongings and mail them to me. The only thing in my cubicle that I wanted back was a goddamn can of Pringles. And now I'm unemployed. I can't afford name brand food. And are there generic Pringles? No. I'm over here taking dehydrated potatoes, adding water, and pressing them into flat circles and baking them. These are shit! The seasonings I have aren't chip grade, and I don't have the tools to spread it evenly. Those Pringles meant everything to me, man...
Man, i am so sorry. You were unfairly fired. They didn't get Ur humour. A boss ship of power obsessed "sackers"! They individually will suffer payback karma.
That is a horrific story . Maybe if you told the makers of Pringles this . You can be the next spokesman for the company . Everyone will think of you every time they find themselves craving a salty snack that comes in a canister and every chip looks exactly the chip before it
More of an opportunist than a thief.
More a salvager than a pilferer.
More a forager than a brigand
More a vulture than a hyena.
More of a detritivore than a carnivore
[удалено]
More a Timon & Pumbaa than a Zazu 
More of a Grimace than a Hamburglar. 
"Only those mobile enough to salvage, brutal enough to pilfer would survive..." :-)
So a rat then. 🐀
More of a buddy than a pal.
In Portugal There is a saying that opportunity makes a thief
😂
If he was keeping pringles in the fridge he probably deserved to be fired
Ha, let the cube looting begin! I got so much good stuff that way. The seat would still be warm sometimes when the raiding would begin.
Queue a hundred comments from redditors sharing their stories about how THEIR lunch got stolen, and not a single one answering OP’s question.
A guy in an office I used to work at had his lunch swiped, so he printed missing persons pictures with a pic of an identical lunch he prepared and put them on all the office fridges and doors. It was fucking hilarious. Poor sod never caught the culprit.
Anyone steal his lunch again, though?
Someone recently stole my nice Tupperware from my roomie’s work (with his initials on it and everything!) and after 2 weeks of asking around and nada, I was so mad that I made wanted posters. It took another week, but everyone was talking about it and trying to suss out who it was- eventually someone came in super early and put it back on his desk with the wanted poster on top. The return of the hostage Tupperware made it into the next all hands meeting lol.
I did this when some stole my special microwaveable lunch bowl, whom I named Squish. I ournio missing signs with a picture. Ultimately I purchased a replacement, Squash. The culprit was never found. It was collapsible for storage and had a steam basket for veggies. I’d mix my meal prepped food in squish and zap it. You will be missed, Squish. People mostly thought it was funny.
My wife had the same sort of bowl. It was also stolen in work. Bastards
I really appreciate both that you named your lunch bowls, and the names you chose Edit: downvoted for a comment expressing approval?? I love Reddit 😁
I remember that at one place I worked, I would drink milk as I was into bodybuilding, but they kept taking it to make milk, so I called everyone's attention in the all male office and they looked over to see me resting my exposed testicles on the opening of the milk bottle. No one touched it after that. It was an independent recruitment agency so there wasn't any HR department and the boss would often send me home early so the rest of them could smoke in the office illegally as I was the only one who didn't smoke.
They were taking milk, to make milk? Also username checks out.
My thoughts exactly. Sir, what?? They took your milk to make milk so you put your balls on it?
What else was he supposed to do?
You’re right. He had no choice
So i have the same story but different. I had just returned to work from having a baby & the same thing was happening to me. So I casually whipped out a boob and expressed some breast milk into that carton and no one ever touched it again.
You win. Hands down. We need more women that are prepared to do what it takes to set people straight!
Milk to make milk stumps me. Wot??
What on earth does it mean to take milk to make milk? Did they misunderstand the phrase it takes money to make money? They thought it applied to milk?
I'm sure he meant. Milk to make xoffee
Oh, xoffee! Makes sense now.
Lmao
That's a real bold move trusting that they weren't putting anything in your milk at their smoke parties.
Exposing your genitalia to a room full of men. Obviously the manliest thing one can do.
There's a super duper solution i read that ppl have taken. They put super laxative into the food! The sod soiled himself/herself n had nothing to wear!
Yeah, in the UK you can get into a lot of shit for that, lol. Pun intended.
