- A departing employee’s farewell gathering went viral on Reddit after colleagues provided only meat dishes despite a known vegetarian diet.
- Reddit user u/omiimonster shared the incident under r/mildlyinfuriating, garnering thousands of comments detailing similar workplace snubs.
- While the group food offered no vegetarian options, the user’s former manager eventually stepped in with a separate treat from Crumbl.
Workplace Farewell Party Overlooks Employee’s Dietary Needs
An office farewell party meant to commemorate an employee’s three-year tenure has sparked widespread debate online after the organizers provided an entirely meat-centric menu. The incident came to light after Reddit user u/omiimonster published a post under the r/mildlyinfuriating subreddit on Sept. 19. Titled Goodbye work party for last day of 3 years. I’m vegetarian,
the post featured an image showing only boxes of pizza topped with meat and chicken wings provided for the event, drawing roughly 4,800 comments from community members.
The departing employee explained that the gathering was arranged as a goodbye dinner to mark their final day at the company. However, the meal provided excluded any options suitable for their lifestyle, despite existing workplace guidelines designed to prevent such oversights. The employee wrote, There was no cheese pizza. They always order only pepperoni and wings. There is an office list of special diets and allergies.
Online Community Reacts with Shared Workplace Snubs
As the post gained traction, social media users shared a mix of disbelief, humor, and their own horror stories involving workplace culture and office politics. One commenter questioned, So your workmates celebrating getting rid of ya ahhaha.
In response, another shared a story and wrote, At the restaurant I worked at in high school, there was a going-away party for a girl everyone disliked, and she wasn’t invited. She found out anyway, and everyone had to pretend it was supposed to be a surprise lol.
Other users debated the intentions behind the order choices. Another commenter defended the company and wrote, You’re already leaving. They’re trying to keep everyone else.
To this, a user wrote, Pizza and wings are nice, but it won’t make me stay at a job lol.
The discussion prompted another user to recount a severe dietary oversight involving an allergy at a previous job: I had a farewell lunch at work. They ordered a lot of shrimp platters. I’m allergic to shellfish. I literally could not touch anything on the table – the tongs, forks, cups, nothing…cause everyone’s shrimp-juiced fingers were on it.
According to that commenter, after the office director looked into why they skipped the meal, the party planner confessed to bad intentions: When the Director followed up with her, she spitefully admitted the party wasn’t really for me, but for everyone else to celebrate my leaving.
That situation escalated internally, as the commenter added: After my departure, she was called into HR multiple times regarding my case and other incidents. She had a history of workplace bullying and ultimately retired shortly thereafter.
A Silver Lining and Closure
Despite the lack of meal options at the organized gathering, u/omiimonster updated the original post to share that the situation was partially remedied by an individual gesture from leadership. In an edit to the post, the Reddit user wrote, ya’ll i would have just been fine with a cheese pizza T-T, but I wasn’t expecting anything. My update got lost in the comments. My old manager ordered my Crumbl, and I kept them all to myself.
Why This Matters
Workplace events and celebrations are standard cultural tools used by companies to promote morale and demonstrate appreciation for staff members. However, instances where dietary restrictions, personal preferences, or medical allergies are ignored during events specifically hosted in an individual’s honor highlight recurring friction points in corporate etiquette. When organized without basic accommodations, these gatherings risk exposing administrative indifference or toxic workplace dynamics, ultimately reinforcing an employee’s decision to leave.
Frequently Asked Questions
What food was provided at the farewell party?
The farewell dinner featured only a box of pepperoni pizza and chicken wings, leaving no meat-free food options for the departing vegetarian employee.
Did the employee’s office have a record of dietary restrictions?
Yes, according to the Reddit user, the office maintained an official list detailing special diets and allergies, which was disregarded when placing the food order.
Did the employee receive any food during the event?
While the main catering order contained no vegetarian meal options, the employee’s former manager independently ordered cookies from Crumbl specifically for them.
