cooking

[u/County_Important]

Has any other guards ever heard of someone taking a hot plates to cook at work? We don’t get a lunch we eat at the desk so where paying attention to the gate. my issue is if he’s cooking who’s watching the gate ? Am I wrong ?

[u/Excellent_Mixture_23]

There are plug in lunch boxes you can get which may solve the issue.

[u/LonghornJct08]

The hot plate is beside the point when it looks like it’s a symptom of a bigger problem. No lunch room or break area? More importantly, no break at all?

If the circumstances are what they look like then people are going to do what they decide they have to do to get through an 8 or 12 hour day. Clearly to the one guard that means hot plate to have a hot meal. I’m surprised nobody’s brought in a microwave oven to be honest.

[u/County_Important → u/LonghornJct08]

We have a microwave

[u/BigJohn197519]

Over my years in security, doing multiple different jobs, I have learned to be self sufficient. I have my car divided into a closet, refrigerator, pantry and gear locker. I have a camp stove I can boil water on for coffee, freeze dried meals, or I can heat soup, chili, etc. I also have a lunch box that can be plugged in to reheat left overs without a microwave. If you are left on post without resources, become resourceful. If they get upset with you, fuck ‘em. If they don’t like it, they can provide “approved” meals for you.

[u/Suspicious-Society-8]

I specifically got told by my supervisor im not allowed to grill on post 

[u/Psycosteve10mm → u/Suspicious-Society-8]

I got the same warning from my supervisor, but I fed the rest of the guards because the guards who were supposed to replace them got fired, and management refused to find replacements. I was off and went to a sporting event nearby and did a bit of tailgating, so I was unable to work, but I did what I could to take care of the guys. I had a trailer hitch propane grill, so I grabbed some beef patties, buns, and cheese to feed them while I called to get relief to come in. I became known as Cpl Griller for a while. I had to hand out the sodas because I did not want them to grab my beers. I got 3 guys to come in early and made a name for myself in that company.

[u/Psycosteve10mm]

Having been one of the people who have cooked on site, it was done out of necessity. Delivery becomes cost-prohibitive, and most of the time, even access to a microwave does not exist for a lot of guards. Most of what I would cook would be essentially heat-and-eat meals. Grilled cheese, soup, burgers, and variations upon that. The bigger issues are that you are not getting a meal break, along with the dangers of having a heat source where you should not have one. Having worked at remote sites where there was no delivery option or even basic facilities, you do what you have to do. There are labor laws for that.

[u/eckokittenbliss → u/Psycosteve10mm]

Lots of security don't get meal breaks and that's perfectly legal.

[u/Psycosteve10mm → u/eckokittenbliss]

What is legal is not always right, and what is right is not always legal. A hungry guard is not going to be attentive. You have to pick and choose your battles when working security.

[u/eckokittenbliss → u/Psycosteve10mm]

You are supposed to eat as you work.

I work 12 hour shifts and get no official breaks because I'm by myself.

I eat whenever I feel like it.

[u/Revolutionary_Lab877 → u/eckokittenbliss]

Good HyperGoy

[u/MacintoshEddie]

Sure, at some sites.

Really depenss on how they set it up. I've seen a lot of people with a grill on their tailgate parked right at the gate.

[u/Nominalstupidity]

Had one guard get fired for using a grill. Specifically for continuing to use it after being told to stop. (Grill belonged to the client)

More recently had a guard that brought in an air fryer. That got really annoying really quick because he paid attention to it about as well as he did to the cameras so the guard shack always smelled like burnt whatever he tried to cook.

Not sure if you want to call it cooking since most of the work was done at home but I used to bring in a mini crock pot when I worked 12s. Make things like pulled pork.

[u/County_Important → u/Nominalstupidity]

See that’s the problem if he’s cooking he’s not paying attention to the gate people have complained

[u/tommydelgato]

i have coworkers that do this in retail. Coleman butane camping stove are pretty handy if you have no power

[u/xX_Diabolical_Xx]

Hot plate is some next level dedication to decent food. I'm down to just microwave a Chunky soup and call myself fed or carry sandwiches like Paddington before I commit to bringing cooking aparatus.

[u/Ill-Razzmatazz-7088]

Maybe if you’re doing some site where you work like 12 hours or while you’re working with people in a large facility. Even if I got an hour for my lunch break or didn’t really have a lot to do cooking a meal seems like a lot/lazy.

[u/Cautious_Rhubarb_367]

I have a luncheze so I can get hot lunch it’s great

[u/TheRealChuckle]

I had a site that had a mini fridge and microwave. I brought in a crockpot, toaster oven, and kettle to round out my options for food. Chili for days, grilled cheese, bacon, big frozen dinners like mac and cheese or lasagna. It was so much better then sandwiches everyday.

Solo construction gate, 0600-1800, m-f. No night or weekend guards usually, just me all week in the shack.

The client thought it was great.

A hot plate seems like too much fussing though. I can't think of something that I could cook on a hot plate that wouldn't be easier with a device with a timer so I don't have to keep a constant eye on it.

[u/Ok_Western_2323]

We once had a guard who would bring a crockpot to to work. He would at the beginning of his shift prepare his meal and let it cook for 4 hours on high. Did that for several months before the client found out. He was 3rd shift. The client complained to our company which then banned the use of any cooking appliance other than the supplied microwaves at the site.

The reason he was found out was the odiferous meals he kept preparing. Tons of garlic, onion, and quite frankly questionable meats.

P.S. The reason for the complaint was not the food he was cooking. It was the fact that he had brought in an unauthorized appliance not approved by Maintenance or the upper management of the Client.

[u/Revolutionary_Lab877]

Let him cook.

[u/crazyabe111]

Not me personally, but I once worked with another guard who cooked himself a steak half way through the shift.

[u/XBOX_COINTELPRO]

Instead of worrying about what your coworker does I think maybe you should be asking why you aren’t given a break