[удалено]
I would have loved to have seen that.
I've worked in a Gov department, and there was a theft of 20 sausage rolls, which was escalated to the police and the building users were asking for a fridge cam.
And? Don't leave us hanging, man!
Luckily, calmer minds prevailed, and the whole thing was squashed. One of the directors went out and purchased 50 sausage rolls and gave them out. Honestly, some people pretend that the work fridge is their own house fridge.
Notice you were using the passive voice here. Did YOU steal those sausage rolls?
Shit, I've been found out. Luckily, all evidence was eaten.
They can't prove shit!!
Proof is in the shit
Oh shit!!
I accidentally drank an opened soda because I thought it was mine. From that point forward I wrote my name on my food. Not because I didn't want someone eating it but because it was the only way I knew that it was mine.
That’s an accident though. I’m asking about people who do it intentionally.
See, I always had the problem of a coworker throwing out my food. She would always take it upon herself to clean out the fridge a couple of times a week, and she never actually paid attention to what had been in there for a week vs what had just put in there, and just assumed that most things were just old.
She had her brain n soul thrown out long ago. She ought to be thrown out from employment
When I was younger, I would take other people's food from work. An entire childhood of being food insecure and having to steal food from neighbors, grocery stores, or plates in restaurants before the busser could clean it instilled a deep need to steal food whenever I could find it. I was always so scared that if I didn't take that food, I may not have another chance to eat. My mom was too nervous to visit food banks or accept government help, and it took me a while to realize that it is okay to accept help. It was shitty of me to do, and I haven't had this issue since my late teens/early twenties when I started being able to afford my own food without resorting to theft.
Maybe that's the answer. It's always an accident. "Hmm... Yes, I think I do remember making a delicious steak with exceptional marbling, with a side of creamy mashed potatoes and a fresh, crisp garden salad."
“Even though I’m vegan.”
Almost everyone at my job does two things, drink Dr pepper and leave their bottles on my desk. I’ve witnessed too many times someone set down their bottle and then someone else come and take a sip and walk off of with it.
I feel like this is an opportunity to set up one of those wildlife cameras where it shows animals in the wild all drinking from the same source.
Please do this. Then use A.I. to voiceover it sounding like Nat geo and put this on YouTube
Someone did that in a training academy I was in. When I told him that the sweaty, sticky, gallon of tap water he was drinking belonged to the nastiest BO trainee in our class… he almost threw up. Poor guy never lived that down.
Serves thieves right! I have zero sympathy
*sigh* I once mistakenly drank from the designated ash tray can
Ugh...at around 4 years old I learned that lesson the hard way too after one of my parents' parties. Do NOT drink leftover soda. Also be careful of bees in soda at picnics. Soda cans are dangerous.
I once was so broke that i couldn't afford food for some days. I only had bread at home. And I was ashamed to bring blank bread to work ( i once got bullied because of that at school, so I got scared because I really needed that job). So I ate some slices at home. During work I noticed how the last few days with just bread finally crashed on me. I felt weak as hell, my circulation fell into hell. I coudln't properly walk, see or think. So I ate a sandwich of a coworker and an apple from another one. I was ashamed as hell and kept silent about it for some days. When my finances got green again, I got both of them lunch as an apology and told them the truth. Both were angry because I could have simply asked them. But I was too ashamed. But everything is fine again between us. Sometimes the older lady asks me if my lunch was enough or if she can share with me - even if I say that it was enough and that I am full she still hands me some fruits.
This is the only honest answer so far. Props to you for admitting what you did. I hope your finances never reach that point ever again
That must have been terrible
That story makes my heart ache. This is why I bring random treats to work 'for everyone' (bag of cuties and donuts or bagels). There's a lot of college students where I work and I worry about them. I don't want them to have to ask for help. I just want it to be there if they need it.
People like you make the world go around, with these 'small' acts of kindness that are actually huge. You have a good heart. I hope you are happy and fulfilled in life. You deserve to be 💚
I’m calling plain bread “blank bread” from now on.
