'I would take my sweet time': Night-shift bakery worker who was forced to clean up everyone's mess maliciously complies, boss gets fired

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Jul 17, 2023 9:00 AM EDT

Revenge is sweet, especially when it's achieved by complying with your boss's orders, taking your sweet time working some choco-late hours into the early morning, and maybe even staying until you watch the sun rise like a freshly baked loaf of bread, raking in hours of overtime all the while.

This worker didn't go quite that far, but they were sure to stretch their hours as late as possible into the evening after their boss told them they weren't allowed to go home until everything was taken care of. Here's the thing about having to clean up other people's messes… They have no incentive to prevent those messes from piling up in the first place, and they have zero for cleaning up the slightest thing after themselves.

Anyone who has ever worked a closing shift in a kitchen has encountered this problem, inheriting whatever misfortunes of the day crew in the form of a kitchen that looks like it's had a hurricane pass through it.

This worker came with receipts, though, being sure to take photos of the messes they were having to clean up. Usually, these types of things are a "he said, she said" type of scenario, where both sides state their perspectives, and the truth lies somewhere in between, but this employee really brought their story to life in a way that leaves nothing to the imagination by sharing a number of images of the bakery in their post.

Read on to see their post and a few of the photos they shared where it was originally posted on Reddit. Next, check out this kitchen drama that led to the resignation of the FOH Lead and the Head Chef.

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  • 01
    Font - Posted by u/Longjumping_Lab6239 21 hours ago Department Manager wants me to stay late to finish ALL duties... Sure! M OC ņ This happened a couple of years ago in December 2019. I got a job at a "higher" end grocery store in the area, as I was planning on saving for when I started college in the fall of 2020.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 02
    Font - The store has all kinds of different departments like a Market Cafe, Pizza/Sub Shop, Cheese, etc. I aced my interview and was hired in the Bakery Department specifically for Breads only. That'll be important later.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 03
    Font - The first 4 months was a breeze, but after Covid-19 ramped up, my doctor put me on leave until August. When I returned, a lot of people had quit in the bakery. I was taking college classes now, so I was working Night Shift Part Time from 5-9pm. My Department manager "Hannah" informed me that they were short staffed on nights and I might be on my own one day a week. I was sure I would be getting help for the rest of the nights. Nope!
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 04
    Font - Weeks go by and I barely get help. I'm burning myself out doing closing shift on my own, along with my school work. No one was in the Dessert or Breakfast section, and I can't talk to anyone about it because they're gone by the time I clock in. I complained to the Bread Manager Jim, and he told me to talk to Hannah since she runs the whole department. Sure, fine! This is how the conversation went with Hannah:
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 05
    Font - OP: Hey I wanted to talk to you about the workload. A lot of day shift people leave their mess and can't clean up after themselves. I have to do that and my duties which isn't fair, are you hiring anybody for nights? I can't keep running around and using my inhaler so much too. Hannah: Oh yeah! We're having a hard time filling the Night Shift roles... we could always train you for desserts and breakfast.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 06
    Font - OP: That's not what I meant. I meant assistance not more responsibility. I can't do everything in the bakery and close with only 4 hours. Hannah: Well.. you can figure something out! Just make sure you don't leave a mess during closing though, you can't leave until everything is done!
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 07
    Font - I can't leave until everything is done? Okay! Ever since she said that I started documenting every time I had to do 3 jobs at once. I would take my sweet time when I didn't have class the next day, making sure I clocked out at 11:00pm each time. The amount of stuff that kept piling was ridiculous, but I was simply following her instructions.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 08
    Font - HR noticed my clock in and out times and wanted me to come by their office. I told them everything, including what Hannah said to me, along with the photos I took. Suddenly everything changed. At 9:00 sharp they were kicking me out and whatever was left was for the morning! Ha!
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 09
    Font - Hannah was reprimanded but wasn't fired until she was caught selling 2 year old expired pumpkin pies to customers during Thanksgiving. That day sure was a doozy. I was shocked when I saw all those empty boxes she already sold.... TL;DR: My Department manager tells me to clean up day shift's mess including closing duties for the whole bakery. I made sure I took an extra 2 hours every shift to close. She got in trouble and was fired soon after for something unrelated.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 10
    Font - Photos for context: I'm glad I didn't delete them, even the fu up day shift had by leaving bagels in the proof box all day, expecting me to clean it. Jokes on them. I didn't! They also hid dishes in the freezer in boxes from the health inspector. Truly ridiculous. And this is considered a "high end" grocery store... Hmm...
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 11

