Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

In trouble at work- over a quiche

574 replies

Coffeandtoast · 21/12/2025 08:38

Good morning

So on Friday we had a little gathering in the office at work. We all agreed to take in various food items and my contribution was quiches and sausage rolls.

so I took four quiches. At the end of the gathering there was one whole quiche left unopened.we agreed that we’d just share out the untouched food

I said that I’d just take the unopened quiche as we would eat it at home. In then comes Patricia, an older woman who I generally find quite difficult to work with. She’s self opinionated and knows everything. I generally try hard to get on with her but she’s a massive PITA. So she said something along the lines of “ you can’t just take the quiche until we’ve discussed who’s taking what” . I explained that I wasn’t to fussed about any of it and that she could just take the quiche, she carried on with her chuntering and huffing and puffing at me. So this is where it went pear shaped, I just snapped and shouted- “ just take the cunting quiche, Patricia”

it’s all kicked off and I have a HR meeting tomorrow regarding my foul language!!!!

OP posts:
awrbc81 · 21/12/2025 10:15

I’m on your side totally but just apologise for your language and explain that it’s a stressful time of year, I’m sure it’ll be fine!

Favouritefruits · 21/12/2025 10:15

Tell them you said ‘cutting quiche’ as in its a quiche to cut 😂

Hufflebuffs · 21/12/2025 10:16

tekliop · 21/12/2025 10:14

'Over a quiche'
'Patricia'
'...an older woman who I generally find quite difficult'
'chuntering and huffing and puffing'
'just take the cunting quiche, Patricia'

Did this all really happen?! Sounds a bit too emotive to me like you're off for Xmas now and have FA to do. I swear some threads on here are reply bait BS nonsense and this ticks all the MN boxes. Just like those reply-bait threads we see every Half Term. Well done.

Edited

I don’t care if this is a wind up. It’s hilarious. Take the cunting quiche Patricia is my new version of You Don’t Have the Authority Jackie Weaver

epicpaydat · 21/12/2025 10:16

This is my favourite MN thread title ever.

RunItOff · 21/12/2025 10:16

Patricia needs to take a Fucking Chill Pill…

Scout2016 · 21/12/2025 10:16

Don't try to justify it by saying what a PITA you find Patricia, or you were having a bad day / stress at home ir anything.
Just say you realise it was not appropriate and won't do it again.

Did you apologise at the time? What happened after you said it? I'm imagining shocked silence but then what?

I had a manager who went really inventively sweary for a while. I quite enjoyed it for the creativity. Turned out they'd been watching too much The Thick Of It, although I don't think that excuse would have carried with HR.

Rosscameasdoody · 21/12/2025 10:17

FestiveFruitloop · 21/12/2025 10:06

TBH I'm struggling to see the relevance too. Why is someone 'older' necessarily more likely to behave like this?

Show quote history

I’ve worked in many different office type settings, IME there was always a Patricia. And it’s always been an older woman. They tend to think because they’re older, they’re wiser and have the right to the last word on every little thing.

5128gap · 21/12/2025 10:17

Genevieva · 21/12/2025 10:04

Does picking a fight over a quiche not contravene a dignity at work policy? If you keep pocking someone, even after they have offered you what you want, you are clearly trying to provoke them.

My view is that HR shouldn’t get involved in petty playground squabbles. They need to tell them to sort it out between themselves.

Show quote history

If the OP had felt the woman's behaviour contravenes the policy she should have complained about her, not responded with behaviour that took it up a level to the inarguably inappropriate workplace behaviour of shouting at someone.
Employment policies don't allow people to do as they please just because they're 'provoked'. The expected response is to remain professional and use the proper channels.
How this goes depends on how seriously the employer takes it, and whether the OP has form for losing control. Disciplinary sanctions against her is however a possibility.

cakewitch · 21/12/2025 10:17

This is mumsnet at its best. I nominate this for classics.
In my line of work referring to a quiche as being "Cunting" would barely even bat an eye! im loving some of these comments.
😂

Canonlythinkofthisone · 21/12/2025 10:18

Coffeandtoast · 21/12/2025 08:38

Good morning

So on Friday we had a little gathering in the office at work. We all agreed to take in various food items and my contribution was quiches and sausage rolls.

