Food Theivery at the Office
Replies
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I don't have many issues with this, although my office supplies a lot of snacks so I doubt anyone is interested in stealing my grilled chicken or spinach salad when there are much more delicious options available. Sometimes, things get used or go missing because it's assumed they're for everyone. (Yogurt, coffee creamer, energy drinks, lean cuisines, and condiments are most often mistaken to have been purchased for everyone.)
I keep a small cooler under my desk and when I bring in something that I don't want eaten, I bring in ice packs and keep it in there. This wouldn't solve an issue with keeping things in a freezer for long periods of time. It only works as a day-by-day solution.
When I bring in my own coconut milk (for my coffee), I put it into a tupperware container. I do this so others know that it belongs to someone. I think this would work for coffee creamer thievery ... it looks kind of thick and gross on it's own and no one would expect it to be stored in tupperware.0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
Can they really sue you? I mean, they can't prove you didn't mean to eat it yourself and that you needed the laxatives. You can, however, prove that they stole your property.
If someone hops over a fence and past a no trespassing sign in your yard and sprains their ankle in the process, they can sue you. And win. Trust me, I've been through it. It's just not worth the risk.
**edited for typo
Yeah, I happen to think that situation is total BS, as well, so that explains why I don't "get" it. Judges who rule in the favor of people who are victimizing others should be slapped in the teeth.
I agree. I guess it's the reason that sort of situation is the first thing that comes to mind in this case!0 -
Actually, just the other day someone got into my truck on a jobsite, ate my lunch and then neatly packed everything back into my lunch box.. At least they left me my 2 oclock! >.<0
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At a law firm I used to work at, I had a can of Emerald spiced almonds on my desk. The head partner ate the ENTIRE CAN one night, leaving about four almonds left at the bottom. I was so mad, especially since I was only a temporary employee and couldn't really afford to have the boss stealing my food.
At my current office, stealing isn't a problem, the bigger annoyance is people leaving stuff in the fridge wayyyy too long.
Same at my office...one person actually brings in eggs (she has chickens...don't ask) that she sells to other employees, and assumes it's totally cool to use up half of the fridge.
I know this is unrelated, but I can't believe how often people feel it's cool to run their business out of other people's business. At various businesses, I've observed employees advertising that they are handymen or selling their home-grown canned tomatoes and salsas or bringing in briefcases full of eyeglass frames because it's their wife's business or selling their daughter's girlscout cookies (for some reason, however, this one is socially acceptable... I guess b/c it's a fundraiser, not for profit) or WHATEVER! In the ethics / compliance / governance world, I believe this is referred to as a conflict of interest. If you aren't paying the rent on the building, your *kitten* should be working, not getting paid to operate your side business.
Anyway, OP, find the culprit and poop on their desk. It's worked wonders for relations with my co-workers.0 -
Was just discussing this topic with a fellow MFP friend earlier today.
It frustrates me to no end also. Big things (frozen lunch meals) to small things (pack of gum in my desk drawer) all seem to disappear on third shift.
I have no good answers as to what to do here outside of a locked area,which I do not have at my work space, to hold non-perishables, but am anxious to see suggestions!!
Hope you get some good suggestions!0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
So, someone could pursue legal action for eating something that didn't belong to them in the first place even though it has someone else's name and someone else paid for it? I would love to see the precedents. Maybe a Judge Judy special or something. Larry the Lawyer would argue that his client had to take his medication with food to avoid upset stomach and that the perpetrator shouldn't have ignored the name tags.
These people don't have a leg to stand on. I've heard of a thief taking the food-lacer to HR. HR fired the thief and didn't do a thing to the food-lacer. Their argument was, "If they want to eat cat food, that's their business. We have a no stealing policy. You violated the policy. Here's a box."
See above example regarding trespassing. The food-lacer might not get in trouble every time but it is simply not worth the risk when there are other solutions that don't aim to harm someone (i.e. lunchbox).0 -
I've had it happen a few times. It made me mad at first, but then I figured maybe they needed it more than I did. How bad would it suck to be hungry at work all day because you couldn't afford lunch? So it doesn't make me mad anymore, although sometimes it makes me sad, for whoever took it and sometimes for me, if I was really looking forward to whatever I brought.
Maybe so, but I don't know because I am one of the lowest paid employees in the office and brought everyone pastries yesterday, enough for everyone to have 1-2 each to try and boost morale during a stressful time at our office.
