"No Snack" Rule Technicality Snafu Drives Worker to Quit Pedantic Boss

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jul 21, 2022 2:00 PM EDT

A worker was ridiculed by their boss for eating half a sandwich at their desk, which supposedly violated the boss's silly "Snacks only, no meals" rule regarding food in the office. This was the snack that broke the camel's back, and the incident drove the worker to quit.

We should get this tattooed at this point but as the old saying goes… "People don't quit jobs, they quit horrible bosses."

The thread was shared to Reddit's r/antiwork subreddit yesterday where it went massive and received just shy of 20k upvotes in the first twelve hours it was posted. The thread was posted with the title "I just quit my job of 3 years over a sandwich." 

Commenters voiced their rancorous disdain for the manager's policy and cheered the poster for their decisive reaction to the manager's behavior. Some encouraged further antagonizing of the boss while others passed comments on various aspects of the story. 

"Keep eating sandwiches at your desk during your notice period," DizzyDizzyWiggleBop slyly remarked.

"The only reason managers want you back in the office instead of WFH is to justify their own jobs. If WFH means you are happier, more productive and saving time and money on the commute then clearly the only reason to return to the office is so managers have more control and can shout at you more," dbe14 commented, referring to the growing friction between employers and employees due to requirements that workers to return to office buildings.

"Doesn't want people to eat at their desks and wants them to eat in a break room. Overloads them with work, so they can't take a break. Genius. Good luck with your new job!" Voiced elamb127.

"Treats full grown adults like children for no reason. That's the number one reason to leave. Cool, we have a difference in definitions, I get that. But I am also a grown up and competent human being. Treating me like a child is unacceptable and says a lot about the manager and how they view their staff." added Sptsjunkie in response to elamb127's comment. 

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  • 01
    Font - r/antiwork Posted by u/littlemiss_no 14 hours ago 3 3 3 2 I just quit my job of 3 years over a sandwich. And I don't regret it. Story: I (27f) have worked for a consumer goods company in the UK as a writer for almost 3 years. I don't hate the work that I do, but I've been slowly disengaging since management mandated all staff return to the office full time after covid (with zero flexibility to work from home despite proving we are just as efficient). The management styles in this place ar
    via u/littlemiss_no

    Thumbnail Image: https://unanything.fandom.com/wiki/Sandvich?file=06_sandvich.jpg

  • 02
    Font - But what was the straw that broke my back? Half a BLT sandwich. For context, employees are allowed to snack at our desks, but meals are forbidden. Just days earlier my manager bought in cakes, crisps and ice cream for us all to enjoy. And for a colleague's birthday last week we ate sausage rolls, pork pies and cupcakes. But back to the story: I'm over worked, under paid, stressed and hungry while sat at my desk, typing away. I reach into my bag to retrieve half a BLT sandwich, thinking "t
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 03
    Font - difference between a sausage roll and half a BLT is the be all and end all of office life and her despotic rules. So I quit. I told her I didn't want to work for her anymore because it's making me miserable. I said I would work my notice period but that then I'm gone. And I'm so proud of myself. I truly believe I'll find another, better job easily. TLDR: My manager allows us to eat snacks but not meals at our desks. I quit over the arbitrary difference between a sausage roll and half a BL
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 04
    Font - dbe14 11 hr. ago The only reason managers want you back in the office instead of WFH is to justify their own jobs. If WFH means you are happier, more productive and saving time and money on the commute then clearly the only reason to return to the office is so managers have more control and can shout at you more. 977 Reply Share kdthex01 7 hr. ago If they cant manage remote employees they are bad manager Reply Share 202
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 05
    Font - Brick_Lab 33 min. ago This. I'm a software manager and my whole team is fully remote (since the pandemic). Honestly I find it much easier this way, no more booking and running between meeting rooms that are limited in availability, and everyone on the team is happier with the extra time from cutting commutes ✩ Vote Reply Share
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 06
    Font - Cheap Woodpecker · 7 hr. ago It's really because that insanely priced office space would now stand empty and billionaires would lose money on the rent. 173 Reply Share BarnabyColeman 4 hr. ago Nah this is about power and control. Remember, businesses do not care about anything other than money. If they acknowledge having a physical location is unnecessary, and losing them money, a business obsessed with profit will drop the building. Edit typos 37 ↓ ●●● Keeping something that costs money
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 07
    Font - W elamb127 12 hr. ago Doesn't want people to eat at their desks and wants them to eat in a break room. Overloads them with work, so they can't take a break. Genius. Good luck with your new job! Reply Share 8.0k Sptsjunkie 9 hr. ago Treats full grown adults like children for no reason. That's the number one reason to leave. Cool, we have a difference in definitions, I get that. But I am also a grown up and competent human being. Treating me like a child is unacceptable and says a lot about
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 08
    Font - Dizzy DizzyWiggleBop 11 hr. ago Keep eating sandwiches at your desk during your notice period. 388 Diligaf-181 10 hr. ago Reply Share Every.Single.Day 0 191 Reply Share self-defenestrator 10 hr. ago 166 . Getting slightly bigger every day, until you go full f you Dagwood on the last day Reply Share
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 09
    Font - MyOfficeAlt 12 hr. ago Make sure that they know that it was their insistence on arbitrary and asinine policies to the detriment of actual worker performance and wellbeing that is costing them a valuable worker. 2.2k Reply Share acetateprophets 12 hr. ago THIS. I just got pulled into a meeting with HR for wearing leggings with a long tunic and knee length cardigan when I had a .:women's health issue:. So I had to call out two days because I couldn't wear slacks comfortably. Reply Share 806
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 10
    Product - ABSMeyneth 12 hr. ago Gotta know, what was her reaction when you quit? Did she backpedal, doubled down or just surprise picachu face'd it? 132 . 271 Reply Share littlemiss_no OP. 12 hr. ago She said "Do you want to wait until Monday to think about it?" Hahaha. NOPE! Reply Share
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 11
    Font - PhotonBath 12 hr. ago I can understand a hard rule against food at workstations in some circumstances. For someone working with chemicals or medical tests, for example. Or if one works with sensitive or delicate equipment. Or if the building has a pest problem. I can see no reason on earth to allow snacks at a workstation but not meals. That is purely about the manager's ego and control fetish. 1.1k Reply Share
    via u/littlemiss_no
  • 12
    Font - daxofdeath 12 hr. ago if there's a sandwich to quit over, it's a BLT 461 Reply Share thesmilingmercenary 11 hr. ago I'm so glad someone said it. It's just about the most perfect sandwich ever. ↑ 92 + Reply Share
    via u/littlemiss_no

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antiwork work coworkers workplace Horrible Bosses coworker rules boss manager petty Office quit quitting
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