Throughout my tenure at Sorrel Urban Bistro I've made a lot of friends. Mostly waiters and chefs, but many busboys too. One busboy in particular, let's call him "Marco," is incredibly friendly.

Come to find out, Marco is also a busboy at a coffee shop that I frequent, called Cafe Brasil. Brasil serves coffee and wine, but they also have a full breakfast and lunch menu, which I usually order from.

The first time that I went when he was working, I ordered a bagel and was about to order a coffee when I noticed him motioning towards the coffee with a "hey man, I've got this..." look in his eyes. I didn't want to get him in trouble, especially since I thought that he was being incredibly obvious doing this so close to the cashier, but I felt powerless. I ultimately kept my mouth shut, enjoyed the free coffee with a guilty conscience, and left him a decent tip when I knew that he would be clearing my table.

Well today I made sure to order my coffee and my breakfast before he noticed that I was there. As I was paying, he came up and we did the whole white boy/busboy awkward fist pump thing. I felt good that I both payed the cafe for what I ordered and that there was no potential to inadvertently get him in trouble.

However, after I found a table, another busboy brought me an order of waffles (not what I ordered.) I informed him that this was the wrong table, but he insisted, telling me that this was from Marco. I told him to tell Marco thank you, but now what am I supposed to do? I'm inconveniently sitting right by the cashier and the kitchen, so I feel like everyone in the restaurant knows what's going on. To not eat it would be rude to Marco, but to eat it would be to make myself complicit in this crime and (selfish thought, I admit) would ruin my appetite for the salmon and capers bagel that I was craving.

Am I making too much of this? Am I doing the wrong thing by eating the bagel and encouraging Marco with a tip? How about my obligation to the restaurant? I love this cafe and I don't want to get a reputation around here as a guy that eats for free. Bah!

Just say very nice that he doesn't need to do that, if he insists, say you that apreciate it.
In any case, just tell something "I'll pay something for you" and pay a lunch for him someday.
But don't worry too much about it. Be nice in the same way he is. IMHO.

I would start showing up everyday that he's working and move my way up to the more expensive menu items. When he inevitably get's fired, he will have learned his lesson with nobody to thank but you. It's a win-win.

Well how about my obligation to Cafe Brasil? I would like to reimburse them for the food and coffee that I consumed for free, but to do so would incriminate my good friend Marco.

Just "nip it in the bud" right now. Tell Marco you aren't comfortable taking free food. That to you, it's stealing.

F*ck his sister.

does he, you know, like like you?

That's easier said than done. I feel like that would communicate that I'm being ungrateful.

Agree with T2B. Kindly nip it. Are you a man or a muppet?

is it starbucks? if so, fuck the man and all that.

Tell him, "I appreciate the gesture, but to me, it's stealing."
Us passive-aggressive white guys don't deal with these dilemmas well, but just make it clear you want to be his friend and you truly appreciated what he's trying to do.

Agree with T2B. Just say that you feel unconfortable, but you really apreciate what he did for you.
Tell him to stop, and say you'll compensate him/them somehow/someday.

I want to hear more about the salmon and caper bagel.

he's going to ask you out shortly

I don't think that's true. Marco just strikes me as a rebellious but genuine kid that wants to both break the rules and do a nice thing.

face it, babe, sooner or later, he's gonna be asking to exchange cell numbers and such
the guy's giving you free waffles for crying out loud

pete's not going to be happy about this. that's all I'm saying

Yeah, sounds like he's trying to get up in that Reid.

Even more reason to soak Marco for all he's got. Two birds one stone, I say.