Secondly, it's one thing to be hungry and take a sandwich, it's another to take some sandwiches, and then leave the rest out overnight so that they go bad.
I wish I were a good enough person to be understanding but I am not. I mean, if they would have asked I would have shared. But now I don't have any breakfast and that is money wasted.
Boom, well said.0 -
Actually, just the other day someone got into my truck on a jobsite, ate my lunch and then neatly packed everything back into my lunch box.. At least they left me my 2 oclock! >.<
See, that! That's *totally insane*. Whoever does that has deeper issues that, frankly, terrify me. >.<0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
You never know who has an allergy to those kinds of things or a preexisting condition that could cause a serious adverse outcome. While logically one would say "it's not my fault, it wasn't theirs anyway," the law interprets it very differently. It's just not a good idea. There are other ways to solve OP's problem that don't involve that sort of risk.
well, everything you've done could be argued to have been designed to tempt somebody into stealing your food and then cause them harm because you've tampered with the food, so you could be prosecuted for some combination of entrapment and food tampering.0 -
1. Talk to your supervisor or HR or to whomever you're supposed to report stuff like this. Perhaps suggest that they send out a memo to remind everyone that whatever is in the fridge is not free for the taking. Is there by any chance a new employee who isn't aware that the things in the fridge are not provided by the company and do, in fact, belong to other people?
2. If it happens again, stop putting things you don't want to share in the fridge. Yeah, it sucks that people can't be grown-ups and keep their hands off other people's things, but the world is what it is.
3. If this is a rampant issue and the company isn't actively working to fix it, think about looking elsewhere for employment. I wouldn't work at a place where my co-workers steal from me and my bosses do nothing about it, even if it is "just food." What's next, they can steal your personal belongings from your office?0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
You never know who has an allergy to those kinds of things or a preexisting condition that could cause a serious adverse outcome. While logically one would say "it's not my fault, it wasn't theirs anyway," the law interprets it very differently. It's just not a good idea. There are other ways to solve OP's problem that don't involve that sort of risk.
well, everything you've done could be argued to have been designed to tempt somebody into stealing your food and then cause them harm because you've tampered with the food, so you could be prosecuted for some combination of entrapment and food tampering.
Then if this is the case, then wouldn't police get in trouble for leaving awesome cars about to entrap car thieves.... oh wait, it's the police... nevermind.0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
So, someone could pursue legal action for eating something that didn't belong to them in the first place even though it has someone else's name and someone else paid for it? I would love to see the precedents. Maybe a Judge Judy special or something. Larry the Lawyer would argue that his client had to take his medication with food to avoid upset stomach and that the perpetrator shouldn't have ignored the name tags.
These people don't have a leg to stand on. I've heard of a thief taking the food-lacer to HR. HR fired the thief and didn't do a thing to the food-lacer. Their argument was, "If they want to eat cat food, that's their business. We have a no stealing policy. You violated the policy. Here's a box."
People are sued for ridiculous **** all of the time. Does it ever work out? Dunno. I'd certainly hope that the person breaking the law never gets anything from who they are suing.
www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2223125/90-year-old-shot-face-burglary-SUED-burglar-World-War-Two-veteran-fired-back.html
www.cracked.com/article_20605_5-victims-horrible-crimes-who-got-sued-by-criminal.html
overlawyered.com/2006/09/the-burglar-and-the-skylight-another-debunking-that-isnt/
etc. I didn't read every line, but you get the point.0 -
Sometimes it happens to me, but then I started to realize how many people bring the same stuff to work. Most of the time I figure it happens because they thought it was theirs and I often find myself wondering if I've taken something that wasn't mine. Just write your name on it, I can't imagine anyone is maliciously taking someone else's food for the heck of it.0
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Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
So, someone could pursue legal action for eating something that didn't belong to them in the first place even though it has someone else's name and someone else paid for it? I would love to see the precedents. Maybe a Judge Judy special or something. Larry the Lawyer would argue that his client had to take his medication with food to avoid upset stomach and that the perpetrator shouldn't have ignored the name tags.
These people don't have a leg to stand on. I've heard of a thief taking the food-lacer to HR. HR fired the thief and didn't do a thing to the food-lacer. Their argument was, "If they want to eat cat food, that's their business. We have a no stealing policy. You violated the policy. Here's a box."
See above example regarding trespassing. The food-lacer might not get in trouble every time but it is simply not worth the risk when there are other solutions that don't aim to harm someone (i.e. lunchbox).