so I took four quiches. At the end of the gathering there was one whole quiche left unopened.we agreed that we’d just share out the untouched food

I said that I’d just take the unopened quiche as we would eat it at home. In then comes Patricia, an older woman who I generally find quite difficult to work with. She’s self opinionated and knows everything. I generally try hard to get on with her but she’s a massive PITA. So she said something along the lines of “ you can’t just take the quiche until we’ve discussed who’s taking what” . I explained that I wasn’t to fussed about any of it and that she could just take the quiche, she carried on with her chuntering and huffing and puffing at me. So this is where it went pear shaped, I just snapped and shouted- “ just take the cunting quiche, Patricia”

it’s all kicked off and I have a HR meeting tomorrow regarding my foul language!!!!

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣

ThatJadeLion · 21/12/2025 10:19

4/10

Ritasueandbobtoo9 · 21/12/2025 10:19

This made me laugh! Clearly the quiche that broke the Christmas camels back.

Lightingfail · 21/12/2025 10:20

This is a huge headache for HR- at worst Patricia could decide to get signed off on the sick due to 'stress caused by workplace bullying' until it is resolved. It could all really kick off so I am not surprised they're trying to address it. I know people who've been fired for less.

IReallyDontKnowClouds · 21/12/2025 10:20

Please get t-shirts printed that say ‘just take the c**ting quiche, Patricia’ 🤣😂🤣

Tink3rbell30 · 21/12/2025 10:22

No excuse for the foul language.

BunnyLake · 21/12/2025 10:22

You were both basically fighting over a quiche, so even-stevens there, but you shot yourself in the foot by using a strong swear word (it may have just passed had you said damn or bloody).

Muddlethroughmam · 21/12/2025 10:24

We all know a Patricia.

Cunting quiche 🥲 I'm floored.

tekliop · 21/12/2025 10:24

Hufflebuffs · 21/12/2025 10:16

I don’t care if this is a wind up. It’s hilarious. Take the cunting quiche Patricia is my new version of You Don’t Have the Authority Jackie Weaver

Show quote history

Except JW was a cunt and the parish council videos were proof of that. She deserved it. Going around perpetuating a 'Who the fuck is Alice'-like chant is not nice to Alices or older women (Patricias?) deemed difficult at work. A funny post, sure. I just dislike all the emotive nonsense to put down older women in the office and to put a name on it.

BustyLaRoux · 21/12/2025 10:26

Quiche shall here on in be known as “cunting quiche”

ParmaVioletTea · 21/12/2025 10:27

What you said to her was pretty nasty & OTT - I hope you are required to give her an apology. And I hope you rethink your attitude to your colleagues.

Shedmistress · 21/12/2025 10:28

FurForksSake · 21/12/2025 09:15

You didn’t call her a cunt, you called the quiche a cunt. You were provoked.

Maybe the quiche was the one that complained?

Hufflebuffs · 21/12/2025 10:29

tekliop · 21/12/2025 10:24

Except JW was a cunt and the parish council videos were proof of that. She deserved it. Going around perpetuating a 'Who the fuck is Alice'-like chant is not nice to Alices or older women (Patricias?) deemed difficult at work. A funny post, sure. I just dislike all the emotive nonsense to put down older women in the office and to put a name on it.

Show quote history

I think we are seeing thus in different lights. I don’t care what Patricia is like. I would just as hard at “just take the cunting quiche Donald”. I don’t think Patricias are going to suffer en masse from this.

AngelinaFibres · 21/12/2025 10:29

Coffeandtoast · 21/12/2025 08:42

It was a fucking quiche Lorraine!!!!

Show quote history

Oh never worth fighting over. Little lumps of weird rubber ham. Yuk

InMyOpenOnion · 21/12/2025 10:31

I'm guessing Patricia has form for being a PITA. Unfortunately we have to remain professional when faced with such people at work, tempting though it is to lose it! Why not just donate unwanted items to the food bank next time, to avoid all the "discussion" about who gets what?

ilovepixie · 21/12/2025 10:32

I want quiche now. Haven’t had it in years.