Everyone thinks it was about the shortbread. It wasn't. When Jason Sudeikis’s character, Ted Lasso, first strolled into Rebecca Welton's office with that little pink box, it looked like a classic "fish out of water" trope. A sugary bribe. A midwestern American trying to charm a cold British executive with nothing but butter and flour. But as the show exploded from a quirky Apple TV+ comedy into a global cultural phenomenon, biscuits with the boss became something much heavier than a pastry. It became a shorthand for radical empathy in the workplace.
It’s actually kinda wild how a fictional ritual started showing up in real corporate HR seminars. People were genuinely tired of the "grindset" culture of the 2010s. They wanted something softer. Something that didn't feel like a performance review.
The Secret Sauce of Biscuits with the Boss
The premise is deceptively simple. Every morning, Ted brings Rebecca a box of homemade shortbread. They sit. They talk. Usually, Rebecca doesn't want to talk. Ted talks anyway. It’s a relentless, unwavering commitment to showing up.
In the real world, this is what psychologists call "low-stakes social bonding." Most interactions with a superior are high-stakes. You’re asking for a raise. You’re defending a project. You’re getting reprimanded. Biscuits with the boss flips the script by removing the agenda. Honestly, if you try this at work, the hardest part isn't the baking—it's the consistency. Ted didn't just do it when things were good. He did it when Rebecca was actively trying to sabotage him.
That’s the nuance most people miss. It’s not about being "nice." It’s about being present.
Why Shortbread? (And Yes, the Recipe Matters)
In the show, Ted claims he bakes them himself. In reality, the "stunt biscuits" used on set were notoriously terrible during the first season. Hannah Waddingham, who plays Rebecca, has gone on record in several interviews—specifically with Variety and The Hollywood Reporter—mentioning that the first batch of biscuits was essentially "chunky, flavored sponge" that tasted like "cardboard."
By the second season, the props department luckily stepped up their game.
If you’re looking to recreate this for a real-world "Biscuits with the Boss" moment, you can't just buy a box of Walkers from the grocery store. It defeats the purpose. The effort is the point. The classic English shortbread used in the show relies on a very specific ratio: one part sugar, two parts butter, and three parts flour.
Psychological Safety and the "Lasso Way"
Let’s get nerdy for a second. There’s a concept in organizational psychology called "Psychological Safety," popularized largely by Amy Edmondson, a professor at Harvard Business School. It’s the belief that you won't be punished or humiliated for speaking up with ideas, questions, concerns, or mistakes.
Biscuits with the boss is a masterclass in building that safety.
By creating a "protected space" every morning, Ted gave Rebecca a venue to be human. Most managers think they’re being "approachable" by saying they have an "open door policy." That’s a lie. An open door policy requires the employee to take the risk of walking through it. Ted’s method—bringing the biscuits to her—removes the barrier of entry. He takes the risk. He risks the rejection.
You’ve probably felt that tension in your own office. The "Hey, do you have a sec?" Slack message that induces an immediate heart attack. Now imagine if that "sec" always involved a snack and zero talk about KPIs. It changes the neural pathways of the relationship.
Is it actually sustainable?
Some critics argue that the "Lasso Way" is a bit too "toxic positivity." And they have a point. You can't just bake cookies and ignore the fact that your team is missing their sales targets or the company is pivoting toward a strategy that makes no sense.
Real leadership requires friction.
However, the "Biscuits with the Boss" ritual provides the capital needed for that friction. When you’ve built a foundation of trust through 50 small, pleasant interactions, the 51st interaction—the hard one, where you have to give tough feedback—is much easier to swallow. It’s like a bank account. You’re making deposits of goodwill so that you don't go bankrupt when you have to make a withdrawal.
Implementing the Ritual (Without Being Weird)
If you’re a manager and you suddenly start showing up at your employees' desks with pink boxes, they’re going to think you’re about to fire them. Or that you’ve joined a cult. You have to be careful with the rollout.
- Don't call it "Biscuits with the Boss." Seriously. Use your own words.
