Real-life MMD: Waitress takes leftovers to give to a retirement home. Should I report

pennypinchUK

In today's litigious world, your colleague and therefore your employer would be liable if any of the recipients of the food were to get ill. Although it's common sense, practical and thoughtful of your colleague to take the food she should be told to stop.

I understand that some supermarkets are now giving unsold food to charities, if both parties agree to a liability waiver. You may like to investigate this route. Then, it's a win-win all round.

husky23

I think some people are being very unfair here.

I wouldn't want to report her because 1. it's not really my concern and 2. it's going to waste anyway. But having said that, what if you get incriminated in the process? I've worked for companies that sack for people not having reported something. Someone once stole some stationary and because the person working with her did not report it, she got sacked too.

At the end of the day you need to protect yourself as well. She's doing something she knows she shouldn't (whether it is for the right reasons or not) but if other staff are noticing then she's not being very discreet and is potentially risking other people's livelihoods as well.

Chickdee

No I don't think u should report her. It would be a lot better if these companies thought more of the unfortunate and donated the leftovers to the homeless!

vukuk

....to even think about reporting it to your boss. Unless you wish you have taken those cakes yourself but have not guts for it! Behave....Well done to the waitress!

Bearface13

I don't see how anyone could reasonably object to food that was being thrown out being instead given to people who can make use of it. It's just a shame that the woman has to do it in a clandestine fashion because the sad individual who runs the company objects to it - presumably because it's his property (which it is) and so he can do what he wants with it (which legally, of course, he can - but really, how pathetic is that? When it costs him nothing and can be of benefit to needy people.) If I wwere the other waitress I certainly wouldn't tell the boss about my colleague - I just hope she doesn't get caught.

dwrjones87

Hell no! There are millions of people in this world starving, so to throw perfectly good food away is bad enough, but to report somebody for not letting it go to waste is even worse.

I would be having a word with my boss about either getting them to cut down on the wastage or allowing it to be put to good use however, as they're pretty much telling people to throw their money away.

janiebquick

While I don't think it is your business to report her, I do think that what she is doing could be highly dangerous. The food could potentially be infected with E Coli - a bacterium that causes gastrointestinal infections (tummy bugs). Old people are particularly susceptible to these infections, which can be fatal.

MistyB47

Why would you even think of reporting her? Is it your place to snitch on work colleagues? Its not like she's selling them on is it? As if it isn't bad enough these poor old folk being in a home in the first place you now want to deprive them of a few cakes. I would be looking at yourself rather than your colleague.

claire1a

No!! Why on earth would you? Its such a petty reason too!

It's this stupid blame culture thats taken over Britain thats to blame. Common sense has been made redundant!

If businesses have food left over and it's just going to be chucked out then why the hell not donate it to those who need it?!

Robothell

My initial instinct is to say no, you should not report her.

I disagree with some people here when they say that there is no harm in the food going to the nursing home - those saying that are obviously unaware of food safety legislation regarding preparation and transport of food. Elderly people in nursing homes are vulnerable to foodborne infections and there are a number of cases of outbreaks of Listeriosis, Salmonella and other cases of food poisoning where the appropriate controls have not been in place . If the food is known to have come from the restaurant then their name will be dragged through the press and they'll have Environmental Health breathing down their necks through no fault of their own.

This issue is not insurmountable though. A well known sandwich chain donates its left over sandwiches etc. at the end of the day to homeless shelters with the cold chain intact. If the food has been kept adequately chilled, or doesn't require chilling, then there is no issue so long as they are wrapped in a waterproof wrapping (eg. clingfilm).

I would, however, advise my colleague to seek official permision though as it is not good practice to sneak behind your bosses' backs.