Whoa blank breaddy
If anyone ever gets in this position, go see your local food pantry. If you can’t get anyone, call the big food bank they all get their food from. Most food banks are part of the Feeding America network, and they have a coordinator for your area. The coordinator will get you some decent food. You can find a pantry by zip code here: https://www.whyhunger.org You can find your regional Food Bank here: https://www.feedingamerica.org/find-your-local-foodbank/all-food-banks Find us. We won’t let you have just bread at the house.
I finally swallowed this pill, and after calling and realizing their referral program was literally me calling to schedule an appointment, I felt so much better. Plus, when I went the first time, I scored a bottle of Torani syrup. I wish I'd had grabbed a box of Ritz crackers, but I was pretty happy with what I got. Two things of chicken thighs and a huge package of legs. They even had salad kits and some great veggies. I need to schedule another run for this coming week so I can try and get some other staples I've run out on.
I'm sorry you went through that, nobody should have to wonder where their next meal is coming from. I'm going to take this opportunity to give a plug for food banks, they're there to help people without judgement.
If any of my coworkers did this to me, I'd be pissed. I'd happily door dash them some lunch, if I knew. Last time a coworker came over asking if we had any spare snacks because he didn't have lunch he got inundated with food from everyone in the area. I keep a spare ramen packet in my drawer for just that occasion.
Honestly with this situation I don't think I would really be upset at all, if I believed him/her. If you put yourself in their shoes you could see how awkward/shameful it'd have been to ask a coworker to buy them lunch, and when you're starving it's hard to not snag food you see in the fridge 🤷♂️
I agree with you. Provided it didnt happen again after a conversation was had, I'd totally understand because I've been so poor I couldn't afford enough food before. It's a painful and shameful feeling.
Also the word "starving" gets thrown around a lot. It's not about missing a few meals back to back, it's literally your body eating itself to stay alive. Not everyone has been in that position, but the mind set it puts you through will change a man.
I wouldn’t be angry, I’d just feel so bad for the person. I was at a point once where I had to eat scraps off of the children’s plates at work (daycare); I’d always volunteer to take the leftover trays to the kitchen so I could stuff a few discarded bits into my mouth before dumping the rest of the food rubbish into the garbage can. After rent, bills, and gas to get to work, there wasn’t enough left for adequate groceries. I never stole food - I basically ate out of the bin - but I was so ashamed and embarrassed. There were days I almost started crying when I walked into the kitchen and saw someone else in there, because it meant I couldn’t eat my scraps. And I was so tired, and so hungry. I needed those scraps to get through the rest of the afternoon. If somebody stole my lunch and later confessed and explained why, I’d be nothing but compassionate and assure them that if they’re ever in that situation again, just let me know and I’d be happy to spot them lunch and also do a grocery run with them, my treat. PS If anyone is wondering if I ever spoke up and asked for help, I did. I tried telling the lead teacher in my room that I was struggling to afford food and didn’t know what to do. Her response was to say, “OMG, I know exactly what you mean. After I finished booking our summer vacation for this year, I spent so much money that I had to eat oatmeal for dinner last night! It really sucks being poor.” 🙄
I wouldn’t be surprised if everyone saying “I would be pissed too, just ask!” has never dealt with the shame of being truly broke in their lives Lots of people like to romanticize being broke for some reason like it’s such a noble struggle, and they apply the “broke” label to themselves almost like a badge of honor. But people who have actually dealt with being BROKE know, there’s nothing romantic or honorable about it lol
>Asked if there were any spare snacks because didn’t have lunch that day This was such a good idea to only ask for snacks to save face. I can see how everyone would rush to pitch in.
nice answer. I've been in that space once or twice. never eaten a lunch but because that particular option just didn't come up, but I totally see why you did. hope things are more solid for you now.