- Make it opt-in. Some people just want to work. Respect that.
- Keep the "business talk" to a minimum. If the conversation drifts to the Q3 forecast, steer it back to something else. Anything else. Did they see that weird documentary about the guy who lives with bears? Talk about that.
- Actually listen. This is the part where most people fail. Ted didn't just wait for his turn to speak; he was a "curious, not judgmental" listener.
The Cultural Impact of a Shortbread Cookie
It's fascinating how a show about a fictional football club in Richmond, London, managed to influence real-world sports and business. In 2023, the Ted Lasso cast was invited to the White House to discuss mental health. This wasn't just a PR stunt for a TV show; it was a recognition that the themes the show touched on—vulnerability, forgiveness, and small-scale kindness—were lacking in the public discourse.
Biscuits with the boss became the symbol for that movement.
It represents the idea that we can be professional without being robotic. We can have hierarchies without being hierarchical. Basically, it’s about acknowledging that the person sitting across from you has a whole life outside of the four walls of the office. They have pets that get sick. They have hobbies they’re embarrassed about. They have favorite biscuits.
✨ Don't miss: The Navajo Language: Why It’s Way More Than Just a Code
Specific Variations of the Ritual
Not every office is a "biscuit" office. I’ve seen versions of this work with:
- The "Coffee Walk": Exactly what it sounds like. 15 minutes, out of the building, no phones.
- The "Friday Playlist": Everyone contributes one song to a shared office playlist, and the "boss" has to listen to it and comment on their favorites.
- The "Monday Morning Meme": A low-effort way to break the ice before a grueling sync-up.
The medium doesn't matter. The shortbread is just a vehicle.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception about biscuits with the boss is that Ted was trying to change Rebecca. He wasn't. At least, not initially. He was just being Ted. If you go into a ritual like this with the goal of "manipulating" your team into being more productive, they will smell it a mile away.
Authenticity is the only currency that matters here.
If you don't actually like your employees, don't bring them biscuits. They’ll just taste like resentment. You have to genuinely want to know the people you work with. If that feels like a chore, then the problem isn't your management style; it’s your culture.
Actionable Steps for Tomorrow
If you want to bring a bit of the Richmond AFC vibe to your workplace, don't overthink it. Start small.
First, find a recipe that actually tastes good. If you're going for the authentic feel, look for a recipe that uses high-quality European butter (the higher fat content makes the crumb more tender). Refrigerate the dough before baking—this keeps the edges sharp and prevents the biscuit from spreading into a sad puddle.
Second, pick a "target." Not in a predatory way, but find one person you haven't really connected with. Someone outside your usual circle.
Third, deliver the goods with zero expectations. "Hey, I was baking these last night and thought you might like some." That’s it. Walk away. Don't wait for a thank you. Don't ask for a favor in return.
Fourth, repeat. The magic isn't in the first box. It's in the twentieth. It's the "every day-ness" of it that breaks down the walls.
Eventually, you might find that the "boss" isn't the one in the corner office. The boss is the culture you've built, one butter-heavy calorie at a time. It’s about creating a space where people feel seen, heard, and—most importantly—fed. That's how you turn a group of people who happen to work in the same building into a team that actually cares if the other person shows up.
📖 Related: These are the times that try: Why Thomas Paine’s Most Famous Line is Still Misunderstood
The biscuits are just the beginning. The real work happens in the silence between bites.
Next Steps for Your Workplace Culture
- Audit your "low-stakes" interactions: Track how many times a week you talk to your team about something completely unrelated to work.
- Research the "Propinquity Effect": Understand how physical proximity and frequent, casual interactions naturally lead to increased liking and friendship.
- Try the official recipe: Seek out the recipe released by Apple TV+ or look for a "Scottish Shortbread" variation that emphasizes the 3:2:1 ratio for the most authentic experience.
- Evaluate your "Open Door" reality: Ask a trusted colleague if people actually feel comfortable coming to you, or if you need to start "going to them" instead.