Getting paid should be the simplest part of starting a new job.

One restaurant worker follows instructions to return after noon, only to get loudly criticized for showing up during someone’s lunch break.

The awkward moment gets even stranger when the same shift lead realizes he heard everything and suddenly switches to a friendly smile.

See why one paycheck pickup left him wondering whether he had somehow broken an unwritten rule.

AITA? Called rude for picking up my check.

I work at a restaurant. I won’t go into any detail about the establishment itself. I just started about a week ago, and have worked four shifts so far.

I came in the morning to pick up my check. I was told the lady who hands them out was in a meeting.

Things are about to get really hostile.

I was then told to come back after 12pm. This is all the information I was given.

I go home and play some Oblivion Remastered and show back up around 12:25pm. There was a shift lead working in the front of house area who was told I was there to pick up my check.

She started speaking about me at a high volume (to the point she had to of known I could hear her).

“That’s so rude,” she said.

But now he wonders if it’s justified.

“She’s on her lunch break. He shouldn’t be coming up here to pick up his check. I didn’t even see him work here last week. Why is he even here? Coming in while she’s on lunch!”

She then realized I was looking at her and listening so she smiled and waved. I smiled and waved in return.

AITA? I’m not really familiar with this line of work. I’ve been there for literally four shifts and I don’t feel like I overstepped.

I would have happily waited for her to get off lunch. I was not in any sort of rush. Maybe they meant after 12:59, but after 12 was definitely a miscommunication if I had to say.

Here is what people are saying.

A red flag for sure!

What a power trip!

Same. Direct deposit is best.

They need to know about her.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a longtime bank customer who walked away after the teller gave them a hard time.

Not hard at all. Ridiculous.

He came back exactly when he was told, then got criticized within earshot for arriving at an inconvenient time.

Redditors overwhelmingly sided with him, saying management should have communicated better and made paychecks available without the drama.

Picking up your paycheck should not require solving the restaurant’s secret lunch-break puzzle.