Cafe worker bakes cookies to share with coworkers, boss takes them and sells them to customers: 'That any boss would be that cheap, lame and petty, [...] I'd be looking for the exit'

Author image for JR Atkinson
JR Atkinson • Writer and Editor
Jul 26, 2024 6:00 PM EDT

Bringing a little treat to your workplace is a nice idea. If you're baking a tray of brownies and have some leftovers, people love nothing more than free food. Especially when it's a sweet little something, something about an extra little bump of sugar in the workday gets you through. It wins you points in the office (if you're playing the political game), and it's just generally an act of goodwill. And if you have a talent for baking or cooking, odds are you probably enjoy sharing that with others. It's a love language. 

But it's on your coworkers to respect your gift. You don't want to hear anyone complaining about it, negging your baking skills, or generally making a fuss. It's just bad manners. But one boss took this faux pas a step further, jeopardizing health codes and causing one of his top employees to quit. Read on for the outrageous story. 

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    Cheezburger Image 10379442432
    via Nathan Dumlao
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    Boss sold my gift to my coworkers
    via u/Ok_Top5974
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    So I just came back from a 1 week vacation. I work at a café and all the staff is pretty close. Before I left, I made a load of meringue cookies because I had a bunch of eggs that would rot in my fridge if I left them. After giving tons away, I still had a bunch left and thought I'd do
    via u/Ok_Top5974
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    something nice for my coworkers and drop off a bunch in the breakroom. There was a note on top that said they were from me and to be eaten by the employees. I come back from vacation and ask one of my coworkers if anyone liked the
    via u/Ok_Top5974
  • 05
    meringues and she was like "the ones in the display?" I went to the front of the store, looked at the display cabinet and saw (with few left) the basket of my cookies with a price tag sticker of $2 for 3 (probably stale as by now)
    via u/Ok_Top5974
  • 06
    Apparently my boss found them in the morning, and decided to sell my gift to my coworkers for a profit. Not to mention that it's totally against food safety regulations to sell them. I told him that I was hurt by this and that the revenue from the sales should go towards our tips, and that I didn't want him to sell
    via u/Ok_Top5974
  • 07
    them. He comes heavy on the defense saying how "they were a gift so it shouldn't matter". I did stand up for myself and let him know that that was a very and thing to do to someone regardless of if I'm his employee or not. I just feel soooo frustrated. Worked here for two years, never called in or been late. This might be the final straw for me though.
    via u/Ok_Top5974
  • 08
    Edit: So I wrote this on my lunch break and have since gone home early after a larger argument with my boss. I quit, and have told him that if he does not return the money that he earned from those sales to me that I won't be back for my other shifts this week which would his vacation plans (I am the up assistant manager and he is both. the store owner and manager). He has reluctantly agreed to this but is obviously furious at me because he's a
    via u/Ok_Top5974
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    I have also texted the work groupchat and let everyone know exactly what happened and my reasons for leaving. It will be sad to go, I like a lot of my coworkers but it's just not worth the insanity anymore. I also feel like some other people will quit because of this too. Everyone is angry with him and letting him know it, which is great to see.
    via u/Ok_Top5974
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    Noone should feel bad that I quit, I've thought about it for some time now, this was just the breaking point lol, and I have some other options for work coming up. There are a lot of comments about reporting him for health code violations and I will. For those reasons I am not going to sue or anything (and also because he is giving me the money). I have a lot on my plate already and would rather just rid myself of this job.
    via u/Ok_Top5974
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    fenriq 1 day ago • That any boss would be that cheap, lame and petty to sell cookies you made for your coworkers, I'd be looking for the exit immediately and try to take as many people with me as I could, what a scummy person.
    via u/fenriq
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    content_great_gramma 23 hr. ago If you can, report him to the health department. He sold consumable items that were not made in the store. Probable violation of the health code.
    via u/content_great_gramma
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    TimeLord Ecosocialist 1 day ago It was not a gift for him, so of course it matters. This is such bizarre, sociopathic behavior.
    via u/TimeLordEcosocialist
  • 14
    kevinlc1971 1 day ago • Send him an invoice.
    via u/kevinlc1971
  • 15
    BlueRFR3100 - 23 hr. ago They were not a gift to him, so he's a thief.
    via u/BlueRFR3100
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    baffooninstein 23 hr. ago • Is the cafe you work at actually the Krusty Krab because this sounds a thing Mr. Krabs would do
    via u/baffooninstein
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    KP_PP. 23 hr. ago The thieving. stole from you. And admitted to it. I would file a report with the local police, and try to contact whatever relevant local health inspectorate. But, I'm an impulsive idiot sometimes
    via u/KP_PP
  • 18
    KidenStormsoarer 23 hr. ago ...that's quite literally theft. tell him to give you the money, all of it, or you're going above his head and reporting him to corporate. then report him anyways.
    via u/KidenStormsoarer
  • 19
    Sufficient-Meet6127 23 hr. ago Your boss has no shame or decency. I hope as many people find out as possible. And someone should report them for breaking food safety regulations.
    via u/Sufficient-Meet6127
  • 20
    mcflame13 23 hr. ago • I would have completely called them out on that and made sure everyone employee knew that the boss decided to sell the cookies you brought in instead of letting your coworkers eat them. That would put a sour taste in the mouth of your coworkers.
    via u/mcflame13

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boss antiwork workplace-stories toxic-workplace job bosses baking work coworkers working reddit story toxic-boss workplace reddit thread bad bosses Reddit cookies toxic-work-environment
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