July 2, 2025 at 7:55 am

She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

by Ashley Ashbee

Strawberry chocolate cake with a slice missing

Pexels/Reddit

A lot of people seem grateful about things you’ve done for them.

After a while you realize it’s more entitlement than gratitude.

See why this chef has put an end to her birthday creations.

AITAH For no longer making my colleagues a birthday cake.

So I am a chef and have been working at a high-end restaurant for almost 2 years.

Since I started, I made it a point to find out when a fellow colleague’s birthday was and make them a cake/sweet treat to celebrate and then share it with everyone else working.

But things have changed.

Since then I have made numerous treats at work for birthdays.

I have also made them at home and brought them in the next day if I was off or we were closed, along with going out early in the morning on my days off and buying specific treats for one reason or another to drop off before service started.

My birthday, however, was a month ago, and no one at work did a single thing.

They knew it was my birthday over the weekend and knew we were closed because they all asked me about it the following work week.

I was pretty hurt, but let it go and told myself that I wouldn’t be making any effort for anymore birthdays unless specifically told to by my boss.

Now it’s someone’s birthday tomorrow, which I didn’t know about until a colleague emails me saying “It’s ……. Birthday tomorrow.”

That’s it’s, thats the whole message.

No hello, or how are you…just those four words and it rubbed me the wrong way.

So she’s taking a stand.

I worked a semi-solo shift today, everyone else was off and could have organized something.

I was very busy as it’s prep day today which I do at the start of every week, prepping specific items for other sections to help them get a head start.

After a couple of exchanges, I held firm and told them I was too busy tomorrow to do it.

Also that I won’t be making a cake for anyone anymore for the remained of the year as no one put any effort into mine this year.

They said “ok, fair”.

Now I feel terrible, and second guessing whether to make something small at work even though we are incredibly busy tomorrow.

AITAH?

Here is what people are talking about.

Good rule! That’s what we did as kids.

Screenshot 2025 06 08 at 1.01.51 AM She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

Yes. I don’t understand why she feels bad.

Screenshot 2025 06 08 at 1.02.04 AM She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

I have found life a lot easier and nicer once I gave up expectations.

Screenshot 2025 06 08 at 1.04.39 AM She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

It sounds like she has social anxiety, to be honest.

Screenshot 2025 06 08 at 1.05.01 AM She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

Exactly. They just wanted free cake for nothing.

Screenshot 2025 06 08 at 1.05.35 AM She Made A Birthday Cake For Each Of Her Coworkers, But Stopped When No One Even Acknowledged Her Birthday

Don’t give people the means to feel entitled.

This doesn’t sound like a very nice work environment.

If you enjoyed this story, check out this post about a daughter who invited herself to her parents’ 40th anniversary vacation for all the wrong reasons.

Ashley Ashbee | Contributing Writer, Workplace & Culture

Ashley Ashbee is a contributing writer for TwistedSifter specializing in workplace dynamics, employee advocacy, and professional culture. Drawing on her real-world experience as a software consultant, she brings a unique, insider perspective to navigating office conflicts, toxic management, and trending professional dilemmas.

Holding a degree in Professional Writing from York University, Ashley combines her formal editorial training with her corporate background to deliver highly engaging, empathetic narratives. She excels at breaking down complex workplace dramas and translating them into stories that truly empower and validate modern workers.

Based in St. Catharines, Ontario, Ashley balances her time between the tech and publishing worlds with her love for the outdoors. When she isn’t consulting or writing, she can usually be found exploring local walking trails or experimenting with new recipes in the kitchen.

Connect with Ashley on LinkedIn and Twitter/X.