Workplace jokes are usually harmless, until someone decides to take them literally.

When one playful manager demanded “gifts” for posting the schedule, one retail employee decided to things to the next level.

The end result? A messy packet of mayonnaise and a slap on the wrist from the franchise owner.

Keep reading for the full story!

Is Mayonnaise a gift?

So, my manager is something of a goofball. He’s exactly the kind of weirdo that I like to work under and is always joking about something, even when he’s in a bad mood.

Luckily, he’s also willing to take care of business at work when necessary and is exactly what my workplace needed.

This team communicates a lot through their group chat.

We have a group chat app specifically for our workplace, where every employee of our store and every supervisor above us (up to the franchise owners) can see.

On a weekly basis, my manager posts our week’s schedule to the group chat so that everyone has access, and those who don’t use the app (or have a smartphone) use the paper copy that’s posted in-store.

So when the manager cracked a joke, one employee was very responsive.

Right on time, my manager posts the schedule and a bit of text, joking about being a benevolent overlord and that he demands gifts in exchange for this week’s schedule, to be deposited in a box in the manager’s office at the beginning of your next shift.

Of course, we all knew he was joking, but I had to ask what everyone was thinking:

“Is mayonnaise a gift?”

He responds with, “Put it in the box, Master_Maniac.”

Alright, bet.

Little did this manager know, this employee would stop at nothing to see this plan through.

See, my manager knows me well enough to understand that I enjoy shenanigans.

However, he didn’t expect me to actually bring him mayonnaise as a gift first thing in the morning.

After a long discussion in the group chat about possible delivery methods for the mayo in question, I decided on my plan.

Before work, I stopped by the good old golden arches. I grab breakfast from there fairly often, so I figured that was my best option.

Throwing caution to the wind, this employee tried their best to ascertain this mayonnaise.

I pulled up to the window to pay for my order and asked the poor lady for a strange favor.

The way she looked at me when I asked if I could pay them to fill a small drink cup with mayo was priceless.

I was a bit defeated when she offered me packets. I considered momentarily asking for it in an ice cream cone, but I decided to take what I could get before she called the police.

Then, things start getting interesting.

I arrive at the store and immediately approach my manager and try to hand him a dozen packets of McDonald’s brand light mayo.

He tells me to take it to the office and put it in the box, which I do.

We have a laugh and get on with our day.

Well, toward the end of my shift, it’s time for a secondary MC.

The manager continues to goof off, so the employee plays along.

He’s at the front behind the counter, and the store is completely devoid of customers.

He loudly yells that he needs me to feed him a packet of that mayo because he’s got his hands full and can’t do it himself.

Alright. Bet.

The employee is more than happy to comply.

I walk my happy self to that manager’s office, snag a pack of mayo, and rip the corner right off that thing.

I can hear him at the front, laughing and being a goofball, having already forgotten what he had ordered me to do.

It’s clear the manager didn’t think they were being serious.

His eyes got real big when he saw me approaching with that mayo.

I told him, “Open up.”

To his credit, he did.

And I poured that entire packet of McDonald’s brand light mayo directly into his mouth.

The group chat really got a kick out of this.

For our coworkers that weren’t present, I posted in the group chat: “I can finally say that I’ve fed my manager a pouch of mayo like the world’s most terrifying baby bird.”

Got a few laughs. Felt nice.

On to the fallout.

But not everyone was so amused.

Nothing super terrible, thankfully, but my manager had a meeting with the franchise owners the next day (had been planned long before the mayo conversation took place).

He returned from that meeting, pulled me aside, and said that the owners asked him to talk to me about being professional in our group chat.

Luckily, though, nothing too serious happened.

They said my comment about feeding him mayo like a baby bird was inappropriate and that it probably shouldn’t happen in-store again.

He wasn’t being seriously reprimanded, as they were laughing too—but it was great to hear that even the owners were getting in on the fun.

This story was a two-for-one malicious compliance!

What did Reddit think of this amusing story?

Many more bosses could learn from this guy’s lighthearted approach.

It’s always fun to work with someone who doesn’t take themselves too seriously.

What’s the significance of mayonnaise exactly?

No rules were technically broken, but the franchise owners are definitely keeping a closer eye on them now.

One thing’s for sure: this manager will never look at a packet of mayonnaise the same way ever again!

If you liked that post, check out this post about a rude customer who got exactly what they wanted in their pizza.