Person brings lunch to work, coworkers keep taking it, person refuses to share and faces backlash from coworkers: 'It’s basic respect not to expect someone to share their lunch every day'

Author image for Baiz Hoen
Baiz Hoen
Jan 27, 2025 12:00 AM EST

A friendship with a coworker is a truly special bond. You probably see them more than your family, much less your real friends. They know everything about your day-to-day but nothing about who you are outside the workplace. You can say things to them that you couldn't say to a lot of other people. It's one of the most rewarding parts of being in the workforce. There are a lot of ways you can get close to your coworkers, as well. Maybe you share a lunch break together and chop it up in the break room. Maybe you grab some drinks after a long day in the office. Maybe you air your grievances about the boss man at the water cooler. 

But, like all relationships, there are boundaries in coworker bonds that shouldn't be crossed. One person had their limits pushed by their coworkers, and they sought out the advice of Redditors to help them figure out which way to respond to their inconsiderate actions. After all, what would you do if you came into the office with a lunch you were excited to eat, and everyone surrounded you like vultures to get a bite? Read on, dear reader…


 

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  • 01
    LT-
    via nrd
  • 02

    "AITAH for refusing to share my food at work?"

    So, I work in an office where everyone seems to think "What's mine is yours" applies to food. I bring home-cooked meals for lunch because I'm on a budget and trying to eat healthy. Meanwhile, some of my coworkers constantly order takeout or forget to bring lunch entirely. The issue? They keep asking for just a bite of my food.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 03
    At first, I didn't mind sharing a little here and there, but it's become a DAILY thing. Some don't even ask anymore, they just joke, "Oh, that looks good, you gonna share?" while reaching over with a fork. Last week, I
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 04
    over with a fork. Last week, I finally snapped. When one coworker hovered over my desk eyeing my food, I bluntly said, "No, I don't share my lunch." She got all huffy and said I was being ride. A few others agreed that I was being "stingy" and "it's just food." Now, there's tension, and I'm getting side-eye from people at lunch. My friend says I should
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 05
    at lunch. My friend says I should just let it go, but I feel like it's basic respect not to expect someone to share their lunch every day.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 06
    AITAH for drawing a hard boundary and refusing to share anymore?
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 07

    The commenters agreed that sharing was not caring in this situation.

    Cheezburger Image 10456939264
    via Jack Cole
  • 08

    What is this, an office for scavengers??!

    Editing to add, NTA. Do you work with seagulls and raccoons? If not, this behaviour is totally weird.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 09
    You are NTA for refusing to share your food at work. It's your lunch that you brought for yourself and you are not obligated to share with anyone.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 10
    Absolutely NTA. This is so weird to me. I can't even imagine having Lisa's mindset and thinking. I'm entitled to someone else's lunch. That's bizarre.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 11
    Honestly, I think you should go to management or HR at this point. Someone needs to talk to Lisa about her inappropriate behavior. You shouldn't have to deal with her pestering you every time you have your lunch.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 12

    If you give a mouse a cookie, as they say...

    NTA. You never should have shared in the first place. I've never worked with people who expect a bite of your food. They may complement it, but they wouldn't ask. Its completely different if you offered them a mite.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 13
    NTA- not only is this weird and overstepping, but like it's also a huge liability for you if you did. If she got sick after eating your food she could make your life h_1. Imagine if she got an allergic reaction?
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 14
    I would talk to HR and if she asked again I would tell her that "you are making me uncomfortable." And just leave it there. She is creating a hostile work environment. truly
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 15
    NTA - Food costs money, and in today's economy it costs A LOT of money! You are not there to subsidize their grocery bill.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 16
    Tell them, "When you pay for my groceries and my time making this meal, I'll be glad to share. But I cannot afford to feed you for free."
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 17
    NTA...You are under absolutely no obligation to share your food with a colleague. You are not a personal chef. Your management or HR should be talking to Lisa about her antics. It's ridiculous that it went this far.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 18
    NTA. I think you do need to say something to manager and HR. This is unacceptable behavior. Better to get it under control now than for coworkers to get nasty and make up stuff to paint you in a bad light.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 19
    Frame it as "I am on a strict budget and diet for my health. Co workers are constantly making me uncomfortable asking for some of my food. I don't think it's my responsibility to feed others and it's making things tense. How can we address this issue moving forward?"
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 20
    If you've seen them ask others or there are particular folks that badger others for food, consider naming names. It might be a small group doing this to the rest of you and getting them under control will resolve issue.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 21
    make eye contact with the coworkers that side eye you while eating, and smile while doing it, what are they gonna do? Go to HR for not sharing food? Like that's weird. I'm in an office that is super close with each other and we have a snack cabinet in the lunchroom filled with snacks bought for us, but I've NEVER had someone just blatantly ask "can I have some of your lunch" like no this is mine get your own.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21
  • 22
    I would be petty/traumatize them route. "I am on a medical diet now, unless you want to deny me the full dose of the medication that has to be mixed into food and consume a medication you don't know what it will do to you....". of course I do regularly have to take steroids and mix into soft foods.
    via Uni-cornGlow_21

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lunch break aita workplace-stories AITAH coworkers reddit story workplace workplace drama Reddit
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