That is some serious BS. If I want ghostpepper on my freaking food then I am going to have ghostpepper. Sure, it might be easier to pack a lunch box every day but I don't always have time for that! Heck, 3-4 days of the week I work from 8am until midnight so I barely have enough time to sleep let alone wake up early and throw a lunch box together which is the whole reason I had the frozen sandwiches to begin with!! Hell, let them sue! I don't have any money to give them anyway since I work 2 minimum wage jobs in order ot pay my bills. I'll just deuce out and laugh at them as I walk away never to be found again.0 -
perhaps...
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We all have or "special spot" in the office fridge. My favorite is the office mooch unabashedly using my salad dressing, ketchup, mustard, etc. When I asked him about this, he said food is sacred and off limits but condiments are for everyone.
I put ghost pepper sauce in my ketchup...that worked.
^^^ LOVE THIS!!! totally doing this with my salad dressing! I hope it burns their face off!!!0 -
I had a guy drink my soda right in front of me because he thought he saw it in there every day for a few weeks and was "cleaning the fridge out." I bring the same kind of soda in every morning and put it in the fridge, but whatever.
Since I'm in charge of office birthdays (shutup), his came up at the end of the week. I took his official photo off the wall and brought it to the bakery and they put it on the cake. And I put a candle in his mouth to look like a cigarette.
I now bring an insulated bag because I have trust issues.0 -
1. Talk to your supervisor or HR or to whomever you're supposed to report stuff like this. Perhaps suggest that they send out a memo to remind everyone that whatever is in the fridge is not free for the taking. Is there by any chance a new employee who isn't aware that the things in the fridge are not provided by the company and do, in fact, belong to other people?
2. If it happens again, stop putting things you don't want to share in the fridge. Yeah, it sucks that people can't be grown-ups and keep their hands off other people's things, but the world is what it is.
3. If this is a rampant issue and the company isn't actively working to fix it, think about looking elsewhere for employment. I wouldn't work at a place where my co-workers steal from me and my bosses do nothing about it, even if it is "just food." What's next, they can steal your personal belongings from your office?
d'oh! why did you have to inject common sense into this thread?!
seriously though... any response other than these 3 options is just asking for trouble. even a nasty note on the fridge will just make you look like the office cranky pants.0 -
YES! This pisses me off. It's happened at most of the jobs I've had but a lot of them were bigger companies, until now. There are maybe 50 people at the office on a given day - at most 75 (some remote employees, etc).
I've had people open my lunch box, go through it, pull out what they want, and leave it open. I don't even bring yummy crap to work.... like pizza etc. It was a dang string cheese. It had happened a few times before but I thought I was crazy - btu this was blatantly obvious as they left my box open, etc. I was sooo mad as it happened several times and let the office know.
One guy felt bad and consequently bought me fruit snacks (?) I don't know why but it helped.
I also leave coffee creamer in the fridge that people think they are entitled to. I was goign to fill up an empty one with a laxative or old milk but I haven't had the time to do this yet. Or remember to. I've started wrapping it up and shoving it in the back, but people still think it's for them.
After several issues along these lines I reported it and the boss/owner laughed. yes, he laughed. So it's each man for themselves. one of the co-owners this morning actually helped himself to whoever's coffee creamer he wanted.... *sigh*0 -
1. Talk to your supervisor or HR or to whomever you're supposed to report stuff like this. Perhaps suggest that they send out a memo to remind everyone that whatever is in the fridge is not free for the taking. Is there by any chance a new employee who isn't aware that the things in the fridge are not provided by the company and do, in fact, belong to other people?
2. If it happens again, stop putting things you don't want to share in the fridge. Yeah, it sucks that people can't be grown-ups and keep their hands off other people's things, but the world is what it is.
3. If this is a rampant issue and the company isn't actively working to fix it, think about looking elsewhere for employment. I wouldn't work at a place where my co-workers steal from me and my bosses do nothing about it, even if it is "just food." What's next, they can steal your personal belongings from your office?
I'm thinking number 3 is probably the one to go with... I did have $600 stolen out of my purse once. I never carried cash with me again after that happened... it was awful. I mean, at the time I was having to walk to work because I didn't have a car, I just bought a cell phone (which I was phoneless for 6 months before that). I'm just done. I think that is why i made this such a big deal... because it's like the final straw on the camel's back.0 -
1. Talk to your supervisor or HR or to whomever you're supposed to report stuff like this. Perhaps suggest that they send out a memo to remind everyone that whatever is in the fridge is not free for the taking. Is there by any chance a new employee who isn't aware that the things in the fridge are not provided by the company and do, in fact, belong to other people?
