A Barista Was Suddenly Let Go, So She Refused To Finish Out Her Final Shift During A Big Event

Matthew Gilligan

43 mins ago

Source: Reddit/Malicious Compliance

This story is not for the weak of heart!

It has twists, turns, betrayal, and everything else you’d expect from a Reddit story.

Are y’all ready for this?

Let’s get started!

I’m not “barista” material. Okay!

“Years ago (1990s), I worked for an LGBTQ themed coffee house in Hollywood.

There were two locations; one in Hollywood in an LGBTQ community center, and the second in West Hollywood. Both places were busy.

My best friend Sumatra (30F), and I (30F), worked at both locations, and we loved it there. We made decent money, great tips, and made friends with most of our customers.

There was a problem…

One of the owners, Macchiato, didn’t like female employees. He’d hire buff guys in their 20s he’d shamelessly flirt with, and then fire if they didn’t reciprocate.

The deal between the owners was that Tea ran the Hollywood location, and Macchiato ran the one in West Hollywood.

Macchiato was a guy who loved to show off; he’d spend too much on supplies, expensive food, overpriced coffee beans, and would give raises to the employees he liked (the ones he hired).

He’d also give his friends free coffee and sandwiches. The Hollywood location was consistently making a profit, while the West Hollywood location bled money.

Eventually, the West Hollywood location closed, and the remaining employees were integrated with the employees at the Hollywood store.

Macchiato started to hang around the remaining coffee house to “supervise”. His business partner, Tea was on a three month vacation in Europe when all this went down.

Of course, he did…

Macchiato decided to hire his new bf, Espresso (M 18), as our manager.

Espresso didn’t know how a coffee house worked, and Sumatra and I were instructed to train him.

He refused to learn anything, preferring to stay in the office, or leave for three hour lunches. Sumatra told me our days were numbered, and she was right.

A week after Espresso was hired, he fired Sumatra fired for no reason, which left Espresso and myself as the only employees.

Oh, boy…

Three days later, as I was getting ready for a film festival the community center was hosting, Espresso showed up with my final paycheck, and told me I was being let go.

When I asked why, he said there were “complaints”, from customers.

I asked him, as manager, why he didn’t bring this to my attention earlier (Note; we had an employee manual that clearly spelled out a robust correction policy).

He scoffed at me, and took off. I then called Macchiato, and asked him why I was being let go.

He gave me the same lame answer. I read him the correction policy from the employee handbook, which ****** him off.

“It doesn’t matter,” Macchiato said, “You’re being let go, immediately. You’re clearly not barista material.”

I took a look at the two block long line of film festival attendees who were waiting for the coffeehouse to open so they could buy drinks and snacks.

I asked, “Macchiato, if I’m being let go, who is going to help all the people who are lined up outside?”

Oh, really?

He said,” Oh! Well, I’d appreciate it if you’d stay and finish your shift.”

I hung up the phone, opened the door, and told the line, “We’re open. Help yourselves,” and then left.

I had my last paycheck, which didn’t include the hours from my last shift, and since I clearly wasn’t barista material, I didn’t need to be there.

I took my paycheck to a check cashing place, instead of depositing it into my bank account.

That next week, I got hired for an admin position with an accounting firm.

I later found out from Sumatra that it was a good thing I cashed my paycheck instead of putting into my bank account, as the owner of the check cashing place sent over two big dudes and made Espresso give them all the cash from the register to cover the bad check Macchiato had written.”

Now let’s see how Reddit users reacted.

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