Is this stealing?

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

Now while I know that when in doubt if something is a sin or not the best action to pursue is to bring it up during confession, none the less I will bring up the question here, to get some insight.

I worked for a time at a local branch of a donut franchise. At the end of the day we had to throw out ALL the donuts and bagels that were left over. This bothered me immensely, especially considering the quantities that were going into the garbage day after day. I got to think about all the wasted flour, eggs, sugar, etc that were not going to hungry people and ending up making snacks that eventually were not eaten. So, shortly thereafter, I began to give clients more than they would ask for (without making it perceptible to them while they were still in the store), just so that I would not be throwing so much food (if it could be called that) in the garbage. If they would do so when they got home, that was no longer my problem, I thought to myself.

Now, was I stealing? After all, I was dispensing with another’s (namely the owners’) goods in a contrary manner to what they were expecting of me, as if they were my own. And I justified it with good reasons (I’m pretty good at justifying my misdeeds). Let us see what they were and see if they were valid or not:

It was better the food go to people than to the garbage. Ok, this seems pretty noble, but the fact is that it wasn’t exactly food (as in it wasn’t nutritious) and also the people getting it weren’t needy (actually almost all of them were well-to-do). Food should go to those in need of it, right? Then why not to the needy? Because this stuff would never make it in edible condition to people really in need of food. So if they weren’t needy, why give it to them? So it wouldn’t end up in the garbage. Also, the owners’ have already counted this as a loss, so it really won’t affect them at all. Hm, circular logic here…

So, am I right to conclude that the ends don’t justify the means and that, all philanthropical flourish aside, I was simply stealing?

 

[AdriannaJean]

Oh yikes. That’s a toughie. Maybe this is just me being a health-nut here, but by the way you have made this “food” sound, it might be better off as neutral garbage than harmful food. If people are coming in to buy it, then that’s their choice, you’re not responsible for that. But giving them more is actually hurting them in the long run, and I doubt you would want to be responsible for that. Now if there is some way to ensure that the extra food is never made, that would be the most morally responsible course of action. As I am not an apologist (yet!), of course take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

[Newbie2]

No, it’s not stealing. What you’re doing is what’s called prudent business practice; give customers a bonus out of what would otherwise become waste; they’re more likely to become regular customers and make the owners more money in the longrun.

What I, as a boss would call it is taking some initiative, although it’s probably best to let the boss know about it and ask if it’s OK to continue the practice. Although I would consider it prudent business, if I were the boss I would want the customers to know that we were giving them a bonus for their money…purposefully…and that it was not a mistake.

Perhaps they could institute a “baker’s dozen” policy for the last couple hours of the day to get rid of the waste, and possibly generate a bit more business. These days businesspeople have to be creative in their marketing their wares.

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

I no longer work there. I suspect the owner that normally showed up would not be too pleased with this practice as he would get irritated even if we let a regular customer leave with their product if they were missing some cents and had promissed to come pay the rest later. Also, I never did it as an incentive to keep customers, even though some would tip us when they discovered. It was always about not throwing so much food out.

No, it’s not stealing. What you’re doing is what’s called prudent business practice; give customers a bonus out of what would otherwise become waste; they’re more likely to become regular customers and make the owners more money in the longrun.

What I, as a boss would call it is taking some initiative, although it’s probably best to let the boss know about it and ask if it’s OK to continue the practice. Although I would consider it prudent business, if I were the boss I would want the customers to know that we were giving them a bonus for their money…purposefully…and that it was not a mistake.

Perhaps they could institute a “baker’s dozen” policy for the last couple hours of the day to get rid of the waste, and possibly generate a bit more business. These days businesspeople have to be creative in their marketing their wares.

 

[JPUSC]

Now while I know that when in doubt if something is a sin or not the best action to pursue is to bring it up during confession, none the less I will bring up the question here, to get some insight.

I worked for a time at a local branch of a donut franchise. At the end of the day we had to throw out ALL the donuts and bagels that were left over. This bothered me immensely, especially considering the quantities that were going into the garbage day after day. I got to think about all the wasted flour, eggs, sugar, etc that were not going to hungry people and ending up making snacks that eventually were not eaten. So, shortly thereafter, I began to give clients more than they would ask for (without making it perceptible to them while they were still in the store), just so that I would not be throwing so much food (if it could be called that) in the garbage. If they would do so when they got home, that was no longer my problem, I thought to myself.