2. If it happens again, stop putting things you don't want to share in the fridge. Yeah, it sucks that people can't be grown-ups and keep their hands off other people's things, but the world is what it is.
3. If this is a rampant issue and the company isn't actively working to fix it, think about looking elsewhere for employment. I wouldn't work at a place where my co-workers steal from me and my bosses do nothing about it, even if it is "just food." What's next, they can steal your personal belongings from your office?
I'm thinking number 3 is probably the one to go with... I did have $600 stolen out of my purse once. I never carried cash with me again after that happened... it was awful. I mean, at the time I was having to walk to work because I didn't have a car, I just bought a cell phone (which I was phoneless for 6 months before that). I'm just done. I think that is why i made this such a big deal... because it's like the final straw on the camel's back.0 -
This one may not work in the fridge though...
[/quote]
This is how I hide my Milky Way bites from my kids. LOL0 -
Make some brownies infused with ex-lax. Let them steal them!!
An hour later, take the tiolet paper out of the bathroom. lol0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
So, someone could pursue legal action for eating something that didn't belong to them in the first place even though it has someone else's name and someone else paid for it? I would love to see the precedents. Maybe a Judge Judy special or something. Larry the Lawyer would argue that his client had to take his medication with food to avoid upset stomach and that the perpetrator shouldn't have ignored the name tags.
These people don't have a leg to stand on. I've heard of a thief taking the food-lacer to HR. HR fired the thief and didn't do a thing to the food-lacer. Their argument was, "If they want to eat cat food, that's their business. We have a no stealing policy. You violated the policy. Here's a box."
See above example regarding trespassing. The food-lacer might not get in trouble every time but it is simply not worth the risk when there are other solutions that don't aim to harm someone (i.e. lunchbox).
That is some serious BS. If I want ghostpepper on my freaking food then I am going to have ghostpepper. Sure, it might be easier to pack a lunch box every day but I don't always have time for that! Heck, 3-4 days of the week I work from 8am until midnight so I barely have enough time to sleep let alone wake up early and throw a lunch box together which is the whole reason I had the frozen sandwiches to begin with!! Hell, let them sue! I don't have any money to give them anyway since I work 2 minimum wage jobs in order ot pay my bills. I'll just deuce out and laugh at them as I walk away never to be found again.
You don't have time to throw a frozen sandwich in a bag with an ice pack every morning but you do have time to spike all of your food with things that make it inedible? Sorry but priorities.0 -
This one may not work in the fridge though...
This is how I hide my Milky Way bites from my kids. LOL
[/quote]
LOVE this haha0 -
1. Talk to your supervisor or HR or to whomever you're supposed to report stuff like this. Perhaps suggest that they send out a memo to remind everyone that whatever is in the fridge is not free for the taking. Is there by any chance a new employee who isn't aware that the things in the fridge are not provided by the company and do, in fact, belong to other people?
2. If it happens again, stop putting things you don't want to share in the fridge. Yeah, it sucks that people can't be grown-ups and keep their hands off other people's things, but the world is what it is.
3. If this is a rampant issue and the company isn't actively working to fix it, think about looking elsewhere for employment. I wouldn't work at a place where my co-workers steal from me and my bosses do nothing about it, even if it is "just food." What's next, they can steal your personal belongings from your office?
I'm thinking number 3 is probably the one to go with... I did have $600 stolen out of my purse once. I never carried cash with me again after that happened... it was awful. I mean, at the time I was having to walk to work because I didn't have a car, I just bought a cell phone (which I was phoneless for 6 months before that). I'm just done. I think that is why i made this such a big deal... because it's like the final straw on the camel's back.
Yes, but it was before we installed cameras and the culprit was never found. There have been other instances that have frustrated me here as well. Twice they wanted to take $200-$400 out of my pay to compensate for missing medical supplies because I was the one who had signed for them. I WAS THE RECEPTIONIST!!! I WAS REQUIRED TO SIGN FOR ALL PACKAGES!!! After that I set up a system where everyone must sign for packages received from me that I had signed for. This document placed all responsibility for packages and their contents to the person who I gave the package to and no longer made me accountable... I know that paints me in a negative light but $400 dollars was almost an entire two weeks paycheck (after insurance and taxes) I couldn't afford that crap! Especially since I forwarded the package to the correct person and they mishandled the contents, not I... grrrr
So much ranting today. So much anger... I mush zen. Maybe it's my lack of coffee...?0 -
I'm hypoglycemic, which means if I don't have something to eat when my blood sugar gets low, I feel like garbage.
