Multi-million dollar corporation scolds office of 19 workers, telling them to "dial down" consuming soft drinks: 'We got told off... they ruined my favorite drink'

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Remy Millisky • Writer and Editor
Nov 21, 2025 11:00 AM EST

It doesn't take much to build workplace morale, but it can break down just as easily if there's a communication breakdown. 

We joke a lot about stingy bosses who will forego raises and present their hardworking employees with pizza parties instead, but it's not all bad. There's absolutely nothing wrong with a workplace providing free food for the employees, so long as they're also compensating them well. At the same time, it can be awkward working at an office where food is highly monitored. Like, if your workplace orders a dozen pastries for like 20 people, and then everyone has to cut these pastries into quarters instead of just taking a whole donut for themselves… can we not do that? If you're at one of those workplaces, I double-dog-dare you to take a whole donut or two, sparking a change in your own business place. We don't have to pretend to eat like little birds just because we're in an office setting!

This place has somehow managed to be even stingier than that, though. They're policing the beverage consumption! I think it would be worth it to pay for a big pack of sodas if it means your workers can stay awake through the 3 PM sleepies. Surely it wouldn't be the worst thing in the world to let workers have an apple juice to look forward to! I've also worked in offices that provide unlimited snacks and those who provide nothing, and let me tell you — if your workers don't have to go hungry (read: hangry) than you will have a cooperative and productive environment like 99% of the time. A little bag of chips or pretzels, or a 2-pack of cookies, can take a worker's afternoon from being a long slog to being fairly productive. But some office manager would rather save a few bucks rather than ever do their workers a favor. This employee shared their current situation, and they should just try and find a new place to work, full stop. Get your apple juice, and tell these stingy managers and HR folks to get lost. 

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    Man in suit jacket holding papers and looking to the right at woman's arm grabbing soda can from fridge full of fruits and vegetables
    via Getty Images For Unsplash+

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

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    Small-ish office of 19 people (even less counting actual people in office in pereon) for a major European business group. In one year we went from 4
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    million in profits to 44 million in our small branch. I arrived only recently. We get beverage deliveries for office consumption - a few 12 bottle packages
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    of bottled water, canned Coca Cola and those little glass bottles (0,33) of fruit juice.
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    We have the drinks delivered usually every two or three weeks, the office manager is in charge of it, we have nothing to do with it, and it's on a "as
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    supplies run out she will order some more" basis. I bring my own food from home, most of the time I bring my own water in a glass
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    bottle too. 2 or 3 times a week I'll drink one bottle of apple juice after lunch.
    via u/Edamame14
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    Today, when I took one juice bottle from the cabinet (the drinks are in a cabinet in our office constiting of eight people, two feet behind my desk) I
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    got told to "dial down my consumption". So, working for a multi-million dollar company who treats us with soft drinks
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    for the office but then we get told off for drinking them. Now I don't want to drink apple juice anymore, they ruined my favorite drink.
    via u/Edamame14
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    Woman in floral shirt grabbing soda can from fridge stocked with fruits and vegetables
    via Alim For Unsplash+

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

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    Most commenters had their backs

    DaijoubuKirameki Bruh if that was me I'd immediately grab another drink and chug it down in front of who ever told me that
    via u/DaijoubuKirameki
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    CitronTraining2114 Where I used to work, coffee was free, but if you wanted a Coke, it was 50 cents out of the machine in the cafeteria. I never drank coffee, but I did learn that they kept a stocked fridge in one of the meeting rooms and if you were in a meeting, helping yourself was the rule. And that room was even closer to my office than the cafeteria.
    via u/CitronTraining2114
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    JCBashBash If you give in it does exactly what they were hoping to do. I would take a drink everyday, even if I didn't finish it, because if they offer an employee benefit and then trying to shame you for using it in the appropriate manner, that's just nasty.
    via u/JCBashBash
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    ObjectiveAny84... Ask them to send an email for the limitation of consumption of the FREE drinks they offer Or better yet, you send an email CC'ing people on your immediate team with something like "hi manager, just wanted to get an email out so we're all on the same
    via u/ObjectiveAny8437
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    page. I was drinking 2-3 free company provided beverages per week but I was told that was too much. Can you please provide a clear answer for the limit of free company provided beverages per employee per week?"
    via u/ObjectiveAny8437
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    ShredderTTN86 Ruined your favorite drink because they told you to dial it down? A bit dramatic...while I agree a multimillion revenue company shouldn't need to tell employees that, but to have that ruin your favorite drink to the point of not want ing to drink it all is a bit dramatic honestly...
    via u/ShredderTTN86

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