Redditor says colleague made them pay for snack they never ordered, sparks debate on office etiquette

A Redditor has sparked a debate on office etiquette after claiming they were made to pay for a snack they never asked for.

To make matters worse, they later discovered it was part of a buy-one-get-one-free deal.

In a post published on July 11, user pistachio_life recounted how a colleague had asked if they wanted anything before heading out of the office. They declined the offer.

Despite that, the colleague returned with a snack and handed it over. The Redditor said they reminded the colleague that they didn't want anything, but got this reply: "I thought you might like it, so I just got one for you."

The Redditor said they thanked the colleague out of politeness, though it wasn't something they liked. They placed the snack aside and made a mental note to return the gesture another time.

However, the situation quickly turned awkward.

The colleague later told pistachio_life to pay for the snack. When reminded that the snack had not been requested, the colleague reportedly replied: "I know, but I already bought it."

The Redditor said they offered to return it, pointing out that it wasn't a flavour they liked and suggesting it be given to someone else instead. But the colleague refused to take it back.

"In the end, I just paid because paiseh (vernacular for embarrassed)," wrote pistachio_life, adding that it was not about the amount of money but the principle.

"Personally, if I ever buy something for someone without them asking, I'd never insist on payment."

To make matters worse, pistachio_life later discovered the snack had been purchased under a buy-one-get-one-free promotion, and said they felt "cheated" at having to pay the full price for it.

The post has garnered over 350 upvotes and 120 comments, with many users chiming in to share their own awkward workplace moments or weigh in on who was in the wrong.

Mixed views online over how to handle the situation

Some commenters said they would have paid anyway to avoid tension.

"I would always offer to pay for something a colleague bought for me, even if I didn't want it. But if I buy something for someone else, I wouldn't expect payment," said user said Dependent-Curve-8449.

"I guess it's more about being polite and not wanting to upset our relationship over something so trivial. Plus the fact that they actually bothered to buy something for you shows that they do keep you in mind, which is a happy problem of sorts."

"Hate situations like this," said another user controversialpablo. "Like you wanna argue about it but it's so easy for people to label you as cheapo, and you wouldn't want that. It happened to me a few times and I just kept quiet because it was a small amount."

"I'd imagine myself being all, 'no leh I never even asked for it, so I'm not going to pay for it'!" said user can-i-have-a-corgi. "But realistically, I tend to keep the peace at work so I'll suck thumb and pay. Then complain online or to my friends, like you did."

Others were less sympathetic and criticised the colleague for overstepping boundaries.

"Their problem. You didn't want it and you told them, so refuse it; end of story," said user Anon43850.

User SeeSeeOnlyHaha felt the Redditor was too soft: "If you didn't ask for it, don't pay. I don't know why you would even accept it in the first place. Seems like you need to work on your own boundaries."

Mondragoncass shared a similar incident at work: "My coworkers ordered Grabfood for me even though I declined. They even said, 'you don't have a choice', and pulled the same stunt - "Oh, yours is $XX, here's my number for PayNow. I didn't eat it, and I also didn't pay."

CapitalOwl1318 urged the Redditor to be firm: "You're actually training (your colleague) wrongly/ giving mixed signals by accepting it after saying no.

"Just state it very clearly and say, 'I said no need, thank you', and refuse to take it. Some might say - why so petty? It's about boundaries and giving clear signals."

Pistachio_life said the incident has made them rethink their trust in the colleague, and they are considering bringing the matter up at work.

"Being decent shouldn't make me an easy target," they wrote.