A surprising amount of people drink during the workday. According to a 2006 study, “An estimated 1.83% (2.3 million workers) drink before work, 7.06% (8.9 million workers) drink during the workday, [and] 1.68% (2.1 million workers) work under the influence of alcohol.”
These numbers likely increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, as a survey from Alcohol.org found that about a third of Americans were “likely to drink during work hours while operating from home as compared to working in their typical workspace.”
While some may enjoy drinking on the job, employers generally frown upon the behavior. As a result, those looking to have an alcoholic drink at work must resort to concealing their beverage from their bosses.
One such method for doing so recently went viral after it was posted by TikTok user @shitsack420. In a video with over 1.8 million views as of Saturday, the TikToker, who was working as a line cook, shows himself squirting a sauce bottle into a cup and drinking from it. It is presumed that the sauce bottle contains wine.
@shitsack420 It do be like yhat some times #chef #cheflife #booze #fun #struggle #real #letsgo #reel #on #linecook #hotdudedoinghotthings #life #tutorial #easy #love ♬ original sound – shitsack420
“Let me know your low key methods of drinking on shift,” the TikToker writes in the text overlaying the video.
Later, the TikToker wrote in a comment, “I got fired after my boss saw this.”
In the comments section, many users expressed concern for the TikToker.
“Be careful. That escalates in ways you don’t want it to. Take care of yourself,” a user wrote.
“Genuine addiction,” another said.
“Drinking makes me not mental,” the TikToker replied to a comment about drinking on the job.
A 2019 article in The Guardian noted that rates of alcohol and drug addiction are significantly higher for chefs.
“Chefs are nearly twice as likely to be addicted to alcohol and drugs as the wider population and 9% more vulnerable to suicide,” writes author Tim Adams. “In a 2017 survey, a shocking 51% of people who worked in kitchens confessed to debilitating stress and depression.”
Other commenters echoed the idea that kitchens were hotbeds of drugs and drinking.
“Lore accurate line cook,” stated a commenter.
“I used to drink straight vodka in a water bottle on shift,” recalled a second. “Fun times.”
“When I make batter for fish n chip I need two pitchers of beer… so naturally I get 2-3 beers while I make it,” claimed a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to the TikToker via TikTok comment.
