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First Responder's Co-Worker Demands She Cover a Pricey Lunch After He Pays for Her $2 Fast Food Order
By Virginia Chamlee Published on June 13, 2024 09:30AM EDT
A first responder is going viral after sharing that, after her male co-worker paid for her $2 fast food meal, he asked to be paid back with a pricey lunch.
In a post shared to Reddit, the first responder writes that she was "riding along" with another shift for training purposes when the two decided to stop for lunch at a fast food eatery.
"I ordered a small mac and cheese, in our area that’s about $4," the poster writes, adding that the co-worker "ordered a whole meal."
"When we got to the window, they gave us 50% off making mine $2," the poster continues. "The guy I was riding with said 'Don’t worry I’ll cover you.' Cool, thank you for covering my $2 I appreciate it lol."
The next day, the two stopped for lunch again — this time, at a local bistro "that’s decently pricey."
"I ordered a salad that was about $10. His meal totaled out to just over $20," the poster writes. "When we went to the register to pay he told them, 'She’s going to cover mine,' while pointing at me. To say I was appalled is an understatement. The cashier looked at me and I calmly stated 'No, I will just be covering myself.' "
She continues: "The guy I was riding with got mad and started saying he covered me for lunch yesterday so it’s only right that I cover him. I’m not confrontational, but I’m also no punk lol. I calmly stated '$2 does not constitute $22 (or whatever the total was). If you’d like me to give you $2 to cover my small side I ordered yesterday I will absolutely do that. But I will not be paying for your meal' and handed my card to the cashier."
After her co-worker paid for his own meal, he went outside and "refused" to let the woman get in the work vehicle.
"He continued to argue and cause a scene in the parking lot. He told me I’m no longer allowed to ride with him, so I called for a supervisor," she writes. "Once the supervisor arrived he told them that he covered my lunch yesterday and that I refused to extend the same courtesy and that I embarrassed him and caused a scene and he no longer feels comfortable riding with me."
After the poster explained her side of the story, "the supervisor essentially said I was wrong because I should’ve just been respectful and paid for him like he did me."
"We’re first responders, we don’t make a lot of money ... I was not going to be bullied into covering his meal because he covered mine," she adds in the post, writing that she "ended up riding with someone else because obviously riding with him is no longer an option."
Writing that she doesn't feel like she "caused a scene" or did anything wrong, the woman writes that all of her co-workers are now "saying that I’m not a team player and I embarrassed him as well as our place of work. Am I wrong here?"
The majority of those who have commented on the article have said the woman was not in the wrong — with some even urging her to file a formal complaint with Human Resources.
"If it had been a few dollars difference, that would be one thing, but $20 is a lot," wrote one commenter. "It would be different if you had been partners for a while, but it sounds like you barely know this guy. He was trying to take advantage of you because he didn't think you'd push back. Him refusing to let you in the vehicle was super unprofessional."
Wrote another: "Buying you a $2.00 lunch and then expecting you to pay $20.00 for their lunch is not how it works. Getting pissed off about it is a typical response from someone with no awareness of social customs or practices."
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