I imagine the answers range for the same reasons anyone steals anything: + Desperation; you need the thing being stolen, but can't afford it otherwise. + Conserve resources; you're not desperate, but things are tight and tend to have a 'kill or be killed' mentality + Resource acquisition; you don't need the thing, but would benefit having it + 'Not a big deal' ; you're stealing something you presume is small and won't be missed + The thrill; you get a high or an adrenaline rush from taking the thing in question or encountering the situation you're making the theft in. + Targetted; This can be done against an individual or a group. The resources stolen may or may not be needed. Can be done for any combination of reasons above and/or because you seek to deprive that person of that resource out of usual vengeful reasons. Not to be confused with stealing consistently because that person just happens to have alot of the desired resource. It's usually one or multiple of those reasons people steal. I'm sure there's others (and please add to this list), but it usually varies per person based on their inherent level of empathy vs their ability to rationalize those reasons. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE rationalizes (justifies) their choices to some extent. It just happens. That's why people are assholes a lot of the time, but never convinced that they are.
This is a great list and breakdown of the reasons, really great work. I’d add in “entitlement” or maybe “narcissism”. Some people just don’t give af about anyone else. They see the food, see the opportunity, and just think “fuck it why not? I’m hungry, this looks good, I won’t be caught, it’s mine now”. There may be some rationalization that occurs with most lunch thieves, but some people probably don’t even bother to rationalize it; I imagine they’re just selfish, entitled, and possibly narcissistic enough to just take it because there’s a want and an opportunity, and that’s enough to justify it for them. Others may rationalize and most probably do, but I’m willing to bet there’s a chunk of people that just don’t care, the opportunity is enough.
Great thoughts here, but I'm gonna add that I've never spoken with a narcissist who did not otherwise justify their actions with some backwards af reasoning. If they have the opportunity to blame the victim, all the better for it.
Bonus for mental illness. One time when I was severely unwell with an eating disorder I broke down in front of the staff fridge. I was involuntarily hospitalised two days afterwards and the food was communal because it was after lunch so anyone who brought food had eaten it already (my office had some catering at the time hence communal), but if anyone had left food in there I can’t guarantee I would have overlooked it. It was like being in the most awful fugue state. I hated myself so much afterwards, too, but I was so unwell and barely alive let alone rational. I’m very glad to have left that behaviour in the past.
Yup. Once I stole food from the work fridge because I had been starving myself for three days. Felt so much guilt afterwards. And paranoia.
I had a coworker who, for whatever reason, liked to "clean out the fridge" which translated to throw away everything in the fridge that wasn't hers. So I just started eating her stuff. I'd call that fair.
How often did she clean out the fridge?
At least monthly. The first time she did it, she cleaned it out and threw everything away, and made a rule that we had to write our names on everything that was ours. Okay, fine, ill do that. Then it happened again, and my name was written on all of my things that she threw away, and I was mad. Then she said that we should have our names written on it and the receipts taped to our food (getting ridiculous here, but okay), so I started doing that. Then she threw everything away again and said that we should have our names, receipts, and keep everything that is ours in one bag with our names on it. At that point I said fuck it and just started eating her food. Groceries are expensive, I'm not going to keep buying things just for her to throw them away. I did quit not too long after that.
At my work we're actually getting to the point where people will not only have to write their name but also a date on food they leave in their or it'll get tossed during a monthly clean out. But we also have had major issues for like 2 years now of food rotting in there so it kinda makes sense. Sometimes grown adults need to be treated like children which may be an unpopular opinion here
I can understand if something is rotting, but that never happened with anything of mine.
Definitely a control freak problem. The worst
From the sound of it....too damn much.
My job requires the date it was put in and a name. Anything without either or anything that was left for 3 or more days are thrown away by the night shift.
When I lived in a communal area at university, I used to have my food stolen from the freezer. Used to irk me so much coming back from a long day of classes, just to find my food gone. They also kept taking my damn tea cups. I'm pretty sure I knew who it was, but had no proof. She woke me up once at 3am asking for a condom. "No, Charlotte. But, you can give me back my damn pizza and cups!". Fairly sure those cups sat in her room going mouldy as well. I don't think these people have respect for themselves, let alone anyone else.
I had that problem when I lived in residence. My mom had died, so I worked all summer & had to ask my dad for help with money. (He gave me $1,000 for the year). Also, I’m vegetarian. I would take a plate with bread & peanut butter on the nights I had evening classes & missed dinner, also I had milk & a banana for the mornings I missed breakfast . I had just enough money to share a pizza or go to a movie once a week. If my food was stolen, I’d go hungry. (In second year, I learned where leftover breakfast meeting food was, & also forged a bus pass so I could buy coffee). I lost a lot of weight that year.
