Employee quits mid-shift after micromanager fires their coworker out of the blue, other employees follow suit, forcing the restaurant to close: ‘I just turned around and left’

Author image for Bar Mor Hazut
Bar Mor Hazut • Senior Editor
Jul 30, 2025 9:00 AM EDT

Have you ever been so tired during a workday that you ended up wishing your boss would just come up to you and say, 'Hey, you seem off, why don't you take the rest of the day off?'

It probably never happened to any employee ever, but one can dream, right? We can dream about a scenario in which a boss is observant and kind, and knows when their employees have reached their limit. However, we all know that the reality is that if a boss tells you to go home out of the blue, it is probably not because they are worried about you, but quite the opposite.

Kindly or unkindly, if one's boss ends up actually telling them to go home mid-day, how is an employee expected to react? Should they insist on staying, or should they simply accept their fate?

If the story below is any indication, when a boss, especially a horrible boss like Marco, tells you to hang your apron and go home for the rest of the shift, maybe you should listen to them. Perhaps Marco is giving you a clear sign that it's time to stop putting up with him, which is exactly what the employees in the story below did.

Buckle up and keep scrolling to read the full tale.

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  • 01
    Cheezburger Image 10535214336
    via Jez Timms

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 02

    You want me to go home? Okay!

    I worked at a restaurant. We had a front salad bar, a buffet with a salad bar, as well as things like a juice bar and ice cream counter.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 03
    There was also a small al hol room with a bar. It was so popular and also a bit expensive but somehow so underpaid, understaffed and poorly managed.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 04
    Jenny is the daughter and the only child of the owners of the restaurant. She's extremely spoiled, she almost always gets her way, and she has a temper.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 05
    She will get p ed off and just lay into the person for an hour straight. She used to come in screaming at everyone for nothing and made ra t or nasty jokes.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 06
    She'd pushed people to come in sick then ask why they were so slow. Just the typical manager from h….I.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 07
    Marco, one of the kitchen managers, is the son of a family friend and a beloved member of the community.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 08
    His management consisted of micromanaging, criticizing our work, blaming random people for things, giving extreme time constraints for tasks, encouraging everyone to smile, and going around. asking people.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 09
    He asked people, while they were in the middle of working their 3 jobs, when they wanted to come in the next day or if they'd like to cover a shift on Saturday or whatever.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 10
    He would forget to do things and then blame other people, then he would go around criticizing people for their time management or responsibility.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 11
    Anytime we reported that something was broken or something wasn't working, he just told us to figure it out and nothing would be done about it.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 12
    Nothing would be done until Jenny came in screaming at everyone and narrowed it down to Marco.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 13
    We had other managers coming in and out, they couldn't take it. There were people who were suddenly hired to take on big positions despite having no idea what they were doing.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 14
    Some joined with less than a full day of training just because the place was desperate. The waitresses were paid less than $4 an hour and some of them were doing part of the dishwasher's duties.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 15
    They also did front manager duties, cleaning jobs including kitchen and employee bathroom. I want to say dishwashing was the worst as three different people would come to work d k or hi h everyday.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 16
    They came di < or high everyday just to tolerate everything. My coworker DJ kept up even when other dishwashers weren't working, helped me or the waitress clean, and literally had to monitor food.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 17
    He'd keep track of orders because the manager Marco and the chef wanted to mess around or go stand by the door and smoke.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 18
    There were days where staff members would break down or get sick pulling a double shift and he did everything for them, there was no choice.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 19
    My job was preparing and filling food items for the main salad bar in front everyday, and some days I also did salad bar in the buffet.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 20
    I had other things to do as part of my normal salad buffet job including making food for reservations, preparing and stocking juice bar, and helping move stock into the freezers and fridge.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 21
    On top of that I was packing non salad food for delivery and takeout, helping maintain and stock up to half the buffet, helping waitresses keep up with serving and bussing.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 22
    Cheezburger Image 10535219200
    via Getty Images

