Imagine stopping on the way to work to pick up something to eat. If you only worked with two other people, would you get something for them to eat too?

In this story, one woman is in this situation. She has a coworker who she likes and a supervisor who she finds annoying. Sometimes when she stops to get food on the way to work she also gets something for both of them, but sometimes she just gets something for her coworker. Other times, she only gets food for herself.

Now, she’s wondering if she’s rude for not always getting food for her supervisor when she gets food for her coworker.

Keep reading for all the details.

AITA for not giving my supervisor free food?

I (24F) work as a 2nd shift elementary school custodian. That means I work in the afternoon after the kids get out. Which means sometimes I don’t eat before I go into work. So sometimes I stop by somewhere to get food and eat it before my shift starts.

On the custodial team, there is my coworker (65F) and my supervisor (62M).

My supervisor is basically a micromanager and takes pictures on mistakes my coworker and I made. He would also show me mistakes in front of other people.

She gets along well with her coworker.

Anyway, when I go to pick up food, sometimes I decide to get my coworker something. Sometimes it’s a surprise and sometimes she asks if it’s possible to get her something next time I go to the food place. So I do that and give it to her.

Now my coworker and I have a good work relationship and we chat as if we’re old friends.

Meanwhile, my supervisor would come up to me asking why I didn’t get him anything.

Let’s see how she responds.

I would explain that I didn’t know what he would want (and sometimes I decide to go to a restaurant on that day).

He would then tell me what he would want as if I should’ve known.

A few times I go to McDonald’s to get myself lunch and only myself and a few times he would get on me about not getting him a sweet tea.

When these things happen, I feel I’m obligated to give him something.

She does sometimes get something for her supervisor.

Now there are times where I do give both my coworker and supervisor something. I got chicken nuggets for both my coworker and supervisor last week and my supervisor has yet to eat them.

I’ve given my supervisor his sweet tea the few times I would go to McDonald’s and even got both of them hot coco when we had to shovel snow.

I just wonder if I’m a jerk for the times I would only get my coworker something and not my supervisor.

So AITA?

I can kind of see why her supervisor is annoyed. I think it’s the inconsistency of sometimes getting him something but not always.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who just let clients complain after her boss refused to approve overtime.

Let’s see how Reddit responded to this story.

She doesn’t have to buy him food for free.

Here’s another vote for letting the supervisor pay.

Nobody thinks she should buy her supervisor food.

I completely agree.

It’s one thing to buy something for a friend because you want to. It’s another thing to have a supervisor expect you to buy him food just because. I agree with the comments suggesting she ask him to pay. That’s only fair.

It’s unfortunate when trying to be nice and generous becomes expected instead of appreciated.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about an employee who rejects a low contract offer and leaves the company instead.