Employee refuses to charge coworkers for the free candy bowl he's stocked for years, office committee blames him for taking profits away from its snack fundraiser: 'You're not being a team player'

Author image for Celeste Mello
Celeste Mello • Writer and Editor
Sep 15, 2026 12:30 PM EDT

Maybe the office fundraiser needs a better strategy instead of trying to stop an employee from handing out treats. 

A free candy bowl should be harmless. The owner of the candy bowl is an employee who posted in the Reddit AITA subreddit under the username GrotiusandPufendorf. He explains that he keeps candy stocked for everyone to help themselves, spending about $40 every two or three months on treats. He is happy to do this and doesn't expect anything in return. People occasionally contribute a few dollars or bring more candy, but there is no price list or expectation attached. The bowl has become a small part of the office's workday, bringing a nice gesture meant to make people a little happier at work.

The conflict began when the office committee started selling snacks from a shelf in the lobby. They use the profit to pay for happy hours, holiday decorations, and occasional office lunches. That system exists separately from the candy bowl. The candy bowl had been available for years before the committee was formed. 

Anyway, the members of the committee dared to ask the employee to charge for his snacks and even accused him of not being a team player, as he was cutting into the committee's snack sales. The employee naturally refused to charge for his candy. Coworkers remain free to support the fundraiser if they want lunch and social events, but they are also free to take a piece of candy that a colleague purchased to share. The fundraiser can't depend on controlling or eliminating every other free alternative. They have to find another way of raising money.

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  • A red bowl filled with lots of candy in the office.
    via Unsplash+ (Douglas Clark)

    A red bowl filled with lots of candy in the office.

    Image for illustrative purposes.

  • AITAH for refusing to sell candy to fundraise for my office?

    I work in an office of about 20 people. For years, I have kept a candy bowl in my office and I tell everyone to stop by whenever they need some chocolate to brighten their day.
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • Sometimes if I've done a Costco run, I'll also throw in other random things like small bags of fruit snacks into the bowl. Occasionally,
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • coworkers will chip in and I will find a random $5 on my desk or a bag of candy that someone else bought,
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • but for the most part, I pay for the candy out of pocket and probably spend about 40 bucks every 2-3 months
    via GrotiusandPufendorf

  • This free candy bowl had been keeping the office running.

    to refill it. It's popular and people stop by all day for a little sugar.
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • Cheerful coworkers laughing, representing the happy environment fostered by a colleague who shares free candy.
    via Unsplash+ (Getty Images)

    Cheerful coworkers laughing, representing the happy environment fostered by a colleague who shares free candy.

    Not actual story subjects.

  • Separate from that, my office has a small committee that is supposed to be dedicated to creating a positive environment by
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • organizing social events like happy hours and decorating for the holidays.
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • This committee sells snacks to fundraise for their events. So there is a shelf in the lobby full of chips, crackers, etc. that people can buy. They pay for the
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • snacks out of the same funds that purchases go into, so it's a small margin of profit, but they save
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • enough to occasionally buy the office lunch for a social event.
    via GrotiusandPufendorf

  • The employee gave free candy without expecting anything in return.

    Man buying candy to share with his coworkers.
    via Unsplash+ (Vinicius "amnx" Amano)

    Man buying candy to share with his coworkers.

    Photo is a representation of scenes.

  • I think it's important to note my candy bowl existed for years before this committee ever did.
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • Recently, the committee approached me and said I should sell my candy instead to help fundraise for the office events. I said
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • no, my candy bowl is and always will be free for anyone who wants it. I do it because it makes me happy. They then told me I
    via GrotiusandPufendorf

  • Free chocolate now was bad for business.

    was taking away from their profits by offering free food and that I wasn't being a team player in the office. So, AITAH?
    via GrotiusandPufendorf
  • SaltyFriend705 NTA. Print some slips of paper with why there is no candy and put them in your empty candy bowl.
    via SaltyFriend705
  • PhoebusAbel The fact the office needs a fundraiser to organize their own corporate events is ridiculous, if this post is real.
    via PhoebusAbel
  • CarlosFer2201 NTA. Remove the bowl and tell anyone who asks why.
    via CarlosFer2201

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candy workplace-stories employee work coworkers Office workplace drama fundraiser workplace story
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