Wanted: The Employee Lunch Thief

Rebecca Mazin
Fri, 24 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

I heard the tale of the employee lunch thief while working with a 100+ employee manufacturer. It's a food production facility so lunch can't be kept in a locker. Staff members are permitted to stash the midday meal in a common refrigerator in the break area. Many employees bring a bag that includes leftovers or a meal made before heading out. Others leave the premises to pick up their repast, often chipping in with a group. On pretty much every day more than one employee opens a bag, lunch box, container or take out carton to find empty or partially eaten contents. The predictable reactions: it's gross, expensive, inconsiderate and leaves people hungry.

Where's the Camera?

There are some guesses about the identity of the sneaky perpetrator but there is no consensus as to the name of the suspect. Theories abound because there is no predictable pattern to the "take-out" behavior, different days, various types of menu items and quantities. There is no camera in the break area and some employees have clamored for one while others cringe at the intrusion, even if their stomach is grumbling. Other recommendations include blue dye and laxatives. Nothing has been put into place and the missing meals continues.

This Company Is Not Alone

Mention the lunch thief story to a colleague and you hear a list of "me too" stories. Search for stolen employee lunches online in any combination of formats and you will find millions of entries and recommendations for purchase of anti-theft lunch bags, nasty notes and clear signage. One of the most amusing entries describes a boss who felt entitled to eat many random items found on his subordinate's desks. I watched a few too many videos of dramatizations of techniques to thwart a lunch thief. Posting the number of missing meals seemed like a clever way to highlight the issue but it did not result in a decline in food snatching.

Keep Trying

I recommended that the employer not give up and even install a dummy camera as a potential deterrent while work site renovations are underway. The more they talk about the wayward edibles and raise awareness I am hoping that the spotlight becomes a glare that stops the thefts or results in new information.

How Would You Stop the Lunch Thief?

Do you have any other ideas to resolve this mystery and keep employee stomachs from grumbling? Have you had similar experiences or heard of others? Share your stories and solutions and maybe, just maybe, we apply them so everyone can enjoy their whole meal and get back to work!