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 23
    I also did ice cream and desserts, cleaned the whole kitchen and storage areas and customer bathrooms, helped the bar staff, helped at the front desk whenever I was out.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 24
    I prepared ingredients or fetched things for the normal chef buffet chefs. All for a little more than minimum wage.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 25
    I fell every day because I was running on wet floors and I had a heat stoke and even had to go to the ER for injuries.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 26
    On buffet days I had a partner but that didn't matter, she just stood around right in front of the manager Marco, talking to her cousin who worked there.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 27
    She and Marco would take breaks every now and then to criticize my work or my speed.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 28
    Everything was held together by DJ and me. We were teenagers on Rockstar drinks so we took whatever was coming to us.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 29
    We kept everything going so well that we got scheduled to work almost every day then every weekend.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 30
    Jenny gave us free soda privilege and we got raises two times in 5 months, which were only 10c, but did look good to me because my dad praised all of my paychecks.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 31
    He didn't know what was going on and that I was working crazy hours and he thought I was overpaid.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 32
    Most of the customers were very sweet so we tried our best to be of service, and a lot of them were regulars or people who came in to support Marco or everyone.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 33
    There was always so much pressure on DJ and me. Also DJ isn't white and he would always get jokes and comments towards him.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 34
    Marco and Jenny either did nothing or were the offenders. Most of the criticism or Marco's projection went to him despite him doing exactly what he was supposed to be doing.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 35
    He occasionally messed up due to extreme stress or time constraint.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 36
    One horrible Saturday, there were 3x as many reservations as usual, on top of all bars and buffet being open.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 37
    I clocked in and found out one of the managers let go of DJ the afternoon before.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 38
    Absolutely no one knew why including DJ and I'm really assuming it was Marco. I already had zero hope for the day and the only thing fueling me was the customers and my paycheck.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 39
    In just the first hour, I passed Marco at least five times trying to get things done.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 40
    There was one time we accidentally made eye contact while I was helping a waitress.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 41
    At some point I went to the freezer in the back to help load some ice cream in and he happened to walk in at the same time that I was standing there.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 42
    was standing there for 3 seconds 'doing nothing' waiting for my coworker to bring in the dolley.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 43
    He gave me this frustrated look like "Get back to work".
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  • 44
    He caught me maybe a half hour later while I was coming into the back of the kitchen near the freezer to mop up some spilled water.
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  • 45
    The final time he caught me, I was in the freezer again looking at the inventory to see what fruit we had enough of, because I could only serve what we had enough of.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 46
    Marco said "The place is busy as f and you're in here just standing in the freezer for like 4 hours. Go home."
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 47
    I gave him this look like and he reiterated that I was done for the night.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 48
    I was not arguing with Marco. This was not my problem. I just said thanks, took my apron off, and headed out.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 49
    Both the employee doors were blocked by trash cans and my partner standing there with a whole cart of things talking to her cousin.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 50
    So I went to use the main side door in the front of the restaurant.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 51
    Jenny saw me and asked where I was going. I put on a smile and said, "Man, Marco is the best guy ever.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 52
    He just randomly came up to me and told me to take the night off." Jenny's face went from confused to shocked to livid in the span of one second.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 53
    She quickly told me "Don't go just yet." and she stormed into the kitchen screaming "MARRCOO00!!!"
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 54
    Cheezburger Image 10535217408
    via Negley Stockman

    The image does not depict the actual subjects of the story. Subjects are models.

  • 55
    I pretended to not hear her over the music and customers, and I just turned around and left.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 56
    I got over 10 phone calls but I simply let my phone ring.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 57
    I waited until my partner updated her Facebook status with "FINALLY closed, girl night time!" or something like that and I finally texted Marco back and gave an apology that si in the most ed up condescending way.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 58
    The apology was personal in a way that only he would understand if he were to show it to someone.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 59
    I came back the next morning and it was a complete disaster.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 60
    Marco and Jenny came in looking dad tired because they spent the rest of the night and overtime busting a, trying to keep things going.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 61
    There were dishes and trash bags piled up and both the buffet and kitchen were wrecked because Jenny and her dad didn't want to keep the workers late and pay them overtime.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 62
    The restaurant had to close for the summer. They posted all these job opportunities in schools and on Facebook and eventually opened back up, but I never answered and DJ didn't accept amends.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 63
    It was a whole spiral because of me leaving and DJ being fired.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 64
    They had to close down their ice cream and minimize their buffet and they now close earlier because they can't handle it.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 65
    There are less customers supporting Marco and there were even customers saying they aren't coming back until Marco or Jenny leaves.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 66
    There's a waitress who joined during my time there and it was her first job ever, now she is the only previous employee left.
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  • 67
    She ended up getting appointed as a manager at some point, I think they had to offer her a lot of money to stay because she bought a new house.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 68
    Marco is the only other manager now. Marco is still asking me to come back and since I deleted Facebook, I kept that phone number open with prepaid service.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 69
    I kept the number on my old phone just for the purpose of reading his texts during my lunch.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d
  • 70
    TLDR: Horrible place accuses me of doing nothing, loses everything.
    via M*istC*rdyM*xiP*d

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boss workplace-stories micromanager employee fired manager job malicious compliance tales-from-the-workplace reddit story overworked-employees workplace Reddit company funny
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