A Reddit post detailing a lunch break dispute at an Indian workplace has gone viral, yet again igniting a discussion around toxic work culture and power imbalances in the corporate world. The post, titled ‘Stopped from having lunch break’, recounts the experience of an employee at a mid-sized Indian firm who stood up to his manager after being told to delay his break.
According to the post, the employee was instructed to finish pending work before taking lunch. Frustrated and hungry, he responded by saying he works to earn a living, and more importantly, to eat.
He pointedly told his manager, “Khaane ke liye hi toh kama raha hoon, aur aap mujhe khaana khane se rok rahe ho,” meaning, “I work to earn so I can eat, and now you’re stopping me from eating.”
He apparently did not even wait for the manager to react or reply, and left for lunch.
The manager reportedly ignored him for the remaining part of the day gave being clearly dismissive. Although the employee later was a bit anxious wondering whether he’d gone too far, his peers supported him assuring that standing up for a basic right—such as a lunch break—was not wrong and was entirely justified.
Reddit users rallied behind the post, many praising the employee’s assertiveness and calling out manipulative managerial behaviour.
Others spoke up on the platform about similar experiences, with some even regretting not having had the courage to defend their rights at their own workplaces. Others hoped the manager would reflect on his actions, warning that continuing such behaviour could backfire.
The viral post has only fuelled the increasing conversations about work boundaries, employee well-being, and the need to check toxic workplace power plays.