Coworker (M) was more friendly than I (23F) am comfortable with, how do I handle it?

Hello!

For context; I work in a popular chain resturant as a hostess, and for anyone who doesn't know what a hostess is it's essentially the person who brings you to your table when you enter a sit-down resturant.

At the resturant I work at, hosts are also encharge of letting a server know they're cut (when the servers are no longer going to take tables for the night).

Tonight we were seating slow because our kitchen fell behind, so many of our servers were frustrated because they weren't getting a ton of new tables throughout the night. When the first wave of cuts came one of the servers was very enthusiastic.

He thanked me, and when I turned around to tell the next server they were cut he grabbed me by the shoulders/shoulder blades and sort of squeezed? I guess? It's hard to describe because I don't really remember it. I just know I froze and sort of went on autopilot after.

Now, I know he didn't mean it maliciously. I mean, he was thanking me! And usually he'll like offer a fist bump or whatever and I don't mind that, but this was different.

In general, obviously it's not cool to touch people without consent but I also have a lot of trauma and sensory issues regarding touch. It's been an hour and I still feel his hands on me.

I know I need to let him know so it doesn't happen again, but I'm scared. I can handle working with men, but I don't like being alone with them or being touched by them.

But I know if this was an instance where someone who isn't a man did the same thing I would speak to them privately, because I don't want this to be a thing. I worry if I go through one of managers it might end up being a thing, and I don't want that because again I really don't think the touch was intended to be anything more than a friendly gesture. I also worry that if I go through a manager he'll know it was me who mentioned it and then ask why I didn't go him directly. I don't want someone I'm not close with to know about my issues, it's not their business.

I don't know what the best option is? How should I go about this?

Posted Jun 30, 2026, 2:36 AM UTC

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