I had £250 worth of Italian cheese I’d bought there when visiting my gf, stolen from the fridge in my halls.
I bought a bottle of cheap sparkling wine for my birthday while I was living in halls. Left it in the fridge for 2 hours while getting ready to go out, greeting friends etc. Some cunt nicked it. How do you even justify that? It's not like it was a splash of milk :(
I don't even eat food from potlucks. I'd be terrified to eat some random lunch. Plus, I'm not a thief.
My wife is like this. Her food allergies make potlucks dangerous. And the way serving spoons move around, if one thing there contains an allergen then anything might.
My brother is Celiac and his wife is allergic to corn. Parties are really fun for them.
I feel so seen. WHY IS THERE EGG...EVERYWHERE?!
For me it's more hygiene worries. What's their house like? Did they touch their butthole and then the food? Did they cook the chicken to the right temp?
I know a lady who is known as the baker of her friend group. Any time there's an event she does the cake and cookies and pies. She's recently branched out and is selling her goods on Facebook. I won't touch her food. Her house is nasty and her dogs shit inside everyday. Her hygiene is highly questionable; I've seen some things I wish I hadn't. She doesn't clean the old batter off her stand mixer so weeks old dried up batter falls into whatever she is mixing. She leaves things sitting out that should be refrigerated and uses expired ingredients. There's been times that no one touched my food and I had a hunch that is because I'm poor and they assumed that means I have a dirty kitchen. This woman lives in a _very_ nice house in one of the nicest neighborhoods in town. I don't trust anyone unless I watched them do it.
It’s not even allergies. Other people are gross and I’m not eating something they prepared in their home unless I know them more than a colleague.
I'm the same with Potlucks. Don't feel bad. I just don't trust em.
Same. I always thank people who share cookies or stuff and then when they're not looking, I toss it out. People let their cats on the counters with shit feet, let toddlers help cook, and run gross shit through their dish machines. A guy once offered me some chips he'd been eating while petting his dog. He was reaching into the bag with the same hand and seemed confused why I'd turn that down. Gross. People are gross.
We had a lady boss at the office - everyone said "don't share your popcorn with her - she doesn't wash her hands after using the toilet." And she sure did not.
I used to do this as a kid - don't know if that counts - but I would have to sit around for hours at my mom's work and she never had food for me. I would look in the fridge, which was in the same room I had to sit in and if there was an unopened yogurt I'd wolf it down. I feel bad about it now, but dang, why didn't a mother have food for her kid??
That’s completely on your mother for neglecting you.
I was a naive 18 yr old working my first job. I opened the fridge in the break room and there was a bunch of food there. Cakes, snakes, sandwiches and whatnot. For some reason I just assumed this was food the company just put in the fridge for the employees to take at their own discretion, so I grabbed a single slice of carrot cake. Man, the person who it belonged to was PISSED! She wrote a note on the fridge with all kinds of insults. I could feel the anger through a piece of paper! I bought the same cardot cake a few weeks later and put a note on it that said "for everyone, especially the person I stole from". No one ever found out who did it - and they never will! This was in 2008.
I did the same but with a mug when I started working. I didn’t realize the mug belonged to someone else - thought it was the company - and I was drinking it in front of him. He was mad and I apologized. I came from daycare previously and nobody has personal mugs, and it was my first office job. Ironically it’s 5 years later and someone else took my mug and I felt the same annoyance lol.
The food I ate was frozen; and judging by the look of it had been for sometime. It was 2 frozen burritos, totally iced over and way back in the freezer.... I still feel shame, but I hadn't eaten in nearly 2 days, and my hunger overided my morals. I was flat broke, and riding a bike to work. I would never eat a freshly packed lunch though.
I think a statute of limitations in a shared fridge is appropriate when it comes to what could be considered abandoned food. My company routinely cleans out the fridge and throws out forgotten items. If you know who the owner is, by all means, ask them first.
