'I saw red': Employee thinks it’s coworker's responsibility to buy coffee for the office even though it's supplied for free, coworker finally shuts it down with brutal honesty

Author image for Isabella Penn
Isabella Penn
Sep 14, 2025 1:00 PM EDT

Free coffee at the office is a necessary perk. I once worked at a place that had the most ancient coffee maker you could imagine. It was a clunky, beige machine with a cracked glass pot, faint brown stains baked into the burner, and a gurgle that sounded like it was crying out for retirement. Still, I drank it every day, because that bitter sludge was the only thing keeping me vertical. Later, I upgraded to a job that spoiled us with an iced coffee fridge that was constantly stocked with canned lattes and cold brews in rotating seasonal flavors. Pumpkin spice in the fall, peppermint mocha in December. That fridge kept me loyal to that company way longer than my paycheck did.

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  • Free coffee is the least an employer can do, but it makes a difference. In this story, one well-meaning employee decided to go above and beyond the company’s basic coffee supply and share their own gourmet grounds a few times. Instead of gratitude, though, a coworker basically appointed them the office barista and demanded to know when the “good stuff” was coming back and even made snide comments when it didn’t. Eventually, the employee had enough and snapped back.

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    via Kelly Sikkema For Unsplash+

  • "Coworker thinks it’s my responsibility to buy coffee for the office even though we’re supplied it for free"

    I love coffee and make/drink it every day at work. My job supplies us with ground coffee that's definitely not gourmet but it gets the job done.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • Three times in 6 months I've brought in better ground coffee and shared it with my coworkers by brewing a whole pot.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • I also brought in a couple of creamers to use instead of the supplied half and half.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • One coworker in particular latched onto this and now asks me every time I brew a pot if it's our company's coffee or my own.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • When I say it's the company's she scoffs (but still drinks it). At least once a week she asks me if I brought coffee,
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • when the last time was at least 2 months ago. Several times I've tried to nicely tell her that those were one off times and she seems to understand
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • but then will still ask me the next time she sees me.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • Today she asked yet again and said at the end "oh you must not have gotten your raise since you don't bring coffee in anymore."
    via CherriesInTheRain
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    via Caroline Attwood For Unsplash+
  • Tbh I saw red and wanted to ask her why she was projecting her brokeassness onto me since clearly she hasn't gotten any raises if she depends on me for coffee.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • Instead I asked her why I would supply coffee for the office when we already have it for free?
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • She started stammering about a coffee fund we could make but honestly I wasn't interested.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • If I had known I'd be hounded about it until the rest of my days I never would have brought any in.
    via CherriesInTheRain
  • Particular_Rip_4232 The next time she asks, be coyly blunt. “No, I had to stop because some people felt really entitled to free gourmet coffee service like I was some rich barista instead of [title]." Shrug and go about your business.
    via Particular_Rip_4232
  • Tigger808 Next time she asks, just reply "No, I didn't bring any coffee in this week. But since I've brought it in several times and you haven't brought it in at all, it's your turn to bring the coffee. When do you think you can bring it in?" Then every single day, ask her if she brought the coffee in.
    via Tigger808
  • Abject_Story_4172 Bring some in next time and offer it to everyone but her.
    via Abject_Story_4172
  • MrsOssa No good deed goes unpunished. ― I hate how they that expression - is.
    via MrsOssa
  • Zealousideal_Tip_147 I'm sorry but that comment about the raise would make me go straight to HR. She's basically harassing you for coffee and insulted you. Not ok.
    via Zealousideal_Tip_147

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employee drama revenge coworkers Office entitled people karma coffee clever comebacks workplace latte
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