'No money, no food': Employee refuses to indulge mooching coworker, tells him to pay for his own lunch, boss gets involved

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    Food - "I wasn't going to buy him food"
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    Font - AITA for refusing to buy a coworker lunch Not the A-hole I (23M) have a coworker (25M) who is a mooch. If you get something for lunch, he wants you to get him something too, but expects you to buy it for him because since you mentioned it, he says you offered. At first I thought maybe he had money problem, but then overheard him laughing and bragging to someone in another department about how he was able to scam lunches out of his coworkers, and he's attempted to bully a free meal out of
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    Font - So yesterday my girlfriend and I had lunch together. He overheard me confirming before I left and asked what I was bringing him and I said nothing. He said I brought it up, and I corrected him. No, I was confirming we were still good and he was eavesdropping on my conversation. He started complaining so I had if he gave me money for his food I'd bring him something but I wasn't going to buy him food. He started complaining about it again and I got irritated and said no money no food, and
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    Font - When I got back my boss said my coworker complained I was being hostile. I told him what happened and how he's constantly trying to weasel free food out of people, even some of the people he knows are struggling. So my boss asked around and several others collaborated what I said. My coworker got dragged into the office and now he's pissed that I "narc'd" and how he was just kidding. Most of the office thinks he got what he deserved but a few think it wasn't worth getting him in trouble o
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    Font - Today no one he asked told him what they were doing for lunch, and he's whining that we're alienating him. I said he alienated himself because of his behavior. He said I'm an hole, but I don't really feel bad that a mooch who thinks it's funny to scam his coworkers thinks I'm an hole. My little brother is on here a lot and suggested I post though, so AITA? 1.2k Comments + Award
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    Font - LizardManelli. 2 S Definitely NTA. He got what was long overdue. It's not like you went out of your way to narc on him - HE is the one who narced on himself by whining to your bos about you.
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    Font - Had he not brought up the issue and forced you defend your actions (what did he think was going to happen? That you were just going to roll over and let your boss bollock you for no reason?!), none of this would have happened. Good on you for standing up for yourself and your coworkers and hopefully, giving him a life lesson. 17.4k Share
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    Font - Julanna NTA. You didn't narc...he did. So if I understand correctly, some of your office thinks that it's fine for him to try to get you in trouble, but not fine for you to defend yourself with the truth. Guess you know who to avoid going forward. Share 4.0k
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    Font - TimeandEntropv NTA People that are "just kidding" don't complain about hostility to the boss. He's just pissed his con stopped working so I wouldn't worry no, what he thinks. It's absolutely worth getting him in trouble over when he's trying to get you in trouble. Protecting yourself from the scammer isn't an AH thing to do at all. 2.8k Share
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    Font - emmany63 NTA. Moving forward, you'll want to take a step back and continue being the professional here rather than engaging with him. As Mark Twain said, "Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and beat you with experience."
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    Font - So the next time he tries to engage with you and your coworkers on this topic, simply remark, "I'm sorry you feel that way." He's a manipulative mooch, so don't give him room to maneuver, and don't give him reason to go the boss about you (not that you've done that in any way, but he's going to be looking for things now).
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    Font - Remain professional, even be kind (outside of buying him anything, including food), but don't give him a way in. This is a man with DEFINITE idiot-level experience, and you don't need him dragging you down. (also just an edit note: in the second to last paragraph I think you meant corroborated, not collaborated) 1.4k Share
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    Font - besupergood. NTA- He literally complained to the boss because you wouldn't buy him food, trying to get you in trouble. So you explained the truth to the boss. Not sure what he thought was gonna happen there. 640 Share
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    Font - [deleted] 100% NTA. He lost the ability to play the "I was just kidding" card after he A.) openly bragged about scamming his coworkers and B.) forced your hand by getting your boss involved. 348 Share
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    Font - Dauntless-One. NTA. But YWBTA if you ever buy him a free lunch again. Honestly, you and everyone else he's taken advantage of should start asking HIM to bring them food whenever he's having lunch if he persists with this and doesn't stop. Then, when he says no/gets defensive, just tell him "well I bought you food and you never paid me, so protocol is that you have to buy me lunch - so where's my food?" 264 Share
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    Font - kekejaja. NTA, it was he who involved the boss not you. This guy should be embarrassed. 144 Share
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    Font - jearnest1. Why do people post things that aren't trivial at all? There's no way as you were typing this you thought anyone would say YTA
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    Font - Aggravating_Offer129 NTA. It doesn't sound like he's actually friends with anyone in your workplace and is just extorting food from everyone. He likely expected you to back off because he chose to complain. But good for you for choosing to stand up for yourself and others!
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    Font - dricysarcasm. NTA. He's the one who started it by trying to get you in trouble for being "hostile" because you told him no. He got what he deserved.
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    Font - aSeaPerson ByNight. NTA. He's not entitled to your money, and omg how was he raised?! My mother would straight up squash me like a bug if I had dared to presume to invite myself for free! - to someone else's lunch! He's learning that actions have consequences. Act like a weasel, be treated like a weasel.

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