TikTok of Bakery Throwing Pastries In Trash Sparks Debate

Saying that America suffers from a problem of wasteful product is an understatement. This is especially true when it concerns food. Each year 30-40% US edible products are thrown in the trash, and most of them are safe to eat. One could blame capitalism in general.

If one wanted to get more granular, they could highlight the fact that some businesses are not participating in local pantry pick-up programs, or lament the fact that a fear of litigation/intrinsically assuming responsibility for any harm caused by eating “free” products may dampen people’s enthusiasm for giving out free food to those who need it.

In a TikTok which went viral recently, all of these issues were raised along with an additional sentiment from a user who felt that they had been ripped-off.

Manuel Olivera was visiting a pastry shop at Porto’s Bakery & Cafe in Buena Park, Calif. where he was charged $83.09 for a bunch of baked goods.

He was disappointed when, shortly after purchasing all the yummy treats, store employees threw away the items right in front of customers.

Firstly: it makes the value of the product you’re buying seem…well…nonexistent as you’re watching a person you just purchased it from literally throw it in the garbage.

What would your experience be as a consumer? I was ripped off! Manuel writes.

It appeared, however, that other TikTokers didn’t have the same view. Some people called him “entitled”, just because they saw his goods being thrown away in the face.

Others suggested that it could have been for other reasons, like the pastries being stale or unfit to sell. Although great bakers are a lot like chemists in that their goods must be perfectly balanced/heated and cooled to attain their respective ideal textures and flavor profiles, errant cookies/cannolis/whatever-it-is-you’re-baking can occur.

Others who stated that they worked in the foodservice/restaurant industry said that many food products are periodically tossed because, after a certain amount of time, they’re unsafe to consume, or may run the risk of that.

One individual claimed to be a worker at that location and said that meat was in those products being thrown out. They had also stated that these items were on the site since 5 am. The TikToker, however, stated that the products of the same type he bought were thrown out just moments later.

He said that he felt like the food he had purchased was basically worthless because they threw it away.

Do you agree? Would you be upset if at 10 pm you saw someone throw away the donuts that you had purchased? Would you have asked him to take them? They should have put the employees on Garbageville’s one-way trains after all customers had left.