Don't feel bad, if it's all as you said. All of us have a couple frozen burritos in the back of the freezer that we've forgotten about. They're cheap and forgettable, not like taking somebody's freshly made sandwich, IMHO.
I feel like that’s not the same lmao
He selectively cleaned out the freezer and disposed of the contents in his belly.
This is the only food I've ever taken as well, sealed and left in fridge to die.
Someone took my food from the fridge. It was in a container. I looked everywhere and after a while I figured out that we brought the same container and he just thought it was his. Sometimes it’s just Hanlon’s razor guys
But wouldn't that person immediately put it back once they realize it had different food in it? It doesn't make sense.
Spouse made their lunch most likely
Exactly what I thought when I saw it. Meals were similar too
My husband always makes my lunch while I put the kid to bed. I can see this happening.
Cuz sometimes I forget to bring fish to microwave in the breakroom.
Man the smell of fish in a warm room it like reduces the oxygen levels or something I need to go outside or poke my head out a window. I cant breathe.
I've never done it, but I remember a girl stealing some bread from a bag at work. She had no food, and it was her first day, it was a full loaf so I ignored it. Next day I brought her something from the vending machine Next day was pay day and she had food
When I was young and broke, i lived off macaroni grill bread (I started there) for a few weeks until I got paid to afford my own food again.
...Especially when you're a manager earning three times more then the staff you're stealing from...
I like my cream bun for morning coffee... first day it was taken, second day it was taken. 3rd day I lifted up the cream and laid down a layer of hot sauce. 3th day it was taken. 4th day I enjoyed a cream bun with my coffee.
thirth
I did it once... Guy left a couple of microwave pizzas in the work freezer... He only comes by once or twice a week, one day I forgot my prepared lunch and had no money so I ate his pizzas He was fine with it, but I did get a couple of replacement ones.... He took too long so I ate those too. Now it's a running joke, I left some food in there once and he ate that, was super proud of himself
I find this whole scenario wholesomely amusing
It was, we give eachother shit about it constantly
[удалено]
The vines will get ya!
I never ate peoples but from my experience its usually the bosses. They feel entitled enough and have the opportunity. I've caught a manager and a owner both tucking into others food. When I started to hide mine the manager said I was being petty. What the fuck...
We actually had a woman in the accounting department at the bank get fired for this. She was written up several times and her attitude was if it was in the lounge it was up for grabs. She just wouldn't let that go and would help herself to whatever she wanted right up until she was fired 🤦🏼♀️
Never understood it, hope you get some honest answers. People be making their lunches from a home with canines in the kitchen and cats on the stove. Bunch of weirdos, if food doesn’t come from my home, I do not touch it.
Hey - I take that personally. I *always * cook my pets to an internal temperature of 165°.
Gotta make sure you skin off ALL the hair first. Nobody likes hair in their food.
So some butt scratcher packaged your food in a factory and that doesn’t bother you?
A client once emailed someone in my workplace to ask if they received a box of cookies that had been delivered as a gift to the front desk, but no one had seen them. The junior receptionist at the time was asked if she had seen the delivery, she said she had and that the autistic boy who worked at the office had eaten them. He was asked about them and admitted to eating them. They then checked the security tapes however and seen that the receptionist ate them all. Needless to say she was fired.
Damn, that’s just dirty. Glad she was fired. She didn’t know you had cameras? I assume any place I work has cameras even if I can’t see them.
Same people who leave shopping carts in parking spots
Idk but the first time I worked for my current job I never ate at work had just had my first son and would have nothing left over a coworker asked why I was never bringing my lunch and I told him I couldn’t afford it and about my son three others said “shit man I’m sorry just ask” and handed me food I still think of that sometimes
I did this when my coworker died. She left candy in her desk. After a respectful time had passed, someone had to. It was going to get gross or attract ants if I didn't do something. I watered her desk plants for a long time, in my defense.
I did this once when I was like 18 and working in a factory. I lived alone and couldn’t afford food to make a dinner for myself. I rotated lunches until my first paycheque came in. I wouldn’t eat the entire thing… only take 1 item from certain containers. Once I got my first paycheque I bought pizza and a bucket of wings so I didn’t feel so guilty! It cost me like £40 (back in 2006?) so a lot back then!
