Although it doesn’t seem like it, food can become a major source of workplace conflict without people even intending it to. This is often because certain colleagues steal other folks' meals and think they can keep getting away with it.
This is what one employee experienced after their special homemade meals kept getting eaten by a new coworker. Even after confronting the guy about his actions, he didn’t stop stealing the food, so the employee decided to get revenge by simply getting a meal that he definitely couldn’t eat.
More info: Reddit
Swiping people’s lunch from a shared office fridge can be very annoying for the victims, and might start causing major conflicts
Image credits: The Yuri Arcurs Collection / Freepik (not the actual photo)
The poster explained that they followed a strict diet for religious reasons, and that a new coworker of theirs who had similar dietary restrictions kept stealing their food
Image credits: Drazen Zigic / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Even though the poster had confronted the guy about his sneaky behavior, he kept swiping their special homemade meals
Image credits: freepik / Freepik (not the actual photo)
Eventually, the poster decided to take revenge by packing leftovers as their work lunch, which had an ingredient that they knew the man couldn’t eat
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When the food thief got to know what had happened, he was livid and went to Human Resources, who sided with his coworker and called him out for stealing meals
As the OP mentioned, they had strict religious restrictions on food, which is why all their meals were homemade and prepared according to those specifications. They also made sure to label their food when they placed it in the communal office fridge so that other folks would know not to take the meals.
According to experts, living with these kinds of food restrictions can be tough, but if people have chosen them for cultural or religious reasons, it might be easier to follow. The best way to handle this decision is to let the folks in your life know about your specific diet so they can adjust and support you along the way.
Even though the poster had told their colleagues about their food restrictions, a new coworker began stealing their food. Since he also had similar preferences, he found the OP’s meals safe to eat and kept swiping the food even though it had been labeled, despite multiple warnings.
When situations like this occur, workplace advisors mention that people should talk to the concerned party immediately. This will help them set boundaries and also clear the air, rather than have the issue escalate into a conflict. If the other person is unwilling to change their behavior or be respectful, it might then be best to take action.
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Eventually, the OP couldn’t take the man’s sneaky behavior anymore and decided to teach him a lesson. Since their partner had made a meal which included an ingredient that the coworker couldn’t eat, the poster deliberately took those leftovers for lunch the next day, knowing he'd have them.
After the man had stolen the meal and taken a few bites, the poster immediately went to his desk and told him what was in it. This obviously shocked the guy, who felt he’d been tricked, even though he had been the one to take the food without asking for permission.
Although it might be pretty satisfying to teach an office thief a lesson like this, professionals explain that it's better to report them to Human Resources rather than engage in petty behavior. Apart from that, it's also a good idea to invest in anti-theft lunch bags or keep a cooler near your desk so no one can take your meals.
In this case, the man tried to report the poster for not warning him about the secret ingredient in the meal, but luckily, Human Resources didn’t take his side. Instead, they called him out for violating the office policy by stealing and mentioned that the coworker wasn’t in the wrong at all.
What do you think about the OP’s trick, and what would you have done to stop the office food thief? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
Most folks took the poster’s side and felt that the man deserved his punishment
