A workplace snack dispute has struck a nerve online after a Reddit user shared how a coworker seemingly claimed their food for communal use—without asking.
The post was shared by TheMuffinMan347 in the subreddit r/mildlyinfuriating, where it racked up 118,000 upvotes. “Someone at work put a ‘help yourself’ note on a pack of Tim Tam’s that I bought,” the user wrote.
The image shows a packet of Tim Tams with a Post-it note affixed to the front reading “help yourself,” accompanied by a smiley face. For many viewers, the note symbolized a familiar office frustration: a colleague taking it upon themselves to decide that another person’s food was fair game.
For American readers unfamiliar with the treat, Tim Tams are a popular Australian chocolate biscuit made from two malted cookies sandwiching a cream filling and coated in chocolate. They’ve been a staple snack in Australia for decades.
“‘Someone at work’ implies some big mystery to people in the comments, but I knew who it was right away and obviously wasn’t going to name them, and I ended up just eating them on the spot. It was interesting that some people in the comments thought that because there was no name or note, it was up for grabs for everyone. My position is: if something isn’t yours, don’t take it. Not just at work, but just in life in general. I had a chuckle to myself at the audacity, posted it online, and munched away,” the original poster (OP) told Newsweek.
Redditors quickly flooded the comments, many sharing similar experiences of food disappearing from communal fridges or desks.
“This is when you go around everyone’s desks and check their handwriting,” joked ItsFreeRight.
Others expressed disbelief at the behavior. “It is so absolutely wild to me that working professional adults steal other adults’ food at the office… Aren’t we supposed to be kinda like…. responsible at work?!” wrote Ok_Nothing_9733.
Several commenters recounted incidents that went beyond snacks. “I was absolutely gobsmacked at the level of sheer entitlement,” shared Ziggzaggs, describing how someone ate half their husband’s leftovers and returned the container to the fridge. Another, Average_Scaper, recalled confronting a coworker over a missing energy drink.
Some users said the issue wasn’t just entitlement but hygiene. “I’m more shocked that people would willingly eat food outta the fridge like that… like what if it isn’t good?” wrote Ok-Knowledge0914. One commenter even recalled someone eating part of a Thanksgiving meal brought in for a partner working a holiday shift.
While offices may encourage shared spaces, basic food etiquette is widely understood. Commenters pointed to several unspoken rules: never take food that isn’t clearly offered, don’t relabel someone else’s belongings, avoid communal fridges if you aren’t certain what’s shared, and when in doubt—ask.
As the reaction shows, few things spark collective outrage faster than someone crossing a boundary in the office kitchen.
Do you have any viral videos or pictures that you want to share? We want to see the best ones! Send them in to life@newsweek.com and they could appear on our site.