I've done it to be malicious to someone who was being a twat.
I'm not offended, but curious what you got for your efforts
When I was 18-19, I worked at this whole sale store. Occasionally the most the managers would do was buy a small bit of ice cream for the employees. Always pre-wrapped type stuff. I came in one Saturday night and found Klondike bars in the freezer. No note, no packaging, no bag etc. I figured the managers had a morning party and that was the left overs. I was hungry that day and ended up having 2 or 3. Again, I was like 18. Next day I get a straight up interrogation call, asking if I ate one of the key holder’s ice cream.. great. They didn’t let that shit go until the day I left. Offered to buy her more and everything. Didn’t care about that, only cared about telling the whole store I stole the ice cream lol
BUT U ANSWERED THE UNIVERSAL QUESTION OF WUT WUD U DO 4 A KLONDIKE BAR
Ugh. I’ve done it. I’m generally a very ethical person. I really wanted some half and half in my coffee. Not a huge theft but I guess theft is theft.
Some are assholes, some are broke and hungry. Ignore the assholes and feed the hungry.
I’ve only ever stolen a Red Bull before and it was bc a) I was dead tired and had a lot of work to get through that day and b) it was in a 12 pack so it’s not like I was taking the owner’s last one. This was fairly recently so I’m thinking I should just buy a single can of what I took to put back in the 12 pack and it’ll be like it never happened
[удалено]
Because Tyrone is always big!
You should definitely do that, borrowing without asking is much more tolerable than just being deprived of one 12th of your purchased good.
Ah, the justifier. "There were 12 in there, you didn't need them all!" Yeah, you should replace it.
I work in Construction...I've seen men fight over fucking around with their coolers.
I had mine taken a couple times at an old job, it was the first and last time I used communal fridges. I would buy Wendys before work, and throw in the fridge, and at one point, it got taken a few times in a row, so I bought another, sabotaged the fuck out of it. Rubbed it on the trash compactor, bottom of my shoes, spit in it, had a coworker spit in it. Wrapped it back up and put it in the fridge. It was gone like clockwork. I hope they got extremely sick and missed work.
I did it once and only once after I found out my coworker ate MY lunch (pretty expensive soup & a pastrami sandwich from a local deli) and I was 100% sure it was her. Waited until she had something really good in the fridge (takeout from the best Thai place in town) and DEVOURED it. Left half a bite in her empty takeout container. I call it justice.
Gotta leave a bite to let her know it was personal, love it.
When I was really broke and my only meal for the day was a hotdog and bread. I still never took anyone's lunch. It's just a question of character. Some people don't have any.
Not me, but a coworker of mine actually fessed up and apologized. Said he didn't have money for lunch. We made garbage wages and my wife at the time was making pretty good money. Next day I brought 2x my lunch and shared and did that for the 3 more months I worked there.
Wait the frigid at work isn't just free food?
Entitlement, in my opinion. If you didn't bring it in or get permission from the one who did to eat it, IT'S NOT YOURS!!!
Plain and simple hunger. One place I worked someone ate someone's meal almost every day. People were pissed! A panel of people decided to catch the crook. Pans were hatched. Spies were hired. Then one little girl (still in college) asked the question, "What if we have someone here who doesn't have enough money to eat?" That changed everything. Several people began bringing food and labeling it, "free."
I’ve done it before. I was like 18 working at a nursing home as a CNA and didn’t even make enough to cover my bills, let alone feed myself. My “food budget” was just enough for the baby formula that WIC didn’t cover. I felt bad about it but it was usually the only time I would eat that day. And I didn’t do it often, just when I felt I couldn’t stay on my feet anymore. Luckily I struck up a deal with the kitchen ladies and they started putting leftovers from dinner in the fridge from time to time. They risked their jobs for me.
i was so god damn hungry. i peeked in the fridge and freezer just to see. i ended up eating a chicken pot pie that had expired a year beforehand because i figured it had been there long enough that no one would miss it. no regrets.
