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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/SenseCompetitive4949 on 2024-12-19 22:18:02+00:00.

So I work at a restaurant as a waiter part time (usually 2-3 shifts a week 9-5 or 4-finish) and 4 nights ago, we had 2 tables with over 20 guests at each one. There were also several walk ins and we were extremely understaffed (loads of staff had taken that 4-finish shift off for some unknown reason).

Anyways, I was the most experienced waiter there as it was mostly new starts working and apart from me, my manager was probably the most senior member of staff there (I’m 17 and I’ve been working there since I was 15, I’m in the UK so it’s fine for me to be working at this age). I am tasked with taking a food order from one of the tables, I go up and take the order and put their order into the tills. I then go to drink from the water bottle which I had filled at the start of my shift and my manager tells me “your not allowed to drink on shift, it’s far too busy put it down.” So I put my drink down.

The next day I come in for my 9-5 shift and I don’t drink. Then today, I came in for my 9-5 shift again and I don’t drink. My supervisor notices that I didn’t even have my drink bottle in with me and asks why and I tell him “oh, (managers name) told me I couldn’t drink on shift, so I don’t see the point in bringing a water bottle anymore” and the supervisor says “that’s not right, your allowed to have a drink at work it’s a basic human right. I’ll have a chat with HR about this.”

Anyways, I just received a message from my manager basically saying that he’s sorry for telling me I am not allowed to drink and that he was wrong. My supervisor also texted me saying that he embarrassed the manager in front of the whole management team and owner of the restaurant, as the manager had been giving the waiters questionable advice for the past while and apparently the owner wasn’t happy with him at all.

I hope he learned his lesson not to tell me I can’t drink. I’m not dehydrating myself for a minimum wage job I’ll drink when I want whether I’m on the beach or in the restaurant.