October 18, 2026 at 8:55 am

Coworkers Pressured the New Guy to Bring Doughnuts for Everyone. He Played Along, Then Turned It Into a Scare for One of Them

by Chris Allen

frustrated man at computer

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Office traditions stop being harmless when coworkers turn them into relentless hazing.

A new senior employee endured insults, interrupted meetings, and sabotaged work because he hadn’t purchased donuts.

Rather than reward that behavior, he arrived with cheap pastries and a carefully planned message.

Read on to see how the final donut was served.

It is MY day to buy donuts for the entire office as the new person?? Well…OK….

As the “new person” at my job, I was told multiple times that I was expected to provide donuts for the entire office.

Normally, that’s not a big deal… but two people in particular were rude and relentless about the donuts all week.

Others joined in also.

Apparently, these people recently extorted two boxes of Krispy Kremes from someone else.

I would hate to work with coworkers like this.

Examples of the behavior – mentioned buying donuts 20+ times, name calling, interrupted meetings, powered off my computer (losing my work), refusing to answer legit work questions until I buy donuts, on and on.

Here’s the problem, I was hired in as a Sr., 30 years old, and I was not necessarily loving the idea of being told to buy donuts over and over.

Hazing really did not seem appropriate at this point of my career (or for anyone else).

I didn’t want to be a “bad sport” my first week, so I played along. I politely said that I will not have time this week but will get to it eventually.

He bought the cheapest doughnuts possible.

In terms of the workforce, I was mature, but I was not very mature as a person overall. I needed a creative way to address this problem.

On my way to work, I decided to pickup a cheap bag of small powdered hostess “donettes” donuts at the gas station.

I distributed the donuts one by one, desk by desk, making sure to do so bare handed from the bag.

I presented the donuts extremely politely, careful to mask my passive aggressive “F U” to the whole forced donut process.

The coworkers didn’t know how to react.

The reaction from the staff was a lot of the “deer in headlights” looks.

People had no idea if I was a “really nice, but clueless” person, or if I was totally saying “F U” to the entire donut idea.

Most people took the “safe” choice of being pleasant in return.

Some people tried to refuse, but I mentioned the “big deal” about buying donuts, and still left a donut on every desk.

But what to do about the most annoying coworkers?

I had originally considered providing a donut to everyone except the last two idiotic pushy people.

I started verbally setting it up where they would not receive a donut.

However, these two idiots were still openly verbally complaining about donuts, as adults. I could tell that this was not going to go away – they could not take a hint to back off.

My idea to passive aggressively snub them was no longer good enough. This had to be more direct.

I decided I was 100% done with these guys, regardless of the consequences. I told them I had another idea.

They would still get doughnuts.

I grabbed a plastic knife from the breakroom, and cut the remaining donut in half the long (horizontal) way, so I still had two circles.

The yellow cake was now visible.

Then – the most brilliant idea of my life.

A new way to hold donuts. One donut on each middle finger, with my middle finger in the center hole of each donut.

He made his point.

I stopped at both desks.

The first guy had his choice of two half donuts on my middle fingers.

That’s right, I was able to give him a double donut middle finger.

He now understood that I was completely done with his BS, but he never grabbed a donut.

The first guy’s reaction gave him another opportunity.

I explained the donuts are actually quite tasty, and urged him to take one, but Im sure I looked like a complete psycho.

I was no longer able to stay in character.

The good news – his refusal to take a donuts from my middle fingers ALSO allowed the opportunity to provide the last guy a double donut middle finger!!

I mildly snapped, and had a bad fake grin on my face.

I couldn’t stop laughing reading these last few lines!

I looked him right in the eye. Double Donut middle fingers up, no longer saying a word.

The reaction of the last person is best described as completely frightened.

That’s right, I reached a complete breaking point over donuts, and scared the hell out of someone.

Anyway, after this incident, I was never asked to buy donuts again.

That is so hilarious! But it serves them right for trying to force a new hire to bring doughnuts to work.

Let’s see how Reddit reacted to this story.

This tradition sounds much better!

Screenshot 2025 10 03 at 5.11.49 PM Coworkers Pressured the New Guy to Bring Doughnuts for Everyone. He Played Along, Then Turned It Into a Scare for One of Them

I’d be interested to know the answer to this question too.

Screenshot 2025 10 03 at 5.12.01 PM Coworkers Pressured the New Guy to Bring Doughnuts for Everyone. He Played Along, Then Turned It Into a Scare for One of Them

No is a complete sentence.

Screenshot 2025 10 03 at 5.12.23 PM Coworkers Pressured the New Guy to Bring Doughnuts for Everyone. He Played Along, Then Turned It Into a Scare for One of Them

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a tech support worker who told a manager a computer needed replaced, only to be told no thanks.

This person shares a story about a former boss.

Screenshot 2025 10 03 at 5.12.51 PM Coworkers Pressured the New Guy to Bring Doughnuts for Everyone. He Played Along, Then Turned It Into a Scare for One of Them

This employee technically fulfilled the office’s demand by placing a powdered donut on every coworker’s desk.

The two worst offenders received their final servings on his raised middle fingers, and nobody ever requested donuts again.

He didn’t just bring breakfast, he delivered a double-glazed warning.

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