Had someone steal my lunch 3 times... the next time I put the upper limit of my spice level in my food.. which was no where near the spice level of the dick that stole it.. well we all found out who did it. He was pissed tried to fight me but couldn't due to the roaring inferno in his stomach...
I'm Belgian. I'm flabbergasted to learn people do that. I've worked 30+ years for the federal administration and nobody ever stole food from the shared fridge. Ever.
I imagine most of these stories come from US. We have equal parts complete assholes, and people who are that broke and desperate.
I’ve ate someone’s because I watched them put it in the fridge, then it was still in there the next day. They then went on vacation So I took the liberty of making sure it didn’t go to waste.
i was that broke and that hungry and knew that wasn’t all they had to eat.
They do it because they didn't eat a fucking punch to the face yet.
I feel like this was a lost opportunity for "knuckle sandwich."
Sorry, not a native speaker here, so I lack the knowledge of some expressions. Noted, though.
Fist buffet
Are there lunch boxes with locks on it. If not, someone needs to make that. Lol
Once when I was in clinicals one of the supervisors bought me and my fellow student a pizza. So we ate some and left the rest of it in the fridge overnight. The next day we went to get it for lunch and it wasn’t eaten but someone had played with it and pulled it all apart into small pieces and basically destroyed it. I was like whyyy would someone intentionally destroy the food of broke college students. I never got an answer and it haunts me to this day. If they had just taken a piece or two and eaten it, I would not have cared at all.
My spouse is military. One day three separate people in their office had their lunches stolen. Imagine an angry Lt. Colonel (the boss) stomping around the office in full irate officer mode trying to ascertain who the culprit was. Whoever the monster was didn't even leave my good tupperware anywhere to be found. I'm my field (nursing) we are more scroungers than thieves. It's well advised to label your stuff because untended stuff and hungry night staff are not a good combo.
This will go badly for people at my work....I am a medical marijuana patient...I take it for pain issues, have for years. As a result, my tolerance and dosage is extremely high (pun intended)...so whover eats my homemade cookies, brownies, or caramels is gonna find themselves way too stoned to function, without a prescription for the medicine...terminated.
I ate my coworkers sandwich bc he accused me of doing it when I hadn’t and wouldn’t let it go. I hardly knew the guy and he was a huge asshole about it. After that, I would go out of my way to eat his sandwiches every single time, plus I would text him and tell him I did so (I worked third shift and he was on first). ##fuck you steve
Texting him about it made me laugh out loud
I don't know how often it happens if it was on the regular I'd be leaving an ass hair sandwich as bait. Probably the same people that piss all over the toilet seat or worse.
The only moment I did it is when my colleague got sick, went home and sent us to our work whatsapp group that she forgot her luch in the fridge and she will be one week in sick leave and if one of us wanted to eat it! It was delicious!!!
What answers could there possibly be besides they’re desperate or they’re selfish?
I worked in a place that didn't supply milk for coffee. I would keep small long life 200ml bottles in my toolbox, I'd only use half of it to make my coffee, the other half I'd have to put in the fridge for the next morning. I started noticing the half I had left over was getting smaller and smaller. Someone was having a taking some of it. I asked around and even said I don't mind if you ASK... know one came forward. So I filled it with my piss. I am not joking. I even labelled the back of the cartoon (******'s piss! Do not drink!) I came into work one morning and the kitchen had vomit all over the floor, and the cunt of the workplace was on his knees dry heaving. When confronted by everyone, I simply showed them what I wrote on it. 4 weeks later he resigned. I also got a warning, but I was prepared for it. I think if I didn't write on the cartoon, I may have been fired
Some men just want to watch the world burn
An indication you should be discussing wages with your coworkers.
I took a soda that has been in the fridge 9 months. Diet Mountain Dew. Never knew whose it was and I was DYING for caffeine after an all nighter. I was like it’s been there long enough it’s never being claimed. With COVID we had tons of people in and out for long stretches. I myself accidentally switched departments and left some drinks behind so figured I paid with interest.
I caught a co worker stealing my lunch but he didn't see me watching him take it. I had to work overtime that day so when he left, I shit in his safety boots.