    A few of the photos they shared with their post of the bakery mess

    Furniture - 9/21 nesram These are supposed to be bagels. Wtf is this?????? Disgusting. 9/22/2020
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 12
    Rectangle - Yummy bagel gloop. 9/22/2020
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 13
    Kitchen appliance - van EEEEEEEEE Nope never mind it's definitely buttercream. Someone stuck the top of the buttercream tub in the mixing bowl! I love the creativity! 7/15/2021
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 14
    Food - HOBART TYPHOON A Ooooh presents in the dishwasher. Whisks with chocolate and regular buttercream on them. Regular presents from Day shift desserts!!! 7/15/2021
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 15
    Building - OF ANGE 000 CARPA Coming in hot at 5:04 pm with trays from Day Shift breakfast. Some still had crumbs and sticky toffee. Love the extra presents. 8/13/2021
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 16
    Font - 6:43 273 Yr u still at work AGAIN!!!! DO I NEED TO COME UP TO THE JOB Jun 11, 2021 at 9:30 PM What's wrong O Ma Meré A LTE 42 I'm about to have a mental breakdown Text Message
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 17
    Font - Edit: I was working morning shift and saw many of the habits they had when I was first hired, but it didn't affect me until I was working Night Shift alone. I had no idea how bad it was, until I experienced it. During mornings I always made sure to clean up after myself, even the bread slicer which can have caked on mess by the afternoon.
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 18
    Font - Longjumping_Lab6239 OP 20 hr. ago For those curious about the Pumpkin Pie incident, we were all working overtime and preparing for thanksgiving. I heard from this older lady that works day shift that she was cleaning out the freezer, and found 2 year old pies from a vendor we package and sell. She was asking Hannah what to do with them because there were a lot of them (I forgot how many were in a box).
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 19
    Font - Hannah said "Just put a label on them and place them on display. We can get more profit that way." Excuse me WHAT???!!! The older woman said she was shocked and used her PTO to leave early. She was scared of jeopardizing her job but she told me it was weighing on her conscience, and told the store manager. I truly forgot the woman's name but she was extremely nice to me! There were about 7-large boxes full of mini and large pumpkin pies. Hannah was promptly fired. Sweet Karma. Vote Reply
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 20
    Font - ramabamamoo 19 hr. ago The photo was a jumpscare and I thought I was having a flashback, I'd recognize that store/department anywhere lol I worked there for over 12 years in prepared foods/bakery, and I finally escaped 2 years ago! At least I can say our store didn't need to hide things from the actual health inspector, but there was still some sketchy shit. Reply Share Vote ●●●
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 21
    Font - Longjumping_Lab6239 OP 19 hr. ago 6 Also, did they ever clean. the trays they use for par bakes? I've never seen them clean those trays once. They're the ones that looked really dirty with caked on bread crumbs. Vote Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 22
    Font - Zoreb1 +2.20 hr. ago "Well.. you can figure something out!" You must have really needed the job as I would have replied, "I did. figure something out - I quit!" Reply Share Vote Longjumping_Lab6239 OP 20 hr. ago I did need the job. My culinary books and knife set were very expensive. I had to buy new tires for my car as well at the time. Vote Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 23
    Font - Paul_Michaels73 +2 · 15 hr. ago . Taking pictures to document everything was the best thing you could have done. Good job! ↑ Vote Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 24
    Font - The Truthkeeper +2 · 13 hr. ago Reminds me of my previous life singlehandedly closing the grocery deli. The difference being that I had nothing else going on and so had no issues doing the overtime, and management was aware of it and signed off on however much I needed to do to get shit done. Vote Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 25
    Font - gabrieme2190 . 11 hr. ago Most valuable lesson: take pictures and document to cover your ass. Vote Great freaking effort on your part and really proud of the outcome for you, of course. Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 26
    Font - onyxthedark 10 hr. ago I am often baffled by how many adults just expect someone else to clean their shit at work. Like mate, your mom or wife isn't here to pick behind you. ✩ Vote Reply Share
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239
  • 27
    Font - Abadatha People give me shit for leaving the restaurant life, but this is exactly the kind of shit that made me leave. Gotta open, clean up after night shift, do my own shifts prep, run breakfast and opening as both cook and manager, and still only getting $13/hr. Never again will I work as a restaurant manager. Vote +3. 11 hr. ago 8 hr. ago Reply Share Longjumping_Lab6239 OP O Yeah that's why I changed my major entirely. I didn't want to deal with this the rest of my life. ✩ Vote ●●● Rep
    via u/Longjumping_Lab6239

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