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The original was posted on /r/bestofredditorupdates by /u/Direct-Caterpillar77 on 2026-02-02 05:02:02+00:00.

my boss keeps stealing my lunch, after I’ve asked him to stop

Originally posted to Ask A Manager

OriginalPost Oct 24, 2011

I have a bit of a weird situation and was wondering if you had any advice on how to deal with my manager. I’ve recently been transferred to a new department, working in a new office environment, under a new manager. His diet consists mainly of fast food and take-out.

I have crazy allergies to a bunch of foods, and chemicals found in most processed foods. Some are the swell-up-like-a-balloon-and-stop-breathing kind of allergy. I make most of my food at home and bring it with me to work. I’m really open about my allergies so that people understand I’m just defective, not rude. And most people get it. Except my manager.

He eats my lunch out of the staff fridge on an almost daily basis as if the food fairy left him a gift. I resorted to packing meals that I could keep at my desk, and he started raiding my drawers when I would be in meetings or away from my desk. When I try to address the fact that he’s stealing my food, he tries to butter me up by complimenting my cooking then walks away.

Any thoughts on how I can handle this situation? Especially strategies that don’t have me going above him to complain to his manager (also, we have no HR department to turn to).

Update 1 Dec 15, 2011 (2 months later)

I’m so pleased to say that the locked box idea worked like a charm. My manager teases me daily about my lunch being under “lock and key” but at least I get to eat my lunch. Another co-worker has jumped on board with the idea and has a locked box in the fridge, too. A third keeps a box at his desk.

It’s become a running joke in the office and thankfully everyone seems to have a pretty good sense of humour – even the boss! We got him his own box and added toy food. He’s constantly trying to “trade” boxes with someone else.

I’m also pleased to say that we now have a new HR “department” (one part-timer, but it’s a start!). She questioned the locked boxes in the fridge and was pretty much speechless when told the story. There’s a nice passive-aggressive note on the fridge door now warning us against the perils of eating other people’s food.

Thanks for responding to my pleas with such helpful advice, and such great comments from your readers, too!

Final Update Sept 18, 2015 (4 years later)

Wow, the responses here are overwhelming! I’m sorry I’m late to the game on this one – it was reposted the same week that I relocated my entire life for a new job and I still don’t have internet (nothing like a small town to show you how limited your consumer choices really are)!

I used the locking box to store my food and it worked like a charm to address that particular issue. As many of the readers guessed, though, my former boss had very little boundaries, didn’t exactly address issues, and failed to manage in any meaningful way. He was personable and everyone who didn’t have to work for him loved him. He was very well-known throughout the company because of his humour and casual nature with everyone – from the cleaning staff right up to the CEO. He was promoted fairly regularly and is now the #2 in the company. I stuck it out far longer than I should have because he liked me and took me with him as he kept getting promoted. I did get to learn some new skills and pad my resume along the way. However, I moved on from that company almost entirely because of him and his management style.

I’m now working in an entirely different field as an educator for one of the very diseases that cause (some of) the restrictions in my diet. The snacks here are great!

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