Is this stealing?

[SMD]

Those little individual cups are expensive and people tend to take more than they use and they either end up in the trash or someone starts a collection in their drawer. Without knowing whose paying for them, maybe they were just trying to warn people that if people keep taking more than they need they're going to switch to a carton of creamer or canister of powdered creamer and sugar.

 

[dclpluto]

If you use the creamers and sugar at school since it's provided for the teachers it's not stealing. But if you bring any of it home it's stealing. The cafeteria manager probably think you are taking it home.

 

[Wishing on a star]

At my work, the cafeteria manager makes coffee for all teachers and staff that want it. It doesn't cost anything and they also provide little things of creamer and sugar/Splenda/equal.

I think there is just a little confusion.... based on the original post.

dcpluto, the above post, could be right... Maybe they are having issues with staff stashing quantities of this stuff in their pocket to take home for their personal use, off the clock. Using the creamer is not stealing... Taking, removing, things from the school premises for ones personal use at home would be stealing.

If this is a perk for staff that is coming out of the schools budget... Then, it doesn't matter who makes the coffee.
Heck, it could be the Principal, or the Janitor who makes/brews the coffee.

If this manager is doing this at her own expense, to do something nice, then that would be different.

If this is part of the school budget, and there is no charge... using something that is provided free of charge is simply not stealing.

OP, the big thing here is that stealing is a serious allegation.
To me, unless the manager is paying for this perk, for all staff, she has no right to control who partakes and who doesn't.
Maybe this manager is just on a power trip.

If it is at the managers expense, you are at their mercy. I would be careful to not take even one sugar or creamer without asking.

If it is a perk for school staff, then I would be concerned about being accused of stealing.
That is a serious accusation that if it is not warranted, is just not okay.

 

[hereyago]

Creamer and Sugar Stealer Watch 2017,lol.

 

[Liberty Belle]

I'm going to be the lone wolf and say YES. Especially if it's frequent if it happens by more than one person.

Cafeteria prices are low for a reason. But as the number of people who do it increases, the cafeteria prices go up. If you need a few packets.... drop a dime in the tip jar for each one.

So do you think everyone who gets a free coffee there and uses it is stealing?

 

[Imzadi]

NO, it's not stealing.
That said, I think the issue is that you take several back to your room rather than just taking your coffee to that central place and adding in the creamer you want right then. if you had been putting creamer into your coffee instead of your pocket I doubt anyone would care at all

The cafeteria manager probably think you are taking it home.

Just bring an empty cup of your own with you and place the cream in it. Then go to your room and make your own coffee and pour the cream in it. If you don't want to bring your own cup, just pour the required amount of cream into one of the cafeteria cups and take it to your coffee.

It's the putting it in your pocket that makes it look like stealing.

Next time, have your husband speak up on your behalf, saying you make your own flavored coffee in your room and only use the cream available to everyone.

 

[CarolAnn856]

n/m

 

[hereyago]

Surely, the Cafeteria Manager isn't nieve to think that every one only eats/drinks in the cafeteria.


OP did state she puts it in her pocket because she is holding stuff. Should she show her creamers and announce she is going back to get room? Lol.

If she put a bunch in her pocket book, then yea it would look sketchy, but a couple in a pocket no.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

It is not stealing.

If it would make her feel better, get a cup of her coffee and take the creamer with you. Pour out that coffee and put the creamer in your own coffee.

 

[gemini2727]

I would just let the Manager know what the OP was doing, I can't imagine that they would still consider it stealing if they knew she was just preparing her coffee in her room.

 

[sunshinehighway]

No. You are not stealing. It just appears that you are, from the cafeteria manager's perspective, because she probably doesn't realize you make your own coffee away from others. There's no need for you to apologize. You've not done anything wrong. Just set her straight.

Yup. The things people will do to save a few pennies is amazing so it's not completely off the wall to see someone putting free stuff in their pocket and assume they are taking advantage. Obviously you aren't. I doubt she would think it was stealing if she knew you were using it for your coffee.

 

[powellrj]

I would just take my cup to the cafeteria and pick up a creamer and take it back with me. I agree its the putting it in your pocket that makes it look suspect.

 

[littleblackegg]

I like to nail people like this down right away by killing them with kindness. Just ask her if there is a charge for the coffee creamer with your nicest voice. Because there is most certainly NO charge for the creamer, she will have to look you in your polite, honest, smiling face and tell you so. A big 'ol thanks and a smile and it won't come up again. Honestly, some people get hung up on the pettiest things.

 

[littleblackegg]

Anyone who works in a big institution like a courthouse, a school (particularly a public school), a hospital, a state university, any kind of govt agency-knows this dynamic. We call the staff who make the whole thing move every day: receptionists, food service, sanitation, grounds, security LIFERS. Because they are. They come in in their 20's and leave in their 50's and 60's with a pension. They tend to be very rigid. If the food trays are coming at 7am, they will not bring you one at 6:30am. Things have to be a certain way. In order to work with them over the years, I learned to ask about their children and who is graduating and who is in Afghanistan and who just had a baby and of COURSE I want to see pictures. This way, whenever I needed something off schedule or requiring extra work, I had an extra pair of hands. Creamer Lady will respond to being super nice.

 

[scrapquitler]

If you took handfuls of the creamers and sugars and brought them home to use later, that would be stealing. What you are doing is not stealing.

 

[bcla]

Well, I suppose the basic idea of the petty office thief is someone who takes office supplies home for personal use. I've done that when actually working from home, but over the years I've bought my own pens or pencils that I prefer to use.

In the end is it really worth getting that upset? I've had collections of unused ketchup packets that sat around my cube. This is tiny stuff. There are more important things to worry about.

 

[longboard55]

I tend to disagree, if you want creamer you should bring your cup to the station and use it there. The problem is when companies give away things for free, many people take advantage of it. My daughter worked at a place with a hugely subsidized lunch, like $3 for all you can eat, but people were filling up their to go pockets and taking at home, so they killed the whole thing and now charge regular prices

 

[PlainJane]

I think I would first tell her that you think it is kind of her to provide coffee for the teachers (even though she is probably not paying for it, she's making it available). I would next explain that you make your own coffee in you room, but sometimes run out of creamer and have on occassion used the ones she has provided. Explain that you had not considered asking if she was OK with this in the past and don't want to continue if she isn't.

I don't think what you did is wrong. I think it's very likely she just feels used by people who just take the items and don't say thank you. It's completely possible that there are some that take fistfuls of the stuff and she's not even thinking of you or maybe wrongly assumed you were taking large quantities with you.

 

[anniemae]

Sometimes people will take advantage of free stuff. You are not, but some may pocket it and take it home. If I were you, I would either bring my cup of coffee in the cafeteria and put the cream in there, as others have said. Or, just say to the lady, "I made my own coffee in my room, but ran out of creamer, can I grab one?"

 

[mom2rtk]

Sometimes people will take advantage of free stuff. You are not, but some may pocket it and take it home. If I were you, I would either bring my cup of coffee in the cafeteria and put the cream in there, as others have said. Or, just say to the lady, "I made my own coffee in my room, but ran out of creamer, can I grab one?"

If you do that, just be prepared that she might say no.