A viral post on X by a user named Nisha Anandani has sparked a debate about workplace perks and etiquette after she complained that her flatmate, who works at Google, brings office food home and fills their shared fridge.
Anandani wrote that her flatmate brings home one-litre cans of milk, fruits and other items from the office. According to her post, the flatmate had been back from a trip home for only three days and had already taken over the entire fridge. Anandani did not name the flatmate, and the allegation is her account alone.
She acknowledged that Google lets employees take food home, but argued that this does not excuse a lack of basic civic sense and consideration for people sharing a home. She ended the post by telling Google to hire better people, warning that otherwise people would look down on the company.
How users reacted
A user named Shalini replied that the post was quite accurate. She claimed that, because of a few individuals, management had considered closing the micro kitchen, and asked why people behave this way when Google pays enough to afford milk.
Another user, Pritika, replied that some people never outgrow the "free hai toh le lo" mindset, even at Google. The Hindi phrase roughly translates to "if it's free, take it."
Perks and shared-space etiquette
The exchange touches on a familiar flashpoint: free workplace food, which many companies offer as a perk, versus how it is used outside the office. The posts do not say how often the flatmate takes food home or how much, and they do not include the flatmate's side.