Headaches, blurred vision, shaking, irritability, etc. So, not only does it make me insanely mad that someone took MY food that I brought in, it's a pain to try and come up with a plan b when my blood sugar gets low.
Good news is, I no longer work with people who are incapable of bringing in their own food. And I try to keep emergency fruit and protein bars at my desk.0 -
Drugging your coworkers (thieves or not) is an absolutely terrible idea. If something goes seriously wrong they could pursue legal action and you could lose your job. Not worth it.
Invest in a lunchbox and an icepack and just bring what you need for that day. It's ok if things thaw a little through the day so long as they stay cold. Or get the fridge locker - much more publicly passive aggressive but nonetheless effective.
So, someone could pursue legal action for eating something that didn't belong to them in the first place even though it has someone else's name and someone else paid for it? I would love to see the precedents. Maybe a Judge Judy special or something. Larry the Lawyer would argue that his client had to take his medication with food to avoid upset stomach and that the perpetrator shouldn't have ignored the name tags.
These people don't have a leg to stand on. I've heard of a thief taking the food-lacer to HR. HR fired the thief and didn't do a thing to the food-lacer. Their argument was, "If they want to eat cat food, that's their business. We have a no stealing policy. You violated the policy. Here's a box."
See above example regarding trespassing. The food-lacer might not get in trouble every time but it is simply not worth the risk when there are other solutions that don't aim to harm someone (i.e. lunchbox).
That is some serious BS. If I want ghostpepper on my freaking food then I am going to have ghostpepper. Sure, it might be easier to pack a lunch box every day but I don't always have time for that! Heck, 3-4 days of the week I work from 8am until midnight so I barely have enough time to sleep let alone wake up early and throw a lunch box together which is the whole reason I had the frozen sandwiches to begin with!! Hell, let them sue! I don't have any money to give them anyway since I work 2 minimum wage jobs in order ot pay my bills. I'll just deuce out and laugh at them as I walk away never to be found again.
You don't have time to throw a frozen sandwich in a bag with an ice pack every morning but you do have time to spike all of your food with things that make it inedible? Sorry but priorities.
I'm not spiking anything. I just think it's ridiculous that I would be held responsible for someone else's inablity to stay the heck out of my food. I'm not that freaking vindictive! I just like to think about doing it and how it would affect said thief/thieves...
Also, I don't have a lunch bag, I used grocery bags. I do, however, have ghostpepper powder because my parents gave it to me.
So just let me enjoy my mental retaliations DANG IT!!!0 -
Maybe put sticky notes saying that this food is for __________ and that if someone eats it they will get hunted down by ________0
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I've had it happen a few times. It made me mad at first, but then I figured maybe they needed it more than I did. How bad would it suck to be hungry at work all day because you couldn't afford lunch? So it doesn't make me mad anymore, although sometimes it makes me sad, for whoever took it and sometimes for me, if I was really looking forward to whatever I brought.
Maybe so, but I don't know because I am one of the lowest paid employees in the office and brought everyone pastries yesterday, enough for everyone to have 1-2 each to try and boost morale during a stressful time at our office.
Secondly, it's one thing to be hungry and take a sandwich, it's another to take some sandwiches, and then leave the rest out overnight so that they go bad.
I wish I were a good enough person to be understanding but I am not. I mean, if they would have asked I would have shared. But now I don't have any breakfast and that is money wasted.
I totally understand, OP. I think ^^ is a really awesome and kindhearted approach but I also think your response ^ is completely and totally valid.
That said, I would be freaking crazy p***ed off about this happening. Depending on the culture of your office, I would either send out a mass email...keeping it professional yet blunt...or go straight to supervisors/HR. I know a lot of people probably feel my approach would be way too extreme or like a tattletale. But I feel that this is actually theft. That's not a small thing. Yes it might be a reach, but I think that a person who will steal someone's breakfast sandwiches will steal other things, and I think that a person who will carelessly leave the entire package out on the counter could be making careless (costly) mistakes in other ways in the workplace too. I definitely don't think this should be swept under the rug lest it happen again (and again) in the future.0
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