Am I wrong for not paying for a BBQ at Home Depot?

Shirley Stafford Hours
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Picture a sunny afternoon, the scent of charcoal in the air, as a guy hauls a shiny new BBQ home from Home Depot, visions of backyard burgers dancing in his head. He rents a truck, tips the staff, and sets up his prize—only to realize weeks later the store never charged him the $300 price tag. Now, his conscience is doing flips.

Was it a lucky break or a moral test? Should he trek back to settle the bill, or chalk it up to a big-box blunder? This Reddit yarn, fresh from his post, dives into the quirky quandary of accidental freebies, corporate slip-ups, and the tug of personal ethics, with a community ready to grill the issue.

‘Am I wrong for not paying for a BBQ at Home Depot?’

About 3 months ago I purchased a $300 BBQ at Home Depot. I needed to rent a truck for $20 to haul the bbq to my house. As I was processing the paperwork, the salesman went and grabbed a new assembled bbq.

After 20 minutes, the paperwork was processed, and I met the salesman at the front of the store where he loaded it onto the flatbed. I tipped him and one other and drove home.. I got home, dropped off the bbq and returned the truck.. It was about three weeks later that I realized I never paid for the bbq.. Am I wrong for not going back?

This BBQ mix-up is a classic case of conscience versus convenience. The Redditor’s discovery that Home Depot didn’t charge him for a $300 grill puts him at a crossroads: own up or let it slide. His hesitation reflects a natural grapple with integrity, especially when a faceless corporation is on the other side.

Dr. Dan Ariely, a behavioral economist, notes, “Small ethical lapses can snowball when we rationalize them as victimless” (source). A 2023 retail study found 15% of checkout errors go unreported by customers, often due to perceived corporate indifference (source). Home Depot’s oversight doesn’t absolve responsibility, but the scale of their operation muddies the moral waters.

Returning to pay could bring peace of mind, though past Reddit tales suggest billing chaos might ensue. Waiting for a bill, as some suggest, balances pragmatism with ethics. This story reminds us: integrity isn’t about the size of the store but the weight of your own values.

Here’s the feedback from the Reddit community:

Reddit’s crew dove into this ethical BBQ like neighbors at a cookout, tossing out wisecracks and wisdom over virtual beers. It’s as if they’ve fired up the grill, debating the Redditor’s dilemma with a mix of cheek and cheer. Here’s the unfiltered sizzle from the crowd, packed with humor and a pinch of shade:

kappaklassy − Something similar happened to me but with a washer/dryer. I went back and then they charged me for it 3 times. I went back and explained to have them reverse 2 of the charges but they did all three. I went back to explain again and they charged me four times. I went back to get them to reverse 3 of them but they did all 4 again and I decided it was now mine and I had tried. Idk how Home Depot stays in business being this incompetent.

greenchilepizza666 − This has to be the best post for stealing from HD, using thier rental truck to do it. You always hear the stories of someone running out with whatever and the employees yelling or doing nothing. They even helped him load it.

AnybodySeeMyKeys − I once had a client pay a $16,000 invoice twice. My client contact was kind of a ditz. When I called her up to report the mistake, she gasped and said,

VetteL82 − I ordered a camp kitchen from Cabela’s, it was taking for ever to ship and they eventually cancelled the order, so I ordered again. 3 weeks later 2 camp kitchens showed up.

Tiny_Commercial_1328 − Home Depot committed billions of dollars of wage theft in California alone. They’ll be fine.

SwimmingAnxiety3441 − Many years ago, my parents ordered a new fridge. Crew came out to deliver and setup. Unloaded. Started unpacking. White fridge. My parents ordered black. Told crew. They said they only deliver. Someone else will have to pickup.

Parents called store explained problem. Next day, new crew, new fridge…this time black. Unloaded. Setup. Collected box. My mom asked about the white fridge. They repeated…”we only deliver”. For about six months my mom alternated between calling and emailing the store to pickup the white fridge. Crickets.

Thanksgiving rolled around…too much food for the black fridge. White fridge was still in the garage, partially boxed. We decided to use it for overflow. Worked just fine. My mom kept emailing. After 3 years, someone finally said to keep it. Free fridge.

PhatBoobh − From home depot, nope don't pay it. From a mom and pop or individual? Yes it'd be pretty fucked up. Consider it a win

skartarisfan − You only have control over your behavior. Do big box stores, like Home Depot, rip people off and actively put small mom and pop stores out of business? Yes. Do they lose sleep over it? No. I can give you a hundred reasons to let it ride. Some people, things like this eat at them.

They can’t sleep and they fret about it. These folks are moral and have a big conscience. I can’t tell you the right thing to do, but we all know what will make you not worry about this. Good luck. You are responsible for your own decisions.

ihateOldPeople_ − Id say the universe gave you a freebie, why deny the universes gifts?

Ok-Lifeguard-9507 − Wait for a bill and then pay that.

These Redditors are all in, crowning the Redditor the king of accidental wins while poking fun at Home Depot’s slip. Many shrug it off as a corporate fumble, urging him to keep the grill guilt-free, though a few nudge him toward paying for peace. Their lively takes spark a question: do these online cheers nail the ethics of a freebie, or just fan the flames of a good deal?

This BBQ blunder serves up a juicy slice of everyday ethics. The Redditor’s unpaid grill isn’t just a steal—it’s a mirror reflecting personal values against corporate chaos. Whether he pays or not, his pause shows a heart wrestling with right and wrong. Have you ever stumbled into an accidental windfall and faced a moral fork in the road? Drop your story below and let’s chew on the messy art of doing the right thing.

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