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Jacket potato for lunch

181 replies

Biscuitz1 · 16/01/2026 13:13

Just really annoyed right now as someone from work believes it is perfectly appectable to put a potato for 15 mins in the microwave!

There is already a queue as it is.

OP posts:
takingthepissoutofme · 16/01/2026 14:23

15 mins? She's taking the piss, I would say 8 mins in a mic, or grab a frozen one, they are 6.5mins. There is no issues cooking it at home and reheating it either, it won't kill her. Is there only 1 microwave? Between how many staff?

wishingonastar101 · 16/01/2026 14:22

She's confusing rice with a potato... you can't leave rice warm and then re-heat because of bacterial growth.

Tell her...
potato = fine.
Rice = death

Isobel201 · 16/01/2026 14:22

you can get frozen jacket potatoes that just need re-heating, so where she's getting the idea that reheating does any harm is absurd.

Youcancallmeirrelevant · 16/01/2026 14:16

Surely not everyone is trying to use the microwave at exactly the same time? If I need the microwave, I'll take my lunch when it is free, otherwise I'll just carry on working until then

Iheartmysmart · 16/01/2026 14:13

Yuck. Microwave jacket potatoes are awful. I used to work with someone who would put their bread on top of the toaster if it was already in use. Obviously that stopped the other person’s toast from popping up so it would burn. Then the fire alarm would go off and we’d all have to troop outside and wait in the car park for the all clear. After it happened several days in a row, we were banned from having a toaster.

HelpMeUnpickThis · 16/01/2026 14:10

I think you need to petition facilities / management for more microwaves.

BunnyLake · 16/01/2026 14:09

Biscuitz1 · 16/01/2026 13:48

Ouch you got me! I defintely lied and said it was 15 mins instead of 15 seconds.

Like one poster pointed out, she is cooking it raw.
Her response is she cant reheat after cooking because of bacterial growth?
She has tried to use the microwave 10 mins before lunch start but cant always get there in time.

Well I’ve managed to survive all these decades reheating a potato. I doubt all the jacket potatoes sold in cafes have been freshly baked. She needs to rethink her lunch options.

BunnyLake · 16/01/2026 14:04

Weatherwax · 16/01/2026 13:18

Can you suggest they should cook it at home the night before and would only need to reheat it then. That's what one of my co workers does.

You would think that would cross people’s minds wouldn’t you! (I mean to cook night before).

Very thoughtless of them when people only have limited time.

SingedSoul · 16/01/2026 13:58

MidnightMeltdown · 16/01/2026 13:35

No way does a jacket potato take 15 minutes in the microwave. 5 minutes max. Massive exaggeration.

From raw?? Your microwave must be nuclear.

Matronic6 · 16/01/2026 13:53

Biscuitz1 · 16/01/2026 13:48

Ouch you got me! I defintely lied and said it was 15 mins instead of 15 seconds.

Like one poster pointed out, she is cooking it raw.
Her response is she cant reheat after cooking because of bacterial growth?
She has tried to use the microwave 10 mins before lunch start but cant always get there in time.

She has done this before???

Biscuitz1 · 16/01/2026 13:50

PineappleMelon · 16/01/2026 13:41

I’ve just googled this because I couldn’t believe that was right, but it is. I haven’t cooked them in the microwave for years but swear I remember them taking at least ten.

Maybe it’s a massive potato.

Not sure why she goes for 15 mins then as it isnt a massive potato.

This is the third time shes done this hence my rant.

OP posts:
Biscuitz1 · 16/01/2026 13:48

MidnightMeltdown · 16/01/2026 13:35

No way does a jacket potato take 15 minutes in the microwave. 5 minutes max. Massive exaggeration.

Ouch you got me! I defintely lied and said it was 15 mins instead of 15 seconds.

Like one poster pointed out, she is cooking it raw.
Her response is she cant reheat after cooking because of bacterial growth?
She has tried to use the microwave 10 mins before lunch start but cant always get there in time.

OP posts:
PineappleMelon · 16/01/2026 13:41

MidnightMeltdown · 16/01/2026 13:35

No way does a jacket potato take 15 minutes in the microwave. 5 minutes max. Massive exaggeration.

I’ve just googled this because I couldn’t believe that was right, but it is. I haven’t cooked them in the microwave for years but swear I remember them taking at least ten.

Maybe it’s a massive potato.

MoominMai · 16/01/2026 13:40

AngelinaFibres · 16/01/2026 13:38

I worked with someone who always brought broccoli and Stilton soup for lunch. I like that soup but, in our tiny staffroom, it just stank the place out and made everything else taste of broccoli and Stilton

At least they’re weren’t hogging the microwave for 15mins heating it up though!

catmothertes1 · 16/01/2026 13:39

MidnightMeltdown · 16/01/2026 13:35

No way does a jacket potato take 15 minutes in the microwave. 5 minutes max. Massive exaggeration.

If they are cooking it from raw,it probably take that long.

AngelinaFibres · 16/01/2026 13:38

I worked with someone who always brought broccoli and Stilton soup for lunch. I like that soup but, in our tiny staffroom, it just stank the place out and made everything else taste of broccoli and Stilton

MidnightMeltdown · 16/01/2026 13:35

No way does a jacket potato take 15 minutes in the microwave. 5 minutes max. Massive exaggeration.

surreygirly · 16/01/2026 13:34

OMG how awful

80smonster · 16/01/2026 13:33

15 minutes? Set the fire alarm off and toss it in the bin on the way out…

Clychaugog · 16/01/2026 13:28

YANBU. Rude.

snoopyfanaccountant · 16/01/2026 13:26

I used to work with someone who would bring in ready meals that took 8 minutes to heat but instead of waiting until the start of her lunch break she would pop into the rest area 8 minutes before her break and put it in the microwave so that it was ready when she came through for her break. The rest of us meanwhile had to queue up in the hope that we could get our lunch heated and eaten without being called away for an urgent call (she worked back shop so was guaranteed an uninterrupted break).

MrsClatterbuck · 16/01/2026 13:23

Maybe if you put your item in along with their baked potato saying sorry but don't have time to wait 15 minutes they might get the message.

BillieWiper · 16/01/2026 13:22

It should only take 10 mins. And yeah that's annoying. Above anything else, a miked potato that hasn't been finished in an oven or air fryer tastes like absolute shite!

At least it wasn't one of those budget 99p frozen fish pies 🤢

TumbledTussocks · 16/01/2026 13:21

i always used to take a potato to microwave at work when i first left home. 15mins though?? mine only took a few mins but maybe that’s why i was still hungry after 🤣

Changingplace · 16/01/2026 13:20

MatildaTheCat · 16/01/2026 13:15

Can’t other items go in at the same time?

No that’s weird 🤣