Now, was I stealing? After all, I was dispensing with another’s (namely the owners’) goods in a contrary manner to what they were expecting of me, as if they were my own. And I justified it with good reasons (I’m pretty good at justifying my misdeeds). Let us see what they were and see if they were valid or not:

It was better the food go to people than to the garbage. Ok, this seems pretty noble, but the fact is that it wasn’t exactly food (as in it wasn’t nutritious) and also the people getting it weren’t needy (actually almost all of them were well-to-do). Food should go to those in need of it, right? Then why not to the needy? Because this stuff would never make it in edible condition to people really in need of food. So if they weren’t needy, why give it to them? So it wouldn’t end up in the garbage. Also, the owners’ have already counted this as a loss, so it really won’t affect them at all. Hm, circular logic here…

So, am I right to conclude that the ends don’t justify the means and that, all philanthropical flourish aside, I was simply stealing?

I like that! Better than wasting them.

…or you could’ve just taken them home and given them to family and friends, if that’s allowed.

 

[didymus]

It was better the food go to people than to the garbage. Ok, this seems pretty noble, but the fact is that it wasn’t exactly food (as in it wasn’t nutritious) and also the people getting it weren’t needy (actually almost all of them were well-to-do). Food should go to those in need of it, right? Then why not to the needy? Because this stuff would never make it in edible condition to people really in need of food. So if they weren’t needy, why give it to them? So it wouldn’t end up in the garbage. Also, the owners’ have already counted this as a loss, so it really won’t affect them at all. Hm, circular logic here…

So, am I right to conclude that the ends don’t justify the means and that, all philanthropical flourish aside, I was simply stealing?

Sorry, I think you are wrong.
This food is not yours to give away.
I’m sure the company has calculated into the p/l margin tossing out leftover goods – not for goods that some employee has decided to give away free.
I know how you feel – when I was a kid I worked at a fast-food joint and it killed me to see all the burgers and 1/4-lbers being tossed because they were older than 10 minutes.

Maybe you could talk to your manager and suggest donating the leftovers to a food bank, shelter or other charity. I work at a family shelter and there’s a Panera’s that gives us a bunch of stuff every Monday.

 

[Ora_et_Labora_1]

I think you are wrong.
This food is not yours to give away.

This is what I was trying to get at, in spite of a lot of people telling me that what I did was comendable. All philanthropical fluff aside, I was acting in a way objectively not in accordance with God’s commandments. The ends do not justify the means.

 

[Christy_Beth]

I use to work at a McDonald’s where there would be various amounts of waste. I would have loved to see some of that go to a homeless shelter or something like that. But they wouldn’t even consider it. It could have made a good lunch or dinner for several people. Well, not healthy, but at least it was food.

 

[didymus]

I use to work at a McDonald’s where there would be various amounts of waste. I would have loved to see some of that go to a homeless shelter or something like that. But they wouldn’t even consider it. It could have made a good lunch or dinner for several people. Well, not healthy, but at least it was food.

A bakery can give away day-old bread, rolls ,doughnuts or whatever with no problem.
McD’s & other fast-food joints toss burgers if they’re no longer fresh but keeping them sitting around all day and then giving them to whoever really isn’t an option due to the possibility of illness (and lawsuits therefrom).

I knew a guy who worked in the kitchen at one of the colleges here. He said that they used to save the leftover burgers from each day and add them to the chili or whatever the next day (makes sense to me) but they were written up for it!!

Sadly, waste seems to be built into our system. Any of you who do work in the food industry might suggest to management getting involved with Second Harvest or the local food bank. I order for our shelter from the Food Bank and their fees are quite modest ($0.16/lb for donated food). I hate to think what it would do to the agency’s budget if we had to buy all that food from Price Chopper or even a wholesaler.

Sorry for the rant, I’ve veered way off topic.

 

[Holly3278]

It would be stealing if you took the doughnuts without permission.